Maintaining a level mobile home is essential for preserving its structural integrity and ensuring a comfortable living environment. Over time, mobile homes can become unlevel due to soil shifts, weather conditions, or natural settling. Releveling your mobile home is a necessary task to prevent potential damage and ensure that your home remains safe and stable. This comprehensive manual will guide you through the steps to achieve perfect balance in your mobile home.

Why Releveling Your Mobile Home is Crucial

Releveling is not just about comfort; it’s about the overall health of your home. An unlevel mobile home can cause a variety of issues, including cracks in the walls, doors and windows that don’t close properly, and even problems with the plumbing. These issues can lead to costly repairs if left unaddressed. Releveling your mobile home regularly can help prevent these problems and extend the lifespan of your home.

Step 1: Identify Signs That Your Mobile Home Needs Releveling

The first step in the releveling process is to determine whether your mobile home is out of level. Common signs include doors and windows that are difficult to open or close, sloping floors, or visible gaps between the walls and the ceiling or floor. You may also notice creaking sounds when walking through the home. To confirm the need for releveling, use a carpenter’s level or a laser level to check for unevenness in various areas of your home.

Step 2: Gather Your Tools and Prepare for the Job

Before you begin releveling, it’s important to gather all the necessary tools. You will need a carpenter’s level, hydraulic jacks, shims (either wood or metal), a measuring tape, and a wrench. Safety gear, such as gloves and eye protection, is also recommended to protect yourself during the process.

Step 3: Elevate Your Mobile Home

Once you’ve identified the areas that need adjustment, the next step is to elevate your mobile home. Position the hydraulic jacks under the steel frame of the home, ensuring they are placed on solid ground. Carefully lift the home just enough to relieve the pressure on the affected areas. Be sure to lift the home evenly to avoid causing additional damage.

Step 4: Adjust and Shim for Balance

With the home elevated, you can now make the necessary adjustments. Place shims between the foundation blocks and the frame to level the home. Shims are used to fill gaps and provide support where needed. After inserting the shims, lower the home slowly and check the level again using your carpenter’s level. Adjust the shims as needed to achieve perfect balance.

Step 5: Perform a Final Level Check and Secure the Home

Once you’ve made the adjustments, it’s crucial to perform a final level check. Use your level to ensure that all areas of the home are balanced. If everything looks good, lower the jacks completely and make sure all supports are secure. Double-check the stability of the foundation and make any final adjustments as necessary.

Step 6: Regular Maintenance and Monitoring

Releveling is not a one-time task. Regular maintenance and monitoring are key to keeping your mobile home level. Check the level of your home at least once a year, especially after significant weather events. Regularly inspect the shims, foundation, and support systems for any signs of shifting or wear, and address any issues promptly to avoid major problems down the line.

Final Thoughts

Releveling your mobile home is essential for maintaining its structural integrity and ensuring a comfortable, safe living environment. By following these steps and performing regular maintenance, you can keep your mobile home perfectly balanced and avoid costly repairs. Taking the time to properly level your home will protect your investment and provide peace of mind for years to come.