sagging walls

[stacey10s2]

I own a mobile trailer home that the walls are sagging down and making my floor curve on the outer edge, how do I fix this problem? I think the cause is the new roof, they placed a new roof over the old but didn't re-enforce the walls (why the old owners did this I'll never know). But now we need to fix this and don't quit know how, can you help with some advice? We know we would have to put support along the edges some how, but what about shifting, and would we have to replace the whole floor, or just along the edge?

Any advice will do,
Thank you

[David Oxhandler]

It very well might be a problem with the new roof. You don’t say what type of new roof was installed. Most of the time aluminum pans are used to create a roof-over. These generally are very light weight and would not effect the structural integrity of the home.

It is difficult to picture the situation your describing... but It sounds like you may need a visit by a professional installer to diagnose the cause. All states now have a license procedure for MH installers. This would be your best possibility of finding someone that can look at your home and understand what is causing the problems.

Most problems that involve a home racking.... Shifting out of level and square ... Can be resolved easily by releveling the home. You should NOT try to level your home by yourself. The operations involved in jacking and raising the home can be very dangerous and should be attempted only by experienced individuals.

If you want an inexpensive Do-It-Yourself way to determine if the home is out of level by yourself try the Releveling Kit from Aberdeen Repair. It includes complete step-by-step instructions and a waterline level. Use these instructions and the enclosed waterline level to determine whether or not your home is out of level. You will also use this information to become a better-informed consumer and give yourself the upper hand when it comes to hiring a contractor to do the job.

The detailed instructions will show you the causes of why your home becomes unlevel AND how to set-up, calibrate and read a waterline level determine where your home is unlevel and by how much learn what to watch-out for before, during and after releveling your home

[stacey10s2]

ok, we have a normal peeked wooden shingled roof, like a house has but on a trailer. What I mean by the floors sagging is that along the outer walls it dips down a couple of inches, almost looks like the wall is going to slid of floor, like a diving board when you stand at the end.

[David Oxhandler]

Find a local professional installer to diagnose the cause. All states now have a license procedure for MH installers, so it should be easy to locate one. If you have difficulties call a few local mobile home dealers and ask them to recommend a competent installer.

[rbonnie]

It would appear that the weight of the roof has indeed altered the structure. This is called floor crowning. A load greater in weight than what the home was engineered for has caused this problem. The easiest fix at this time is going to be blocking around the perimeter of the home. First the side walls will have to be jacked up to level, and then the perimeter rim joist supported with sufficient piers to hold the load. This of course will not solve the problem, but furnish a temporary solution. If the home is moved, it will become worse.