Floor has become uneven

[Keith]

I have a Vindale double wide modular that is about 30 years old. I have a slight ridge that has developed in the flooring starting at the front door entry way and is prominent on the kitchen floor at the other side of the house in front of the sink and dishwasher. I have looked at the black material that covers the bottom structure of the floor and see no signs of moisture although there may be some droop in the material (as there are in several other places). My first thought is moisture. Could there be a pipe leak? Water pressure through out the house is good except for one of the sinks in the master bathroom at one end of the house. In that bath, the other sink, shower and bath have good pressure.

Any ideas? Also, what kind of contractor would be good to call?

Keith Higgins
Mooresville, NC

[David Oxhandler]

It is difficult to tell from here exactly what the problem is... If I am understanding you correctly you are saying that the problem is evident across both sections of your double section home. If that is the case, the problem is most likely that your home is out of level.

Most of the time level type problems come from settlement which is gradual and happens slowly over years. If this is a sudden problem across both sections it is possible that your home has been shifted by movement of the foundation piers. This could be caused by water undermining foundation piers, some natural (wind) or man made (delivery truck backing into the home) impact to the home that has shifted its position. Is there any evidence that water has been running on the ground under the home ? What do the foundation piers look like along the line of the damage you described? Was the home tied down with straps and anchors? If so are the anchor straps still taught or are some showing slack?\

At the time your home was built and set up the installation codes across the country were based on local building authority regulation, or often a lack of regulation. Each home builder sent a single set of installation instruction out with the home that was expected to cover all site situations

The newest federal rules for manufactured housing require all states to license installers who must take into account site factors, such as the load bearing capacity of soil, how much weight you have to hold on each pier, and where to locate it, how many and where to locate the anchor systems. These decisions are made using accepted engineering methods that will account for major variations depending on local individual site conditions.

Start with a licensed manufactured home installer. Let him inspect the home and determine if the home is out of level. Releveling is a relatively easy operation and is the fix for the vast majority of home owner dissatisfaction with the performance of manufactured homes.

If you liKe to Do-It-Yourself you can purchase the Releveling Kit from Aberdeen Repair which includes complete step-by-step instructions and a waterline level. You can use these instructions and the enclosed waterline level to determine whether or not your home is out of level. 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

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.

[MobileHomeInspectors.com]

To see if you have a possible water leak compare your latest water bill or usage table to see if you're using more water.

However with a ridge from one side of the home to the other as mentioned the first thing to do is have a qualified expert mobile home contractor check and relevel the home if needed.

Greg Filian MHI

[Keith]

Thanks for the information. Should I go to a mobile home dealer to find a qualified expert mobile home contractor? Thanks

[MobileHomeInspectors.com]

I'd look them up in the yellow pages, or a google search. Something like "mobile home contractor (city in which you live)"
Good Luck
Greg Filian, MHI