How Long Does A Trailer Home Last? [5 Ways To Increase Lifespan Of Trailer Home]

What are those things that can increase the life expectancy of your trailer home? Dig into and learn in-depth about those factors.

How Long Does A Trailer Home Last?

A trailer home is a form of home that makes everyone have a home dream come true. It’s also a clever way to run away from personal property tax. This has become an affordable housing option for everyone rather than a traditional home. 

But can a trailer home last 100 years? No matter how much we cherishe the home. It can’t be with us forever. So, what’s the answer to how long does a trailer home last? The average lifespan of a HUD-compliant mobile home is 30 to 50 years.

You are properly thinking about what HUD means, right?

Well, after building manufactured homes, it went through some tests by the U.S. government. It was first introduced after June 15, 1976. 

The U.S.  site-built home and Urban Development must approve every form of housing. When a house gets approved by U.S. Housing, it gets HUD tags. It refers to its lifespans and ensures its stability.

Each mobile home will feature one tag for single-wide homes and two tags for double-wide homes. Until recently, when red became the standard color, some older tags were pink or silver. HUD building code tags hold important info on a home’s history.

As a trailer mobile homeowner, make sure to check if your trailer home has a HUD tag or not. If you can’t find one, then it’s properly built before June 15, 1976. And it’s definitely not safe to live there. So, make sure to ensure safety as a homeowner.

Factors Which Affects Trailer Homes Lifespan

A trailer home is the perfect financing option for people who are on a budget. Although the lifespan isn’t like traditional homes. However, a few things can decrease the lifespan of a trailer home just like traditional homes. This can lead you to say goodbye to your beloved before 50 years.

1.HUD Mobile Home Specifications

So, One specification outlined by the HUD Code involves size – all manufactured homes must be at least 400 square foot, just like site-built homes.   So, ensure are trailer homes are safe in storms or not before you start living in there. Additionally, ceilings must be at least seven feet tall, with formaldehyde-based adhesives used on drywall and wood paneling. Wind/fire-resist and roofing material. 

Heat each room. State-compliant shatterproof glass for windows. This affects how long does a roof last on a trailer home. Its roof isn’t like traditional homes, so you need to be careful with that. Also, construction standards and building codes matter. If your construction standards aren’t up to the mark, it won’t be long-lasting.

2.Installations

This building process is quite intricate and should never be entrusted to inexperienced workers. Whether you’re in the market for a used or new manufactured home, it’s highly advisable to engage the services of a qualified home inspector. Because it is a bit complicated compared to traditional homes.

This will ensure that every part of the installation procedure is meticulously followed. By taking these steps, you can greatly enhance the chances of your mobile home having a prolonged and enduring existence. Treat this as real property.

3.Water Damage

Water damage is a big problem that needs fast fixing. When stuff like pipes, roofs, or toilets leak, they can wreck everything they touch. If you don’t fix it right away, it can turn into a really bad problem that might not be fixable. Water damage hits interior walls the most. So keep eye on interior walls most.

If your trailer home is in a rainy place, try to paint the outside real good. By sealing and painting your home’s outside, you can stop water from messing things up. This can even decrease the value of 20 year old trailer home.

4.If You Move Your Trailer Home Often

When someone has a regular modular home, they might be told to “move up” to something better for them now.

They’ll be shown bigger floor plans or more outdoor space. But they usually don’t talk about getting a new or newer home. So, to floor plan perfectly before moving. 

And take a look at building codes to understand trailer home conditions. If your building codes aren’t safe, then it’s a matter of concern. For trailer-manufactured homes, it’s more common to think about upgrading to a brand-new home, which can hurt your trailer home and reduce its life expectancy.

Factors Which Don’t Affect A Trailer Home Lifespan

Some factors definitely can affect lifespan. However, there are also some myths. Such as:

How To Increase The Lifespan Of Your Trailer Home?

Trust me! I know you don’t want to say goodbye to your beloved trailer home. I have been there. So, I know your feelings. But when is a trailer home too old, it gets risky to live there. I have also searched for ways to increase the lifespan of my trailer home. And I found those methods to be very effective.

Just like site-built homes, mobile homes get damaged for many reasons. It’s normal, I know. However, avoiding those isn’t normal. If you ignore one injury today, it will become a great headache tomorrow. Or it would damage you in a way that you need to lose your home forever. So, keep a close eye on every square foot.

When you’re all about that home installing thing, you gotta, like, really think hard about where, you know? Because a permanent foundation matters so much. A permanent foundation is the thing that will keep your home stable.

 So, choose a location where the permanent foundation is solid.  location isn’t just, like, some random thing. It’s, like, the deal-breaker for getting your home on, like, a good, solid permanent foundation. And guess what? It’s, like, a value-keeper for your home too. Get out of the manufactured home community and lose the perfect location.

So, like, here’s the deal: choose your land wisely. Yeah, that stuff gets more valuable over time, you know, because of the whole neighborhood scene. If you’re super smart about where you pick, that could be a mega win down the road.

Keeping a mobile home all clean is, like, super important. With just this step, you will make it last way longer. So grab some mild detergent and scrub those vinyl walls, and if you spot any mold or mildew, be sure to, like take note of it. It might need some hardcore cleaning, but you should figure out why it’s even there in the first place. And don’t forget to clean off your appliances, drains, and dryer vents, ’cause that stuff’s important too.

The roof is super crucial. The roof is what keeps all the weather junk from crashing down on you. So, don’t be all lazy about it, ’cause if you don’t take care of your metal roof, your home’s life will be way shorter.

Especially those older Clayton types of homes, they’re rolling with steel roofs, and those things, you know, tend to leak at the seams and along the sides. So, you gotta get on that sealing and coating game, like, all the time.

And while you’re up there, be sure to check out those gutters, too, man. Keep them clean, like, on the regular. That’s how you keep your home vibe going strong.

Like, you know, doing the right stuff to maintain your manufactured homes is super important, man. If you skip out on proper maintenance, those tiny issues can blow up into huge, expensive messes, and who wants that, right?

So, if you’re all about your home going the distance, here’s the deal, dude. Electrical work? Only think about it if you’re a pro. And those windows? Clean up any spots where water could sneak in, you know? If your module is home-learning, maybe think about re-leveling it. Plumbing problems? Fix them ASAP to avoid major headaches. Along with that, keep your energy efficiency in check.

But, like, if you ignore all this, you’re just asking for trouble. Those small issues are gonna grow into mega problems of your manufactured homes. And you’ll be staring at a massive overhaul. Don’t use Mobile Home Tires On A Trailer. Because it’s not made for your mobile home. Using it on a mobile home will affect differently. So, be smart, take care of your home, and it’ll stick around for the long run.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Overall

So, the right answer for how long does a trailer home last is 30 to 50 years. However, the lifespan can be increased if you take good care of your trailer home. So, if you don’t want to say goodbye to your trailer home, then take steps to extend its lifespan.

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