Maintaining the stability and comfort of your mobile home is essential for its longevity. Over time, mobile homes can shift and settle due to factors like moisture, soil conditions, and weather changes, causing the structure to become unlevel. Releveling is a crucial task that ensures your home remains stable and prevents costly repairs down the line. Here are the best practices for releveling your mobile home, so you can maintain long-term stability and protect your investment.

1. Inspect Your Home Regularly

Regular inspections are the first step in ensuring that your mobile home remains level. Look for common signs that may indicate the need for releveling, such as doors or windows that stick, uneven floors, or gaps in the walls. If you notice these issues, it’s a good idea to have a professional assess whether releveling is necessary. Routine checks, especially after major weather events or changes in the soil, can help catch problems early before they cause major structural damage.

2. Hire a Professional for Accurate Assessment

While DIY releveling kits are available, it’s recommended to hire a professional for the task, especially if you’re not experienced. Mobile home releveling requires precision to ensure the home is balanced properly. A professional will assess the foundation, identify any underlying issues, and perform the releveling accurately. They have the necessary tools and experience to avoid further damage and ensure the process is done correctly, ensuring the long-term stability of your mobile home.

3. Use Proper Equipment

If you decide to take the DIY route for releveling, it’s essential to use the right equipment. A hydraulic jack, shims, and a level are some of the key tools needed to lift the home and adjust the foundation. Hydraulic jacks will safely lift the home off the ground while you insert shims to correct any unevenness. However, using improper tools or methods can lead to further damage or injury, so always take proper precautions and follow step-by-step instructions.

4. Focus on Foundation Integrity

When releveling your mobile home, it’s important to also focus on the integrity of the foundation. Check for any cracks, shifts, or settling in the foundation before you start adjusting the home’s level. If the foundation has significant damage, it may require repairs before releveling can be performed properly. Regular maintenance of the foundation ensures that your mobile home remains on a stable surface, which will reduce the need for frequent releveling and prevent damage to other parts of the home.

5. Monitor Soil and Moisture Conditions

The soil and moisture around your mobile home play a significant role in maintaining its level. Changes in the moisture content of the soil, whether from rain or drought, can cause the foundation to shift. Keeping an eye on the moisture levels and ensuring proper drainage around your home can prevent uneven settling. Installing gutters, maintaining proper landscaping, and ensuring that water flows away from your mobile home can help stabilize the foundation and reduce the frequency of releveling.

6. Relevel Regularly

Mobile homes naturally settle over time, and regular releveling is a necessary part of long-term maintenance. It’s recommended to relevel your mobile home every 3 to 5 years, though this can vary depending on the specific conditions of your home and location. Keeping up with this routine will prevent more serious issues from developing, such as cracked walls or warped flooring, and help you avoid the need for expensive repairs.

Conclusion

Releveling your mobile home is an important practice that ensures long-term stability and comfort. By regularly inspecting your home, hiring professionals when needed, and maintaining the foundation and surrounding soil, you can prevent costly repairs and preserve the value of your home. Consistent releveling and maintenance will keep your mobile home safe, functional, and comfortable for years to come.