flooring next to walls sunkin
Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 7:48 am
I have a 30 year old manufactured home i bought last year. The flooring next to almost all walls has sunked in, about 4 inches out, is this from being unlevel?
If the home has been moved and re-set it is possible that there is an installation problem. The most likely cause is water damage. Pull up the edge of the carpet and inspect the flooring below.
When experienced buyers inspect a manufactured home for sale you will see them stomp around the interior perimeter of the home. What they are doing is checking for soft spots in the floor. In the 80's I was running this routine on a repo I was inspecting when the carpet split and my leg went through the floor. I have learned to stomp more gently....
Are most of the problems in the general area of windows? The windows in older homes were installed from the outside with a flange sealed over the exterior siding. It is good practice to pull these windows from time to time, replace the putty tape under the flange and caulk over the top edge of the window frame. The frequency necessary will depend on the climate you live in.
This can be easily accomplished by anyone who can operate a screw gun and climb a ladder. The cost per window will be less than one dollar. This small investment of time and money will save you from a load of expensive floor work.