The Manufactured Housing Forums

I am planning on purchasing a manufactured home for summer use only. The state I live in gets very cold in the winter 20 degrees and less.

I have been told that drywall will crack if not heated in the winter. The home will be placed on a floating slab. Also it is a single wide mobile home, 16'x70'. I have been told by dealer not to worry about it, if it was a double wide it would be more apt to crack. What can you tell me about this? I would prefer drywall over vynal covered gypsum.

I also want to include a skylight and have been told they eventually will leak, don't know if they mean in 20 years or 1.

Thank you for any information you can give me on this.

Are you planning on closing up the house and not living in it over the winter??

Gypsum is just another name for drywall. Drywall (also known as plasterboard, wallboard or gypsum board) is a panel made of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper. It is used to make interior walls and ceilings. Drywall is easily damaged by exposure to water. If the waterproofing layer is punctured, water will cause drywall to swell and eventually disintegrate, requiring replacement

Single or double wide will have nothing to do with the possibility of wall cracks. Even if the home is vacant and unheated there is no reason for cold weather ALONE to crack drywall. It is recommended that a minimum room temperature of not less than 40° F (4° C) be maintained during the application of gypsum board.

Cold is more likely to cause cracks in the "mud" that is used to cover the joints between the gypsum panels. In colder climates we are faced with the problem of Ready-Mix Joint Compounds freezing either in transit or while stored in customer warehouses or at job sites. Special formula joint compounds are used in colder areas.

If the interior walls are wet you could get freezing that could cause problems. Other than that the prime reason for wall boards to develop cracking is due to settlement.

If the soil under your foundation piers is not compacted you will see uneven settlement. If this is a problem in your part of the country try to get the selling dealer to include a full re-leveling of the home just prior to one year after installation. By that time the weight of the home on the piers should finish most of the settlement and your home will remain stable.

Any roof penetration will leak if not properly flashed, skylights may seem to be plagued with this more so than other penetrations, but then a skylight leak is almost instantly identified as the water will be dripping on the floor instead of the ceiling cavity. I have seen skylights not leak after 20 years and have seen them leak at the first rain,so as I see it as long as it has been installed properly you should not "expect" a leak, you should expect it not to leak. Like any flashing, the materials used to seal the opening will deteriorate over time and develope a leak. Perodic inspection and maintenance will prolong the life of the assembly.