How To Repair Insulation Under A Mobile Home

To repair a mobile dwelling under belly and/or replace mobile habitation insulation yous volition likely need some polyethylene underbelly textile (a black tarp-similar material), belly repair tape, or both.

This material is institute on the bottom of most manufactured homes congenital since the 1980'due south. The material we offer on our site can be used to patch your existing underbelly, or every bit a replacement for any underbelly.

What is an Under Belly?

The underbelly of a manufactured home has many terms. By definition, information technology is the bottom side of a manufactured abode. It protects the insulation and keeps out wet and pests. The mobile home underbelly has several names such every bit bottom board, belly, bulwark, bottom wrap, sheeting, belly paper, closure newspaper, belly board — perhaps some others that are used regionally likewise — you lot get the motion-picture show.

How to Repair / Patch an Existing Underbelly

If your existing underbelly has small to medium-sized holes or tears, use Flex-Mend™ belly repair tape to make the repair. For larger holes, you lot may wish to install a new piece of underbelly. Polyethylene underbelly material comes 192 inches wide and can exist custom ordered to any length. To install:

1. First cutting a piece of polyethylene slightly larger than the pigsty existence patched.
2. Clean around the area to be patched.
3. Add insulation up in the abdomen, or adhere insulation directly to the polyethylene. When attaching insulation to the polyethylene, apply insulation with a paper (kraft) backing and adhere with silicone.
4. Secure polyethylene up to the belly using Flex-Mend™ tape on all sides. Hint — start past using small-scale strips of Flex-Mend to hold the polyethylene up in place.
5. Apply some rut to the Flex-Mend tape for a faster bond.

How to Replace a Mobile Home Underbelly

Replacing an underbelly is probably one of the nigh difficult repairs on a manufactured home, by and large because of the lack of working room. Most underbelly's have to be tacked at the edges and allowed to hang in the heart. Pipes and ductwork tend to hang downwards on most mobile homes, which must exist covered by the underbelly material. Patching is ever easier than replacing. But if your home is across patching, here'due south some tips. Go on in mind that all homes are different, so common sense must prevail.

1. In most cases you won't exist able to feed the polyethylene over the main I-beams. So work in between the beams.
2. On the very outside edge, attach the polyethylene to the rim joist. Wrap the border of the polyethylene in a lathe strip and nail or screw information technology up.
3. If you choose to blast, an air-nailer will be a life saver when working in such a tight space.
4. When working aslope a main I-beam, y'all should exist able to attach the lathe to the floor joists as the top of the I-beams are flat confronting the flooring joists.
5. Carefully cut around pipes. Seal tightly using Flex-Mend™ tape.
6. For a neater chore, unhook equally many things as you lot can like sewer pipes, cross-over ducts, h2o lines etc.
7. Attach insulation directly to the polyethylene. Use insulation with a newspaper (kraft) dorsum and adhere using silicone. Remember, air needs to move inside the belly to keep pipes thawed, then shoving insulation up into the floor joists is not always a good idea (plus if information technology does trap moisture, it'll rot your floors!)

Good Luck — You'll Need It!

Underbelly Repair Video

How to Order

Polyethylene belly fabric tin be ordered in 2 ways. You can society it to any length you need, or merely buy the whole 80′ roll. All widths are 192 inches.

To custom order whatever length, click on "order hither" and detect the particular in the list and select "social club at present". For the quantity, enter the number of linear anxiety you desire. Linear feet is how long of a coil you want. If you enter 12 feet, you will receive a piece that's 192″ wide x 12′ long.

Source: https://www.mobilehomerepair.com/mobile-home-belly-insulation-repair/

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