moss

[g.g.]

MY HOME SITE WAS NEVER GRADED PROPERLY BEFORE MY DOUBLE WIDE WAS SET UP, WE HAD WATER ON TOP OF THE PLASTIC BARRIER, AND TILL TODAY THERE IS PUDDLES OF WATER EVERY SO OFTEN.
WE CAN NOW SEE GREEN MOSS GROWING ALONG THE WHOLE ONE SIDE OF OUR HOME, PLUS AT THE A/C.
IS THERE A CONCERN FOR MOLD? IS MOSS THE SAME THING?

[Mark]

You probably have a great concern for mold. First thing is to increase the ventilation underneath your home. Then you'll need to work on improving your drainage. Adding dirt underneath is one way.

My home is in an area at the end of the street that can flood when it rains hard. So I added draintile around the edge, and trenched any low spots to this drain tile. Ever since I've been dry as a bone!

Mark
Check out my mobile home repair manual!

[g.g.]

THANKS MARK FOR YOUR REPLY.
FOR 3 YEARS NOW WE HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH IMPROPER GRADING OF THE LAND BEFORE THE DOUBLE WIDE WAS SET UP.
THE DEALER FINALLY CAME IN AND MADE A BIG PATH THRU THE YARD NEXT TO OUR HOME, AND THAT WAS IT. THERE IS A SLIGHT SLOPE THAT GOES TO THE MIDDLE, THEN THEY PUT DIRT UP AGAINST THE SKIRTING AND THAT GETS VERY WET WHEN IT RAINS. THIS IS WHAT IS GROWING MOSS ON IT.
ALMOST EVERY ROOM HAS BOWED WALLS, THE FLOORS ARE WAVY, THE WINDOWS OPEN HARD ONE DAY AND EASY THE NEXT. THE DOOR TO OUTSIDE WON'T STAY OPEN, IT SWINGS BACK EVERYTIME.
WE HAVE A MUSTY SMELL IN OUR BATHROOM SINKS,, AND IN A FEW ROOMS WE SMELL THIS UNUSUAL SMELL.
I HAVE WRITTEN TO THIS WEB SITE A FEW TIMES COMPLAINING ABOUT CELULOSE BLOWING INTO OUR HOME, WE HAD THE DIRT ANALYZED AND IT CAME BACK 60%. THIS IS DAILY SWEEPING, AND DUSTING OF A WHITE POWDERY SUBSTANCE, WHICH NO ONE KNOW WHERE IT IS COMING FROM OR DO THEY CARE. WE WENT TO THE BOARD OF HEALTH AND THEY SAID IT WAS A RESPIRATORY PROBLEM.
FUNNY, HUD DOESN'T THINK SO....
DON'T K NOW WHEN THEY BECAME DR'S.
HUD WAS INVOLVED FOR 15 MONTHS, THEY SAY THEY ARE GOING TO FINE THE MFG. AND DEALER FOR NOT DOING THE THINGS THEY FOUND WRONG, BUT NO ONE EVER GET'S FINED.
FIRST THE PILLARS WERE TOO SMALL, THEY THE ANCHORING SYSTEM WAS NOT APPROVED BY THE MANUF. THE CELLULOSE PROBLEM, THE GRADING, AND OTHERS, NOW, EVERYTHING IS OK.
I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE PILLARS GREW, THE ANCHORING SYSTEM WAS NOW APPROVED., THE CELLULOSE IS NOT A HEALTH ISSUE, EVERYTHNG IS FINE....SOUNDS LIKE HUD AND THE DEALER/MFG. ARE GOOD FRIENDS..
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING...
WE ARE READY FOR DIVORCE OVER THIS HOUSE, WE ARE IN OUR LATE 50'S, AND HAVE HEALTH PROBLEMS,, WE SURELY DON'T NEED THIS....

[Mark Bower]

Almost sounds like your home was set on a swamp. But as I mentioned before, the easiest thing you can do right now is keep your skirting venilated and the moisture underneath the home to a minimum. Buy a couple big fans and set them to pull air out from underneath the home. Let them run day and night. Hopefully you have vents around the skirting to help with air flow.

Good luck!
Mark
You gotta see my repair manual!

[g.g.]

HI MARK,
THANKS AGAIN FOR REPLYING. WE HAD OUR SKIRTING OFF IN A FEW PLACES FOR 7 WEEKS, DUE TO A LEAK THAT LEFT THE BELLY OF THE HOME FULL OF WATER. THE LEAK WAS A MFG. DEFECT BECAUSE THE SCREW THAT HOLDS THE SHOWER ARM ON WAS NEVER TIGHTNED.
I WENT UNDER THE HOME AND FOUND WATER PUDDLING EVERY SO OFTEN. I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS COMING FROM. THE DIRT UNDER THE HOME IS STILL VERY WET.
WILL THE DIRT THAT THE DEALER PUT NEXT TO THE SKIRTING RETAIN WATER? THEY PUT IT THERE TO KEEP THE WATER FROM RUNNING UNDER THE HOME, BUT ALL IT DOES IS GET SATURATED WHEN IT RAINS. THIS IS WHERE THE MOSS IS GROWING. ALSO THE A/C WAS CAUSING CONDENSATION UNDER THE HOME DUE TO IT NEVER BEING ABLE TO RUN OUTSIDE THE SKIRTING.
NOW WE HAVE A PIECE OF PIPE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOME AND THAT WATER LAYS IN THAT MOUND OF DIRT.
AGAIN, MANY MANY THANKS