Heating options for a trailer (hotel, pool, road)

[Submariner]

It is not entirely uncommon to see trailers where they have built up a pole barn around the trailer. Walled it in, added rooms and a front porch, etc.

The exterior roof and walls protect the trailer from snow load and wind buffeting.

Driving around I sometimes will be looking at a house that catches my eye, when I finally realize that what looks different is that on one side of the structure is a trailer hitch sticking out.

[msina]

Just a thought,............ you may want to consider a Direct vent propane heater like a monitor. From what I've learned of them they are safe and ecenomical.

[reindeerlady]

Originally Posted by msina

Just a thought,............ you may want to consider a Direct vent propane heater like a monitor. From what I've learned of them they are safe and ecenomical.

Why didn't I think of that? The one DH may actually go take a look-see thru has Kerosene and a pellet stove currently. But a monitor would be better, actually. We will look into that, as I had one briefly in another place and I loved it.
I also just looked and see that some banks will actually extend mortgages for mobile homes, so that brightens things up considerably. I am trying so hard not to get starry-eyed, so will remain firmly cautious until hubbs sees it in person

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Most banks will lend on mobile homes if you own the land and if the mobile home is on a concrete pad. If within 100 miles of the coast it has to have hurricane tie-downs. That's 100 miles line of sight, not road miles. It includes much of Maine.

[reindeerlady]

Thanks for that info; my sister told me last night that a mobile home also has to be re-leveled every 10 years or so if on blocks. That was news to me, but all good info. And if there are additions, even more attention has to be paid to the area where the two roofs meet, as the heaving of the ground could cause roof leaks where the seam is. So much to learn!

[reindeerlady]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

Most banks will lend on mobile homes if you own the land and if the mobile home is on a concrete pad. If within 100 miles of the coast it has to have hurricane tie-downs. That's 100 miles line of sight, not road miles. It includes much of Maine.

Forgot to ask; does that include upper Aroostook County?

[Submariner]

Every home settles.

I commonly walk into apartment buildings and I notice that the floors tilt. The joists may need to be lifted, it happens, it is not a big deal.

Trailers are very easy to re-level.

As for the tie-downs. I would recommend that everyone with a trailer anchor their trailer anyway. We may not be in a hurricane zone or a tornado alley; but nature is unpredictable. My steel building was designed to withstand hurricane forces. Because doing such is safe.

Everyone in a trailer should truly have it anchored in place.

And once a year in mid-summer do a walk through checking the floors, doors and cabinets to ensure that it is still level. Also the blocks underneath should be looked at annually just to make sure none of them have shifted. If a trailer shifted at all and some of the blocks began to roll. You might never 'feel' it. However it could become a hazard. It is so much easier to go down and look.

Be safe.

[SportFury59]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

Every home settles.

I commonly walk into apartment buildings and I notice that the floors tilt. The joists may need to be lifted, it happens, it is not a big deal.

Trailers are very easy to re-level.

As for the tie-downs. I would recommend that everyone with a trailer anchor their trailer anyway. We may not be in a hurricane zone or a tornado alley; but nature is unpredictable. My steel building was designed to withstand hurricane forces. Because doing such is safe.

Everyone in a trailer should truly have it anchored in place.

And once a year in mid-summer do a walk through checking the floors, doors and cabinets to ensure that it is still level. Also the blocks underneath should be looked at annually just to make sure none of them have shifted. If a trailer shifted at all and some of the blocks began to roll. You might never 'feel' it. However it could become a hazard. It is so much easier to go down and look.

Be safe.

Before you buy a "set" mobile home it might be a good idea to check to make sure it is level. both sideways and lengthways. A 4' level will do the trick. You can set it on floors (tile, not carpeted ones) counter tops, across front hitch if it is exposed. Another good place is the exterior bottom edge of windows. In most cases to relevel a mobile home you just need a 12 ton jack and some shims. Another simple thing to do also is place a marble on floor and if it starts rolling away, there might be a problem. Another thing is the roof. I haven't worked on mobile homes for awhile now but I remember if they have metal roofs with seams and the home settles/shifts or in a strong wind the seam sealer can crack and roof can develop leaks so imho metal roofs with seams should have the seams recoated/sealed annually. When I was in the business seam sealer was about $12 a gallon. Cheap fix and easy preventive measure.

[reindeerlady]

Thanks for the leveling and anchoring ideas! I am maybe "pipe-dreaming", as DH is over in Houlton right now looking for job possibilities. Of course, I had to go put the cart before the horse and look at houses with nice bits of land areound them, as that is what I "do". I'm hopelessly domestic. When he got in last night, he took a quick drive around Houlton and said it looked pretty depressed, kind of like maybe our St. Albans sort of towns over here, only smaller. Today, he looks around Houlton, then tomorrow on up to Caribou, then Presque Isle. He is going to look at the mobile home we both like the looks of on the last day up there, and maybe a few of the other (eight) homes I gave him printouts for.
It will be a miracle if he gets a job up there, but I do believe in them!
So far, if we were to get a place this year, I'm thinking either a monitor or rinnai heater and a masonry woodstove together would get us through any power outages in fine shape.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

"Forgot to ask; does that include upper Aroostook County?"

Mars Hill is 100 air miles from Calais. From there up you are OK.