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Indiana is heating up which means summer is approaching fast! Now is the perfect time to start thinking about your AC unit and asking yourself if it is up for the summer job? As a mobile home owner, keeping your AC unit healthy is essential for ensuring your family stays cool all summer long. Keep reading to find out how your AC unit can benefit from regular HVAC maintenance!

If your AC unit in your mobile or manufactured home is malfunctioning, you need to call an HVAC pro, like…yesterday! You’ll know if your AC unit is having trouble working if…

• You feel warm air coming from the vents
• You notice unusual noises or smells
• Your manufactured home always feels humid
• Your energy bills keep increasing
• Your AC unit is constantly cycling on and off

Even small AC problems can cause major issues later. If your AC unit is doing any of these things, contact us today to schedule your service!

Repairing Your Mobile Home’s AC Unit

Whether it’s dirty air filters, blockages, or faulty electric – if your AC unit is on the fritz, the best time to call and schedule an HVAC service is today! Getting your AC unit repaired in a timely manner is not only important to prevent major issues, but to keep your family safe and healthy. Repairing your AC unit can be a scary up-front cost, but that’s why we have no-interest payment plans available to those who qualify!

Indiana’s HVAC Maintenance Experts

A well-maintained AC unit can improve your indoor air quality, lower your energy bills, and extend the life of your HVAC unit. Indiana’s HVAC experts are on-call at GSI to help you maintain your AC unit by detecting issues early, and helping you figure out ways to increase the energy efficiency of your mobile or manufactured home!

Keeping your AC unit in tip-top shape is essential for keeping your home comfortable all summer long. Our Indiana HVAC specialists can help you keep your AC unit running with regular inspections and  repair any HVAC issues promptly so you can get back to living your life!

Mobile and manufactured homes require a little extra TLC around the cold, wintery season. Mobile homes typically do not have a foundation, making them vulnerable to frozen and busted pipes as cold air travels underneath the home. But the air above the home can cause problems too. Keeping your mobile home winterized not only saves you money on your bills, it also keeps your family safe and warm! Keep reading to find out our top tips to winterize your mobile home this winter.

Caulk It Up

Ever heard the saying about the lucky penny? Well, it’s kind of like that, but with caulk. “See a gap, fill it up, all the winter your house will warm-up!”. 

Basically, a small gap = a big problem. It’s important to take note of even the smallest gaps in your mobile home, as they will lead to much bigger issues down the road for your heating system. 

When you are searching for gaps,  it’s especially important to check windows, doors, external vents, corners, seams, and the roof for gaps. Be sure to remove any old caulk before you apply more to create a trustworthy, winter-proof seal. If your windows are old and generally do not work well to keep the air out, you can try weather stripping to keep the warm air in, and the cold air out.

HVAC Service

You’ll want to call a professional for this one! You should have your furnace inspected regularly for loose parts and worn lines. Trust us, as Indianapolis’ Mobile and Manufactured HVAC specialists, we know firsthand this is not something you want to deal with in the middle of a freezing winter day in Indiana! At General Supply Inc, we can service, repair, and replace your HVAC system before the cold season begins.

Winterize Your Roof

If you have a metal roof, the edges, seams, and expansion joints need to be checked and sealed every year. You might also consider a reflective roof coating to capture and retain heat so your HVAC system doesn’t have to work quite as hard. Reflective roof coating is also great at melting snow at a much faster pace than average. Don’t forget to repair any dents, cracks, or breaks you might see on your roof.

Check The Insulation 

Unfortunately, not all mobile homes are built with great insulation. While filling every single wall with insulation might be too large of a task to take on, you can start with the bedroom walls. Don’t forget to insulate your floors too! In the cold Indiana winter, rugs are a great way to keep the heat in. 

While thinking about insulation, consider purchasing foam pipe insulation and heat tape to wrap around your pipes to keep them from freezing or bursting.

When you prepare for the winter season in your mobile or manufactured home, you are sure to stay warm all winter long. Whether you have questions about how to keep your mobile home warm, or you need to call and chat with our HVAC specialists about furnace issues, Generally Supply Inc is here for you!

When winter arrives, the last thing you want is for your family to be left in the cold from a malfunctioning furnace. Conducting regular maintenance on your mobile home HVAC system, twice a year in the spring and fall, can save you a service call. Take some time this fall to conduct a quick, seasonal tune-up to keep your manufactured home furnace in top shape. 

When you run through a check-up on your prefab home furnace, you can also increase the performance of your HVAC equipment. This can reduce energy consumption and extend the shelf life of your unit, saving you money. A cleaned and maintained furnace is also operating safely and efficiently, while improving your home’s air quality. 

If you’re brand new to maintaining your mobile home HVAC system, you’ll first want to familiarize yourself with how a furnace works and its main components. Refer to the maintenance section of your oil, gas, or electric furnace user manual for helpful diagrams and explanations. The mobile home heating process starts with your furnace burning gas or fuel oil to heat the air or passing the air through an electric heat exchanger. This heated air is then blown through the air ducts and carried to registers or vents located throughout your mobile home. 

With an annual furnace inspection before winter weather arrives, you’ll be prepared by making sure everything in your mobile home furnace is in working order and identifying any parts that need to be replaced. Go through our quick list of fall maintenance items to get started. 

10 Furnace Maintenance Tips:

1. Replace the air filter in your mobile home furnace. Disposable filters should be thrown out and replaced with a fresh one. A permanent filter should be washed, brushed, or vacuumed and then reinstalled.
2. Inspect the overall condition of your furnace by checking the exterior for any physical damage. Look for any dents, cracks, or scratches, taking note of anything that may need to be replaced by a qualified technician.
3. Watch for any unusual noises or moisture in your system. You’ll want to look for sounds like banging or rattling, anything that indicates your furnace may not be running as smoothly as it should.
4. Clean out any debris in the general furnace area. Never use the furnace closet in your mobile home for storage or drying clothes because that creates a fire hazard.
5. In newer furnace models, check for any flashing lights in the top panel which indicate error codes. Check your manual to figure out what the error codes stand for and consult a certified technician for any repair needs.
6. Check the exhaust vent from the furnace to clear any obstructions such as leaves or animal nests. Also, take the time to clean and unblock all vents and registers throughout your home.
7. Inspect the blower motor in your furnace. Vacuum any accumulated dirt in all the small areas of your furnace, specifically focusing on the blowers and burners.
8. If you feel comfortable identifying the main components of your furnace, you should also clean the pilot by lightly blowing any dust off it and inspect the drive belt for any cracks.
9. Check the flue assembly for alignment and rigidity. The flue should be attached to the furnace collar and run in a straight line from the top of the furnace through the ceiling.
10. Look for and seal small cracks in the vents, ducts, and furnace with metal tape.

After running through this maintenance checklist, take note of any major damage and call an HVAC technician so they can conduct a check-up and handle any complex repairs. Getting an annual furnace inspection in the fall will allow for early detection and repair of any potential problems. The technician will test, clean, and ensure the overall health of your furnace equipment. With a little bit of preventative maintenance, you can relax in the cold months ahead knowing your family will stay warm all winter. For all your furnace or heat pump repair or replacement needs, General Supply is ready to help.

Damage from leaking or burst water pipes after a freeze-up can cost you hundreds to thousands of dollars in repairs. The best way to save both time and money is to prepare the water lines in your mobile or manufactured home for harsh weather conditions before they arrive. 

Plumbing is set up differently in a manufactured home, making the pipes more prone to freezing due to the smaller and thinner materials they’re manufactured with. While newer mobile homes are equipped with plastic water lines, such as PEX or CPVC, older homes may still have copper or galvanized pipes. Both types of water lines can freeze and rupture in cold weather.

If after a cold snap, you find yourself without water when you turn on the tap, you’ll know you’ve most likely had a water line freeze. You can attempt to unthaw your frozen water pipes yourself or call an expert. In either case, if the water lines are left unprotected in your prefab home, you may be dealing with plumber fees, water damage, and repair costs, along with the winter cold to boot. Take the time to run through a few preventative measures in late fall, so you can enjoy a warm and dry home throughout the colder months. 

Locate Water Shutoff Valve

Many families run a fire drill each year, but your chances of having a burst pipe are way higher than having a home fire. Make sure every member of your household knows where the water shutoff valve is located and how to turn the water off. Locating the shutoff valve will ensure you’re prepared in the worst case scenario if a pipe does blow, potentially saving you thousands of dollars in water damage costs. 

Your main water shutoff valve will most likely be located near the floor by the water heater or underneath your mobile home. Check the valve to be sure it’s working properly and not leaking. You will also want to be sure you can quickly remove the panel covering the water heater for easy access to the shutoff valve. 

Install Heat Tape & Insulation

Heat tape or heat cable is an essential element of protecting your manufactured home’s water lines. The tape plugs into an electrical outlet and wraps around your water line, stretching from the water supply line underneath your home up to where it connects to the water heater. The thermostat attached to your water line automatically triggers the heat tape to turn on when the temperature gets to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, warming up your pipes to keep them from freezing. 

With proper installation, heat tape should last 3-5 years. But, you’ll want to test your heat tape at the beginning of each winter to make sure it’s in working order. Press a bag of ice to the thermostat to activate the heat tape. If the water line starts to feel warm, it’s working. For added protection, you can also add insulation on top of the heat tape on your water lines. Foam pipe insulation sleeves work well on exposed pipes outside or underneath your mobile home. 

Install a Freeze Alarm

For added peace of mind, installing a freeze alarm will make sure you’re alerted as soon as the temperature drops to a dangerous level for your water line. A probe attaches to your main waterline, and the control panel inside your home beeps if the temperature drops below 37 degrees Fahrenheit, at which point your pipes are in danger of freezing. If the temperature does drop below a safe level, you can turn on your water full blast for a minute and then let it run at a fast dribble to prevent any freezing from occurring. An additional option is to install an electric water leak alert near your water heater to notify you if an unnoticed leak is present. 

Inspect Skirting

Another way to protect your water lines from the winter weather is to make sure your skirting is in good condition. Inspect your mobile home skirting for any gaps or cracks that may allow cold air to access your water line. If you find any damage, use clear, weather-resistant tape to seal the gaps. You’ll also want to make sure the skirting vents are closed in cold weather. 

By taking a few precautionary steps to ensure your water lines are protected and damage-free before winter arrives, you’ll have lowered your chances of dealing with a burst pipe from a frozen water line. Remember that in the event of a cold snap in the weather forecast, you should keep a small stream of hot water running in your mobile home to help prevent frozen water lines. If damage does occur, you can head over to General Supply Inc. for all the plumbing materials you may need.

You may not think about it often, but your roof is one of the most important structures on your mobile or manufactured home. Snow, rain, leaves, debris, and other outdoor elements are all kept away with durable roofing. But, for a roof to last, it requires regular maintenance, repairs, and even replacement over time. Performing an annual inspection of your roof will help modular home owners to avoid leaks and expensive damages. During the fall and winter, your mobile home roof can take a beating. Take advantage of clear summer skies to get out a ladder and carefully assess your roof’s condition. 

Roofing Options

Not all mobile home roofs are created equal. Homeowners should take the time to understand their particular roofing material so they know which issues to look out for and select the correct repair products. There are three common mobile home roof types.

• Asphalt Shingles. Shingles are not usually the most common or best option for mobile homes because of the extra weight they bring and being prone to leaking. However, shingles are often affordable and come in a range of colors and styles. Individual shingles may need replacing or repair over time, and plastic cement is often used for this purpose.

• Rubber or TPO Roofing. Rubber roofing is not found on many new mobile homes. A thin, flexible rubber sheet is used for this type of roof. It is affordable, heat resistant, and quickly installed. But, this type of roofing is not always quality-made and long-lasting. For maintenance, it may need a special rubber roof coating applied regularly.

• Metal Roofing. Metal is often used for manufactured home roofs because it is lightweight, durable, and fairly affordable. This roofing is mold, mildew, fire, and rust resistant and can last years if cared for properly. On the other hand, metal roofs can be loud and echoey, especially in rain, and can dent easily, from hail damage for example. They also require cleaning from built up dirt and grime, and flat-pitched metal roofs require a sealant to prevent rust.

Roof Inspection Checklist

Following a roof inspection checklist will help you identify potential issues and address them quickly. Walk through your entire mobile home and look at your ceilings to find anything that looks unusual. You’ll also want to climb up on your roof to examine it for any damage.

• Interior Inspection
  • Water damage and/or leaks
  • Ceiling stains, discoloration, or mold. 
  • Rotting or damp spots
  • Bubbling or dripping down walls from accumulated water
• Exterior Inspection
  • Warped or soft decking
  • Missing or rusted screws
  • Damaged or missing shingles
  • Damaged rubber membrane seals
  • Algae or moss growing on roof
  • Cracks or breaks in flashing
  • Damage in eaves and soffits
  • Dirty or broken skylights
  • Roof blistering
  • Issues around vents
  • Peeling or leaks

Roof Maintenance & Repairs

After performing your inspection, make plans to hire a professional roof contractor to repair any major issues. There are some roof maintenance items you can DIY to save costs and prevent expensive damage. Keeping your roof clean is one of the most important steps. While inspecting your roof, clean all skylights and clear debris off your roof. You can power wash or spray wash your roof with a cleaning solution, blow leaves off, and clean out gutters to make sure rain water is running off properly.

Any small roof cracks or weathering can be fixed with a sealant or coating to provide long-lasting protection. A quality sealant minimizes standing water and protects the surface of the roof. Coating your mobile roof periodically can help prevent larger repairs or replacement in the future. If your roof is nearing the end of its shelf life and has frequent issues, you’ll want to consider replacing the whole roof to save money in the long run. 

When you address roof problems early, you lower the chance of them becoming bigger and more expensive problems down the line. The cost for roof repairs or replacement may vary widely depending on the size of your home and the roofing material selected. However, with regular maintenance every summer, your roof should last your mobile home for years, keeping your family safe and dry.

MHI’s 2022 Homes on the Hill Event Recap

On June 7-8, policymakers, consumers, and members of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) gathered in Washington D.C. for the 2022 Homes on the Hill innovative housing showcase. 

“The general public is getting a great feeling for how manufactured housing has evolved and become the affordable housing solution,” said Sam Landy, President & CEO of UMH Properties, Inc.

Homes on the Hill Kicks Off in Washington

Model manufactured homes were set up at the National Mall outside Capitol Hill to display high-quality, modern housing to the nation’s policymakers. Manufactured housing industry professionals brought their best to help the public get past the stigma and realize that manufactured homes are among the best solutions available for the nation’s housing shortage. 

“This is a real solution for the affordable housing crisis that the U.S. is facing right now,” said Mark Yost, President & CEO of Skyline Champion.

HUD Secretary Fudge Kicks Off Innovative Housing Showcase

Manufactured housing is the country’s most affordable home ownership option. For policymakers to prioritize zoning laws that allow more manufactured homes to be built, they needed to experience the quality of modern manufactured homes for themselves. 

“They are energy-efficient. They are move-in ready. This may in fact be the future of housing. I’m just blown away. I want one right now,” said Secretary Marcia Fudge of the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development.

In Washington, Seeing is Believing

Manufactured homes are affordable, sustainable, and energy-efficient, with options to suit every income and lifestyle. The annual Homes on the Hill event proved to be a great success, allowing the public and the nation’s politicians to visualize the future potential of manufactured housing for our country’s communities.

Manufactured Housing is Delivering on the American Dream

General Supply is proud to provide mobile and manufactured home parts from manufacturers that participated in the Homes on the Hill showcase, including Revolv furnace and AC units and Style Crest foundation covers.

Let’s get back to the basics. Understanding what makes up a manufactured home clears up any confusion so that you’re able to select the right parts and supplies for your housing type. Our vendor Tiedown Engineering explains the key facts, history, and regulations you need to know to understand prefab homes.

“People often misname home structures built off-site. A house is considered a prefabricated home, or factory built home, when it is not a site-built home.

Three prefab types of homes exist.

• Mobile (Pre-HUD)
• Modular (IBC)
• Manufactured (HUD)

To the everyday person, these homes don’t look much different from on-site homes. However, the codes and regulations they are built to and follow differentiate them. Manufactured homes are constructed to a federal code, unlike traditional on-site built homes.

A manufactured home follows a manufacturing process under the federal building code outlined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or the HUD code. This code defines this type of prefab home as:

• Constructed in a controlled environment
• Transported on a permanent chassis
• Built and regulated by the federal HUD standards

Each of these requirements differentiates manufactured housing from the other types of prefab homes. Regarding mobile homes, these manufactured homes were built before June 15, 1976. People often misuse the word “mobile home” but due to HUD policy changes, this type of home is not manufactured anymore.

Since mobile homes have not been constructed since 1976, when the HUD code began, manufactured homes replaced the concept and picture of mobile homes.

Brief History of Manufactured Homes

The aftermath of World War II saw the rise in mobile homes, or manufactured housing, due to this form of housing’s ability to easily relocate. The initial marketing of this home structure honed in on people with mobile or nomad lifestyles. At the beginning of the 1950s, the focus shifted to manufactured housing as being an inexpensive way of living but with the ability to set up and stay in a location for an extended period of time.

As the marketing and construction of mobile homes evolved after World War II, there was still no national regulation for safety, construction, or manufacturing.

The U.S. Congress passed the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Act, which set national standards for mobile homes. With this change, “mobile home” officially transitioned to the manufactured home.

Hud Code

Since June 15, 1976, the HUD code sets the structural codes, or foundation, for manufactured homes. However, there are a few things this code does not regulate or do.

• Regulate manufactured home parks or neighborhoods.
• Issue tags or labels for mobile homes constructed before June 15, 1976
• Issue tags or labels on upgrades without proper production and inspection following the code’s standards and regulations

Wind Zones

HUD’s Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards and the Model Manufactured Home Installation Standards label the United States and many territories into three wind zones: Zone I, Zone II, and Zone III. HUD defines the wind zone map as:

Zone II: High winds area of 100 mph wind speed (fastest mile)

Zone III: High wind area of 110 mph wind speed (fastest mile)

HUD actually classifies Zone I as areas not able to resist the wind loads for high wind areas (Zone II and Zone III).

The proper anchoring and stabilizing system for the home depends on which of these wind zones the home is planned and built for. The lateral load, or wind loads, needs to be resisted by the home. The structure must be able to transfer the lateral load to the home’s stabilizing parts without surpassing allowable stresses.

Generally, homes constructed for a higher wind zone can be installed in a lower wind zone. However, a house for a lower wind zone can not be installed in an area for a higher wind zone.

Conclusion

When choosing a prefab home, the terminology may not seem important, but it is! Manufactured homes look so similar to traditional homes and even modular homes, but that doesn’t mean they are one and the same. Understanding your choices for prefab homes keeps home buyers well-informed and prepared.”