Mobile Homes Winter Plumbing Tips - Meadow Brook Mobile Home Park (2024)

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• December 3, 2021

Water pipes, especially when they’re “exposed,” can freeze and burst during the winter. For this reason, you need to winterize your plumbing system before the temperature drops to a freezing point if you want to avoid costly repairs and major inconvenience.

Exposed pipes are generally located in exterior walls, floor cavities above unheated crawl spaces, and unheated garages. By contrast, pipes that run through interior walls or in heated basem*nts are generally safe from freezing and so they won’t need to be insulated.

Fortunately, you can winterize your plumbing system without spending a lot or even hiring a pro. With some elbow grease and simple hacks explained below, you can protect your pipes from the cold weather.

Keep your mobile home warm and comfy

Keeping your home warm is not just about your comfort. Remember, if the outside temperature drops below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, it will only take around six consecutive hours for your pipes to freeze and possibly burst. However, some people have this habit of turning off their heating system during the winter, thinking that it could help them save on electricity, only to find out later on that fixing damaged pipes is far more expensive than keeping their indoor temperature consistently warm.

As a general rule, keep the temperature in your mobile home not lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

Disconnect your outdoor hose

When the outside temperature drops below the freezing point, the first “casualty” is often the outdoor hose. That being said, you need to disconnect it, drain all its water, and store it in your shed or garage.

Additionally, you should shut off the valves for all your outdoor faucets and turn these off.

Insulate your exposed pipes

This is a relatively easy DIY task. The idea is to protect exposed pipes from freezing using wrap insulation, which comes in different materials, including foam-and-foil pipe insulation, foil-backed natural cotton, flexible foam with rubber backing tape, and rubber pipe insulation tape.

For DIYers, pipe wrap insulation is the easiest material to install; it is also best suited for wrapping short pipes and those with multiple bends.

Meanwhile, some homeowners skimp on insulating cold water pipes in the basem*nt without realizing this creates condensation. When cold exposed pipes come in contact with warm air, water droplets drip and create puddles on the floor. In addition, high humidity levels are conducive for mold and mildew growth and pest infestation as some insects like co*ckroaches and carpenter ants naturally seek moisture.

Furthermore, seal gaps where pipes enter your home with caulking, stripping, and/or insulation. The goal is to prevent the cold draft from freezing your water pipes and forcing your heating system to work more than necessary, which of course, can spike up your electricity bills.

Shut off the interior valve if you’re leaving home

You need to do this even if you’re just going to stay out for one night. Again, it only takes around six hours for the water in the pipes to freeze if the outside temperature is 20 degrees Fahrenheit or below. However, there is a trick to make this effective: Shut off the interior valve and open the outdoor faucet valve so that no remaining water stays in line that could freeze.

Drain your water heater tank

A good rule of thumb is to drain your water heater tank every 6-12 months to remove the sediment buildup that interferes with efficient heat transfer. Below is the step-by-step procedure to clean your tank.

• Turn your water heater off.
• Shut off the cold water valve.
• Allow the water to cool.
• Attach a garden house to the drain valve.
• Position the house in a bucket/drain.
• Turn on a faucet.
• Drain the tank by turning on the drain valve.
• Once you’ve drained all the sediment, turn off the valve, remove the hose, turn the cold water valve on, and lastly, turn your water heater back on.

Conclusion

Now that you know the simple hacks to protect the water pipes in mobile homes, why not visit Meadowbrook Mobile Home Park, a 269-space charming community complete with family-friendly amenities such as a central park area, basketball court, swimming pools, playground, and clubhouse?

Contact us today and schedule a tour if you want to experience Meadowbrook Mobile Home Park, which is one of the most stunning mobile home parks in Antelope Sacramento.

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