Just like any other type of home, mobile home gutters are a necessary aspect to the proper construction and setup of the mobile home. Gutters help drain water off of the roof of the house and funnel it into the ground, preventing flooding around the base of the house.
Proper installation of gutters is especially necessary in areas that get a lot of rainfall, along with a proper installation.
Gutters can be a tricky aspect of your home to deal with. They can get clogged with leaves and sticks, they can fall apart over time, and they can rust if they are made of metal. Mobile home gutters are no exception; they require the same maintenance as any other type of home.
We’ll be covering the basics of mobile home gutters in this article.
Are Gutters Included with All Mobile Homes?
Whether or not gutters will come with a mobile home that you buy is dependent on a few factors. If you’re buying in a region that gets a lot of rainfall, you can assume that your mobile home will have gutters. But, gutters are never a guarantee when buying a home.
When you’re communicating with the manufacturer of your mobile home, you should ask if gutters are included, and if not, how much it may cost to include them. If you’re in a dry region, you may not need a strong gutter setup, however, it’s always smart to be ready for rain and storms wherever you are.
Remember, even if the mobile home comes with gutters, you may still need to add extra routing to be able to funnel the water from the gutters into the right part of the ground to prevent flooding
What Type of Gutters Are on Mobile Homes
Again, the type of gutters you may find on a mobile home can vary depending on the manufacturer. This goes for quality and material.
Since mobile homes are generally equipped with lightweight and low-cost materials, you can expect mobile homes to come with vinyl or aluminum as the primary gutter material.
If you would prefer a different material for your mobile home, you can speak with the manufacturer about what options they may offer. If you decide to upgrade for a better material, this can help you to not need to replace the gutters as often or perform as much maintenance.
Vinyl is the best material for mobile home gutters, as it will not rust or require much maintenance. It will also be cheap to replace in the case of damage from a storm or other cause.
How to Clean Mobile Home Gutters
Cleaning the gutters on your mobile home will be just like any other gutter cleaning process. See the following steps:
- Safety First: Make sure to use a ladder that is secure and stable leaning up on the side of your home.
- Tools: You’ll need some tools that extend your reach such as a grabbing tool, a small broom or brush, and a long tool for poking and pushing leaves and other debris.
- Clean: Remove leaves, sticks, and other debris that are stuck in the gutter. Either dispose of them on the ground or fill a trash bag with the waste.
- Inspection: While you’re up on the side of the house cleaning the gutters, it’s important to check for damage. Make sure your gutters aren’t leaking, are in good shape, aren’t rusting, and any other spot checks.
- Water: Bring a hose up the ladder, or safely bring up a bucket of water to then dump down the gutter in order to finally rinse the gutters out of any final debris.
- Downspout Check: At the ground level, where the gutters are funneled to, check that the downspout is in good shape and that the downspout is not blocked by any leaves or debris. Make sure that water is being deposited where you prefer, and to prevent flooding.
It’s good to clean your gutters 2-3 times per spring season. It depends greatly on where you live, however, some areas will mean more gutter attention than others. During spring,
How to Repair the Gutters on Your Mobile Home
The process of repairing the gutters on your mobile home will be a very similar process to repairing gutters on all types of homes.
Remember, the process of repairing your gutters will depend on the material of your gutters. If your gutters are made of metal, you might experience the gutters rusting, corroding, or more at some points. With vinyl or another material, the damage may manifest in a different way.
We recommend also checking out this YouTube video on gutter replacement.
Here are some guidelines and advice you should follow when repairing the gutters on your mobile home:
Materials & Safety
In order to inspect and potentially make repairs to the gutters on your mobile, tiny, or manufactured home, you will need a few things
- First of all, if you expect to replace some of the gutter, then you will need the proper gutter sections to replace the degraded or broken components. This also means having gutter hangers for the right sections as well.
- To fix holes or cracks, you will need some type of sealant or caulk.
- Lastly, make sure you have basic materials such as a hammer and nails, and a good quality ladder.
Initial Inspection
When you have your equipment ready, you can begin with an initial inspection. Set up your ladder, and visually inspect each part of your gutters on your home. Look for cracks, holes, heavy rusting, or any signs of degradation such as this.
Also make sure to look for parts where the gutters have begun to sag or sink. If you see this, it may be time to replace the gutters or at least the sagging section of the gutter. This can happen due to heavy debris stuck in a section of the gutter, or a place where water is pooling and has caused the gutter to sag under the weight.
Repairs & Improvements
Where you find cracks and holes, use your sealant to close them and then let it dry. If you find rust or other more severe decay, it’s best to scrape the rust off and re-apply a primer. Some primers can prevent future rust also.
Once you’ve applied sealant or new primer to parts of the gutter, make sure to let it dry. Then, apply some new paint in order to keep the gutter visually appealing.
Replacing Sections
If there’s enough damage, you may need to replace entire sections of the gutter. This will depend on what type of gutter you have, but, you will need to use different materials to get this done. Remove the damaged gutter by removing it from the bracket and/or hanger, and then re-attach the new section. You may need additional adhesives to keep it in-place.
Make sure to research what gutters you have now, so that when you replace them, you don’t accidentally replace a section that is a different color or material that will look unappealing.
Conclusion
The process of maintaining the gutters on your mobile home can be tricky, especially depending on your climate. If you are in an area with thick woods, with a lot of leaves and debris falling on your home, your gutters can easily get clogged.
Also, if your region gets a lot of rain, this means heavy gutter maintenance. But, with the proper regular inspections, you can make it a stress free process. Make sure to inspect a few times per year in order to keep a close eye.
Remember: The earlier you find problems with your gutters, the better. It’s easier to fix smaller problems with your gutters than to replace them entirely.
Also remember, put safety first. Make sure your ladder is secure and your equipment is in good condition. If you find yourself struggling with inspection or replacement of your gutters, contact a specialist!
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