Insulated skirting for a mobile home
GBA Editor
| Posted in Energy Efficiency and Durability on
Hello everyone,
I am looking to upgrade the skirting on my double-wide. The space under the house ranges from about 2 feet to 3 feet high around the 28 x 72 exterior. I would like something solid (that does not break like the cheap vinyl skirting) and that can be installed without lots of difficulty. Any suggestions? Costs? Vents? Other factors to consider? Thanks!
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Replies
Paul,
"Something solid" and "something that can be installed without lots of difficulty" are different.
I only did one mobile-home skirt job. I used pressure-treated 2x4s to frame the skirt. Then insulated with 2 inches of XPS over the framing, and covered the foam with PT plywood. Not cheap, but solid.
Ideally, the skirt should be solid, long-lasting, moisture-resistant, insulating, and air-tight. Don't forget a weatherstripped access door.
Thanks for the advice. I am considering insulated skirting, but some have said there can be a dampness problem, so vets are important. Do vents undo the insulation help?
Paul,
You would only need vents if the home is located in a damp, low, poorly drained site. Here in Vermont, vents are never included, because of the need to keep pipes from freezing.
If you want to go to the other extreme — away from "something solid" in the direction of "something that can be installed without lots of difficulty" — you can use bales of hay wrapped in polyethylene. As soon as you get enough snow, bank the snow against the hay bales and compact the snow with the back of your snow shovel or by stamping on the snow with your snow-shoes.