– 6 Things You Need to Know About Manufactured Home Skirting Products

If you’ve never lived in a mobile home before, you may not know just how important skirting is.  However, installing and maintaining skirting is simply a part of life.  Once you get the keys to your new mobile home the responsibility is yours.  To make this work, there are 6 things you need to know about manufactured home skirting:

 1) You may not have any choice but to install it

In many places, mobile homes are required by law to have skirting installed on them.  So, if you think the space underneath your home would be better used as an open-air storage space, think again!  No matter where you live, you’ll likely be required to have some kind of mobile home skirting.  It’s a good idea to explore what products are available.

Furthermore, checking with your local jurisdiction to see which materials are allowed is prudent. One more thing to remember is many places require your mobile home skirting to have an “inspection door” built into it.  Oftentimes, though, you can skip the door if your skirting has interlocking panels that can be removed.

 2) You don’t necessarily need a professional to install it

Installing manufactured home skirting on Tiny House Nation.

There are plenty of manufactured home skirting experts out there who will charge you to install everything.  However, that’s an expense you may not need to deal with!  If you get your mobile home siding from a reputable retailer, they’ll be more than happy to show you how to install it.  (The really good retailers will even have videos on their website that you can watch before you start working!)

Moreover, if you’re a do-it-yourself (DIY) type, these mobile home skirting installation videos are handy.  Also, your skirting in a weekend and, more importantly, keeping a bunch of money in your pocket!

 3) Concrete is the way to go

Searching online for manufactured home skirting, and you’ll likely see a ton of retailers offering every material under the sun — from concrete, to vinyl, to stones that have been bonded together.  If you want to get the most bang for your buck, you’ve got to opt with concrete skirting.  As you can probably imagine, it’s going to be a whole lot more durable than vinyl.  It’s also capable of supporting a whole lot more weight than vinyl or aluminum can.

Remember, you’re asking a lot of your skirting.  You’re asking it to keep moisture and cold air from getting under your home, so that Mother Nature can’t cause any damage or send your utility bills through the roof.  You’re also asking it to be strong enough to keep even the stealthiest of critters from getting past it and setting up their own home underneath your home!  When you look at it that way, you can’t expect to have the best-performing skirting from anything BUT concrete!

Best of all, today’s concrete skirting is available in different finishes, so if you like the look of stones or bricks, you can get concrete that has been finished to look like them.  That way, you’ll end up with substance AND style!

 4) It’s not JUST for homes

Manufactured home skirting can also be used on things that make your home feel more like home.  For example, it’s a great way to protect the underside of your deck or that mobile trailer you’re using out back as a storage shed.  So, when you’re trying to figure out just how much siding you need, be sure to factor in EVERYTHING that you need protected.

 5) Keep an eye peeled for tiny cracks

Deciding to go with sturdy concrete skirting is a good idea. Additionally, it can still begin developing small cracks or holes over time, so don’t ignore it after installing it!  Instead, take a close look at your skirting from time to time.  If you see any cracks or holes — no matter how tiny — you’ve got to get them fixed.  After all, tiny critters can fit through tiny openings!  Some critters are incredibly resourceful, and they may see that small crack as an opportunity to set up a new cozy home of their own.

 6) Winter can be a tough time of year for manufactured home skirting, too

If you’re like most of us, you hate those cold, damp winters.  You’d love to be able to spend months on end curled up in front of your fireplace with a good book, but unfortunately, real life gets in the way.  You probably don’t know it, but your manufactured home skirting feels the same way!

It doesn’t like to be covered with snow and ice anymore than you do.  And, what’s worse, if enough snow and ice pile up, they can block the vents that are built into your skirting.  If that happens, it can block the air supply that your furnace needs to run properly.

So, as much as you may not want to venture outside, you owe it to your manufactured home skirting to shovel away all of that snow and ice.  If you’re good to your skirting, it will be good to you!

For More Studying:

DURASKIRT™ Mobile Home Skirting Kits Pricing

Learning How to Re-Level a Mobile Home

Best Skirting for Mobile Homes