Cold-weather preparation for a manufactured home begins outside and underneath it. The furnace can be working normally while a loose skirting panel, exposed water riser, or damaged underbelly leaves one section of plumbing vulnerable to freezing.
A useful fall inspection follows the same path that cold air and water would take. Start outside, move to the space beneath the home, and finish inside with the water shutoff, heating system, and supplies you would need during a winter emergency.
Start with a walk around the outside
The exterior inspection is about finding openings and drainage problems before cold weather makes them harder to deal with. Secure loose skirting and replace missing or broken panels. Check corners, access doors, vents, and the places where water, sewer, gas, electrical, cable, and HVAC lines pass through the skirting.
Look for tracks, droppings, nesting material, disturbed soil, or gnaw marks that suggest animals are getting underneath. Disconnect and drain garden hoses, and follow the home’s instructions for exterior faucets and shutoff valves. Clear debris that could block access to the main water shutoff or furnace service area.
Do not eliminate required ventilation simply to make the skirting feel tighter. The goal is to close unintended gaps while preserving the ventilation the home, foundation, ground cover, and climate require.
Inspect underneath without disturbing the supports
If you can safely inspect the underside of the home, use the access opening and a strong light. Look for places where plumbing or insulation has become exposed; don’t try to crawl through every part of the home. If the area is too tight, wet, unstable, or otherwise unsafe, have someone who is equipped for the inspection handle it.
Check the water inlet and any exposed supply pipe. Look for torn or sagging underbelly material, wet or missing insulation, and visible heating cable that is damaged or poorly installed. Damaged or disconnected ducts also deserve attention because they can waste heat and leave nearby plumbing colder than intended. When you are finished, make sure the access panel closes securely. Do not move supports, blocks, anchors, or bracing as part of the inspection.
Know where the main water shutoff is before you need it
Every adult in the home should know where the main water shutoff is and how to operate it. Keep the path clear and the proper tool nearby if one is required.
That preparation may seem minor until a pipe bursts. A few minutes spent searching for the shutoff can turn a contained plumbing problem into wet insulation, floor damage, and a much larger underbelly repair.
Prepare the inside of the home for sustained cold
The heating system is part of the home’s freeze protection, so make sure it is ready before unusually cold weather arrives. Have the system serviced regularly, replace or clean the filter on schedule, and keep supply registers and return-air paths open and unobstructed.
During severe cold, opening sink-base cabinet doors can allow warmer room air to reach plumbing near an exterior wall. Avoid deep nighttime thermostat setbacks during unusually cold weather, and if you leave the home during freezing weather, keep the heat on. The American Red Cross recommends setting the thermostat no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit when a home is left during cold weather.
Plan for what happens if the heat or power goes out
Winter preparation should include a plan for when normal freeze protection stops working. Heat tape, furnace blowers, and many other heating systems depend on electricity. Know who to call, how long the home can remain safely occupied, and when the plumbing may need to be shut off or drained.
Never operate a fuel-burning generator, grill, charcoal device, or unvented outdoor appliance inside the home or beneath it. Keep flashlights, charged phones, blankets, drinking water, and any disability- or medical-related backup equipment ready before a storm. Protecting the people in the home comes before protecting the plumbing.
Check again after the first hard freeze
A fall inspection is useful, but the first stretch of real winter weather can reveal problems that were not obvious beforehand. Walk around the exterior again after the first hard freeze. Wind may loosen a panel that looked secure in mild weather, and animals may take advantage of a new opening.
Inside, check beneath sinks and around the water heater for slow leaks. If water pressure changes or a faucet produces only a trickle, investigate promptly instead of simply waiting for the temperature to rise. Early attention can prevent a small freeze problem from becoming a larger water-damage repair.