New Home Floor Problems

[rockncountry101]

I recently purchased a new mobile home. The mobile home had major floor squeaks in the mastaer bedroom/bathroom. Legacy came out and adjusted the plumbing straps at different locations and fixed the squeaks. Then another problem developed; in certain areas along the center of the room, I will step on the floor and I hear a popping/knocking noise that seems to transfer right down the middle at times. They sent someone back out who claims they couldn't hear it, but I can hear it just fine. Could this be the subfloor coming loose from the floor joists? The main guy at Legacy asked that I give it a few months to "settle" and then call him back if it persists. What is your opinion? Thanks!

[David Oxhandler]

Settlement can change the location of floor squeaks. Are your heat ducts in the floor? The poping sound could be a shifting heat duct. Newly installed homes always settle. The problem may not belong to the factory.


It is easy to determine if your home has settled and is out of level.
the Releveling Kit from Aberdeen Repair will help determine whether or not your home is out of level.

The detailed instructions will show you how to do the following:

learn the causes of why your home becomes unlevel
learn 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

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RE-LEVEL THE HOME YOURSELF 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 or negotiating with the contractor that did the installation.

[rockncountry101]

Should it go away with time? I had a '78 model that didn't make any sounds like this. But it had been set up for 17 years.

[David Oxhandler]

If the home continues out of level the noise most likely will not go away. On the majority of soil types most of the settlement occurs in the first year.

The longer the home is out of level the more possible damage to the frame. Use the water level in the kit I referenced above to check how badly the home is racked. Then you can decide if you want to re-level now or if you can wait for more settlement.