Over 17 million Americans live in mobile manufactured homes, which is why, since 2000, the U.S. Department of Housing and HUD has recommended installing plastic sheeting for these types of structures. Before this recommendation, state laws often overlooked the need for the same protections that a conventional brick-and-mortar property warrants. Whether it be protection from moisture, pests, or even under-soil gas, plastic vapor barriers play an essential role in preserving the integrity of your mobile manufactured home for years to come.
Now that we’ve established the importance of plastic vapor barriers for mobile manufactured homes, there is one very critical question to resolve. What type of vapor barrier do I need? Vapor barriers come in different colors and thicknesses and with different product additives, so how do you decide which one is right for your home? It depends on a few things,
- Whether your climate is typically hot or cold
- Where you are installing it
- What other factors impact your installation
A breathable vapor barrier is typically used when attaching it to the underbelly of a manufactured home in a warm climate where moisture needs to escape from the building envelope. On the other hand, a vapor retarder is used in colder climates to prevent moisture from entering the building envelope. It’s important to note that Americover does not offer breathable vapor barriers, but we provide certified, class-A vapor retarders. Vapor retarders can cover the fiber insulation on the underbelly and can be used to cover the ground, but not simultaneously. It’s always recommended to consult with a licensed contractor and familiarize yourself with local building codes to ensure the right product is chosen for your specific application in your environment.
Interested in learning more? Contact our experts today at 760-388-6294, or continue reading below:
Avoidable Issues
Vapor barriers are there for risk prevention. They provide an extra lining that divides your living space from the ground beneath. While installing a plastic vapor barrier underneath your mobile manufactured home may not seem necessary, skipping out on installing one can lead to various avoidable issues.
High Energy Bills
In a mobile home, the vapor barrier is generally the last line of defense before the elements can get to important components such as your insulation and flooring. And if your home doesn’t have a vapor barrier or that barrier has holes in it, it’s likely that your insulation is also being compromised. That means in the winter, you’ll be losing valuable heat retention capabilities, and in the summer, all of that cold air from your air conditioning is going to find its way out of the bottom of your floors. Less efficiency leads to cranking the heat and A/C, which in turn means you’re paying more for your power than you should be.
Sagging, Uneven Floors
Lacking a plastic vapor barrier underneath your mobile home also means unnecessary moisture exposure. You’ll be more likely to get mold and mildew growth, and as it creeps up onto the support structures, it’ll slowly begin to eat away at your floors. This can lead to sagging and uneven floors, which are both unpleasant to look at and represent a potential falling hazard for guests and occupants alike. Products such as Americover’s Pro Crawl Anti-Mold Vapor Barrier with MPT™ can mitigate this issue and prevent mold exposure from underneath your home.
Insect and Rodent Infestations
But it’s not only mold you’ve got to worry about – if there’s water vapor getting into your mobile home, it’s also likely that insects or rodents will be able to find their way in. While vapor barriers are by no means a catch-all for all infestation issues, they do act as an effective deterrent against unwanted critters burrowing into your living space.
Radon Exposure
Last, but certainly not least, homes without a vapor barrier in the United States have a good chance of unwanted radon exposure via gasses that seep up from the soil. That’s because around two thirds of the country is considered either a “Zone 1” or “Zone 2” on the radon risk scale, meaning that they naturally experience radon exposure levels of 2 pCi/L or higher on a regular basis. Breathing this gas poses long term risks, and is widely considered the second-leading cause of lung cancer, behind cigarette inhalation. Specialized vapor barriers like Americover’s VaporBlock® Plus™ 20 Mil Vapor Barrier can help to significantly reduce the risk of exposure, helping to better protect you and your loved ones.
Related Article: Control Radon Exposure in the Home With Radon-Resistant Vapor Barriers
What is the Best Plastic Vapor Barrier for Underneath My Mobile Manufactured Home?
Plastic vapor barriers underneath mobile homes should be at least 6 mil thick to effectively block moisture migration, but not all 6 mil plastic sheeting is considered a vapor barrier. Our products have undergone stringent ASTM testing methods for quality assurance to ensure you are receiving the highest quality vapor barrier for your application.
Use the chart below to compare vapor barriers used in crawl space encapsulation.
Related Article: Crawl Space Vapor Barriers: What MIL Thickness Should I Use?
Additional Products Used In Mobile Manufactured Homes Crawl Spaces
Delta®-Drain is a drainage board used in waterproofing applications to allow water to flow away from the building foundation. It can be used as a drainage mat underneath the floor vapor barrier in a crawl space.
Vapor Tape is a heavy-duty, weather-resistant tape often used to seam large panels of poly sheeting together for vapor retarders, crawl space liners, covers, and other liner applications.
2-Sided Butyl Tape is an insoluble tape with an aggressive adhesive that bonds plastic sheeting to porous surfaces such as concrete in crawl spaces.
Ratchet Fasteners are heavy-duty nylon with a 1/4″ diameter, flat white head, and conical tip. Ratchet fasteners are used to attach vapor barriers to the foundation wall.
How To Install Plastic Vapor Barrier Sheeting in a Mobile-Manufactured Home?
Condensation builds on a home when warm, moist air moves into cool, dry air. A vapor barrier must be installed on the warm side of a building. If done improperly, adding a vapor barrier to the underside of a mobile home can make condensation worse instead of better.
A vapor barrier should be installed by either attaching the plastic sheeting to the bottom of the wooden floor joists or on the ground. It is crucial that there are no punctures or air leaks in the plastic sheeting or the vapor barrier is compromised. To prevent punctures, avoid stapling the sheeting, and instead, rely on Vapor Tape to install plastic sheeting on the floor of a mobile home. If you choose to staple, be sure to cover the staples with vapor tape to seal the punctures.
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Install A Plastic Vapor Barrier Under Your Mobile-Manufactured Home With Americover
Do you have questions about deciding which plastic vapor barrier is right for your project? Call to speak with an Americover representative today at 760-388-6294 or email us at sales@americover.com.
As an Americover customer, you will receive the personalized support of a dedicated account manager to simplify the ordering process and ensure the best solution for every one of your projects.
Our friendly, knowledgeable staff is here to answer your questions and fulfill orders Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.