It's not always easy to keep track of home maintenance. It feels like something always needs fixing, or you can't remember the last time you took care of a fundamental task. Fortunately, Mobile Home Outfitters has you covered with an annual manufactured home maintenance checklist. We’ve gone ahead and separated these tasks into what we think is the best season to check on each, as well as some general home care tips to perform regularly.
Spring Maintenance Tips
Check the Roofing: Springtime is the perfect time to check your roofing for any damage. After the winter months, but before the heavier showers of late spring and summer come in, this is the best time to see if anything on your roof needs patching or replacing.
Service the Air Conditioner: You probably didn't use your air conditioner too much in the winter. Now that spring is here, it's a great time to turn it on to make sure it's working and in serviceable condition before it gets too hot outside. Calling in a specialist to perform a detailed examination is recommended.
Change Air Filters: We recommend changing your air filters seasonally since so much dust and debris can build up in them, but cleaning them out is vital before you start using your cooling system more frequently. Changing your air filters improves your air quality and reduces the energy used by your heating and cooling systems.
Summer Maintenance Tips
Power Wash the Exterior: It’s always a good idea to clean the outside of your home, but spring is when a lot of extra dirt and pollen tend to build up on outside surfaces. When you’re looking to use the power washer, the start of summer is the perfect time to give everything a good once over.
Check on Skirting: The skirting on your mobile home protects the underside of your house from damaging weather and wild animals. Good skirting should last several years, so you don't have to worry about replacing it often. However, it's good to check on the condition of your skirting to determine whether you should make any patches or repairs, or if you need to make any mobile home skirting replacements to protect your pipes.
Prune Trees and Bushes: Regular lawn care is essential throughout the year, but the hot summer months are when shrubs, bushes, and trees may have some overgrowth. Grab the clippers and take care of some vital pruning to keep your exterior looking clean and presentable.
Fall Maintenance Tips
Service the Heater: Much like how you check on your air conditioner in the spring to ensure it's ready for summer, fall is a great time to examine your heater thoroughly before the winter months. Turning it on during the fall months and verifying that everything is in good working condition helps ensure you stay warm and comfortable throughout the upcoming colder season.
Caulk and Seal Windows: Another thing to add to your annual manufactured home maintenance checklist is using this comfortable season to check the condition of your windows. Ensuring all of your windows still have proper caulking or weatherstripping is an excellent way to prevent heat loss in the winter months. Consider checking on your windows during the spring as well to avoid similar issues with your air conditioner in the summer.
Check Insulation: Many of the items on our fall checklist are about preparing your home for the winter—nobody wants to worry about how to stay warm once it’s already chilly outside. Use the fall season to make any necessary changes, replacements, or additions to your home’s insulation.
Winter Maintenance Tips
Clean Kitchen and Bathroom Drains: The winter months are a great time to perform a deep cleaning on your drains and faucets. Freezing is a common problem with the plumbing in the winter and can result in some costly repairs. If your pipes contain built-up gunk, there's an increased risk of damage; cleaning your drains will lower this risk and keeps things running smoothly.
Prevent Slipping on Stairs and Walkways: When you live in a manufactured home, the stairs leading to your front door may become very slippery in the winter. Protect yourself and others from hazardous falls by slide-proofing your stairs and walkway. Investing in anti-slip tape is an option, or putting down layers of salt or sand to provide traction will also work.
Cover the AC Unit: When your air conditioning unit isn't in use, cover it up during the winter. Covering your unit also protects it from rust, mildew, and other hazards that may come from leaving it exposed. Wild animals may attempt to crawl into your unit for warmth, damaging themselves and your unit.
Rake the Leaves: Raking the leaves is a staple of autumn and hopefully an easier chore to take care of after pruning your trees and shrubs in the summer. Keeping your yard clean by raking up and disposing of dead leaves keeps your home looking nice throughout the fall season.
Seasonal Tasks
These tasks are good to keep an eye on regardless of season, and we recommend performing them in your home every two to three months to keep everything in good shape.
Check the Water Softener: If your home uses any water softening system, be sure to check that it's working and replenish any necessary salt crystals you may use. Keeping your home flowing with soft water is an essential task, regardless of the season.
Test the Alarms: It’s crucial to check that all your alarms are still working. Smoke detectors, radon alarms, and carbon monoxide monitors need to stay functional for the safety of you and anyone else in your home. We also recommend performing routine checks and maintenance on any and all fire extinguishers you may have.
Check Electrical Wiring: Electricity is the lifeblood of any home, and it's important to ensure everything is in working order. Taking the time to examine your fuses, wiring, and outlets may allow you to catch any problems before they start. Much like with your heating and air conditioning units, it may be wise to have a licensed electrician perform a routine check and see if anything requires repair.
Clean the Gutters: No matter what time of year it is, gunk and debris make their way into the gutters. This task becomes easier if you invest in a grating or other protective covering over the pipes. Still, we recommend regularly climbing up to the roof to remove excess grime and keep your gutters clean.
