This article describes manufactured home / mobile home fire safety inspection points, some common causes of mobile home fires, and key fire safety features such as smoke detectors & fire exits.

Page top photo: mobile home window has been taped over to try to cut air leaks and heating bills. But disabling a window needed for a fire exit can leave someone trapped in a burning home.

Manufactured & Mobile Home Fire Safety

The double-wide home shown here, as seen from a distance, appears to be in good condition, but only on close and thorough inspection can we become confident about the condition of and potential safety hazards at any home.

[Click to enlarge any image]

Mobile / Manufactured Home Fire Safety Inspection

Check for both likely causes of mobile or manufactured home fires and also appropriate fire safety features such as those listed below.

• Chimneys - or plumbing vents "patched-over" so as to be blocked are a potential fire hazard (among other risks)
• Electrical - aluminum wiring, owner-modified or otherwise unsafe wiring details such as missing or incomplete electrical grounding, over-fusing, electrical panel or controls or devices exposed to the weather (and not weather-proof), or amateur electrical wiring
  
  At MOBILE HOME ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, we note that electrical circuit breakers installed in outdoor locations where temperatures are very low may fail to protect the building's occupants properly in cold weather (Aronstein 2019).
  
  Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was responsible for 12% of fires, or about 1,400 manufactured home fires in data from 2007-2011 (Hall 2013) - interestingly about the same as reported for one and two family homes. Only fires caused by faulty heating equipment (19%) and cooking equipment (15%) were reported to be more frequent.
  
  Civilian fire deaths are generally higher in manufactured homes than in one and two family homes, possibly associated with high incidence of missing or faulty smoke detectors, blocked or locked secondary fire exits, and other differences in the condition and level of maintenance of homes.

• Heating - flues and chimneys
• Safety Exits - every home, including mobile homes and manufactured homes, must have at least two working emergency exits to get out of the building in the event of a fire. The exits may be through doors and push-out windows.
  
  We check for blocked or inoperable exits and for unsafe steps and rails at entry doors.
  
  In particular, egress windows in sleeping rooms must be operable to open for fire escape in emergency.
  
  Especially on older mobile homes, these fire exits are often found to be jammed, blocked by stored items, or may even have been removed or covered over.
  
  Watch out: doors or emergency exit windows that don't open or shut are very unsafe - you can be trapped in the event of a fire

Watch out: Emergency Fire Escape is required for trailers and mobile homes: assure that there is a functional second egress door, steps, rails. In many homes, a bedroom window is required to function as an emergency fire exit.

• Unsafe mobile home steps and rails - Our photos (above) show Steve Vermilye noting unsafe exit stairs at two trailer homes: missing top platform, missing railings, open railings, and steps with uneven riser height - trip hazards likely to cause a fall especially when people are making a quick, frightened exit from a home in the event of a fire.

Photo above: heat tape on water piping underneath a mobile home: can be a fire hazard.

• Heat tapes - on plumbing or oil piping?
  
  High-quality plumbing pipe heating tapes that can be crossed over one another without melting and shorting out (fire hazard) are available.
  
  To reduce the mobile home fire risk when using heat tapes, use metal-braid shielded heating cables connected to a GFCI protected electrical outlet so that if the heating tapes short out, the circuit will trip.
  
  Really? The U.S. CPSC recommends that heat tapes be connected to a GFCI protected electrical receptacle (or on newer wired installations AFCI circuits) for fire safety.
  
  BUT in the U.S., HUD rules do not allow connection of the heat tape to GFCI because they don't want to risk frost damage: so note this conflict between frost damage and life safety concerns.
  
• Outside heating oil tank - protected from freezing by improper type or improperly installed heating tapes on heating oil lines is a possible fire risk (photo below).

• Roof modifications - such as building a peaked or gable roof over the home's original near-flat metal roof [photo below, Rhinecliff, New York].
  
  Multiple layers of roof structure can be a code violation and are a firefighting concern as they prevent fire fighters from venting heat from a burning structure.

• Skirting materials - must be non-combustible.
• Smoke detectors are critical - be sure smoke detectors are properly installed, located, and tested. In the event of a fire, there is a very short short exit time available to occupants of mobile homes.
• Unsafe fire clearances - and inadequate working space to maintain heating equipment due to low budget modifications such as this oil burner access through a bath vanity cabinet door (photo below).

• Mobile or manufactured water heaters - installed without required fire barriers.
  
  See details at MOBILE HOME WATER HEATERS

Manufacture/Mobile Home Fire & Safety Codes & Standards

Excerpts from U.S. HUD CFR › Title 24 › Subtitle B › Chapter XX › Part 3280 › Subpart A › Section 3280

§ 3280.1 Scope.

This standard covers all equipment and installations in the design, construction, transportation, fire safety, plumbing, heat-producing and electrical systems of manufactured homes which are designed to be used as dwelling units.

This standard seeks to the maximum extent possible to establish performance requirements. In certain instances, however, the use of specific requirements is necessary.

• CALIFORNIA FREMONT, CHECKLIST FOR PLAN REVIEW: TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION TRAILERS [PDF] (2015) BUILDING & SAFETY DIVISION │ PLANS AND PERMITS DIVISION DEVELOPMENT SERVICES CENTER 39550 LIBERTY STREET, FREMONT,CA 94538 P: 510.494.4443 │ F: 510.494.4820 WWW.FREMONT.GOV retrieved 2019/01/31, original source: https://fremont.gov/DocumentCenter/View/21216/CONSTRUCTION-TRAILER-CHECKLIST
  
  Excerpt: For all construction trailers exceeding 1,650 square or installed for duration longer than 12 months, or at a distance less than 20 feet from the property line, other buildings, structures and combustibles, an automatic fire suppression system shall be installed.
• EGRESS WINDOWS FOR MANUFACTURED HOMES [PDF] MN DLI, retrieved 2019/1017 original source: https://www.dli.mn.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/ms_egress_windows.pdf
• Hall Jr, John R. MANUFACTURED HOME FIRES [PDF] (2013) Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association (2005 - 2013), retrieved 2019/05/20, original source: https://www.manufacturedhomelivingnews.com/ wp-content/uploads/2014/12/ National-Fire-Protection-Association-NFPA-Manufactured-Homes-Fires-Reportcredit-posted-manufacturedhomelivingnews-com-.pdf
• NFPA, FIRE SAFETY in MANUFACTURED HOMES [PDF] (2016) NFPA Public Education Division, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169 USA Website: https://www.nfpa.org/education retrieved 2019/05/20, original source: https://www.nfpa.org/images/fpw/resources/pdfs/ManufacturedHomesSafetyTips.pdf
• Hall Jr, John R. MANUFACTURED HOME FIRES [PDF] (2013) Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association (2005 - 2013), retrieved 2019/05/20, original source: https://www.manufacturedhomelivingnews.com/ wp-content/uploads/2014/12/ National-Fire-Protection-Association-NFPA-Manufactured-Homes-Fires-Reportcredit-posted-manufacturedhomelivingnews-com-.pdf
  
  Manufactured home (i.e., mobile home) fire experience, patterns, and trends are analyzed in this report, which also examines the impact of the 1976 federal standards and fire risks relative to other types of dwellings.
  
  Executive summary During the five-year period of 2007-2011, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 11,400 structure fires in manufactured homes per year, with annual losses of 206 civilian deaths, 434 civilian injuries and $179 million in direct property damage. In 2011, 10,800 structure fires were reported in manufactured homes in the U.S. These fires had associated losses of 161 civilian deaths, 490 civilian injuries, and $151 million in direct property damage.
  
  Civilian fire deaths and direct damage, the two loss measures least affected by estimation problems have declined by about 60% since 1980. Civilian injuries, which are probably under-estimated, have declined by less than half. Fires, which are also probably under-estimated, have declined by nearly two-thirds.
  
  Manufactured homes built after the introduction of the HUD standards have lower rates of civilian deaths per hundred reported fires than those built before the HUD standards were introduced. The 2007-2011 death rate was 57% lower for post-standard manufactured home than for pre-standard manufactured homes.
  
  There are so few deaths in fires with year of manufacture reported among 2007-2011 fires that these estimates should be regarded with caution.
  
  Looking at manufactured home fires by year of manufacture, the 2007-2011 average fire rate per 100,000 manufactured homes drops around the time when the HUD standards were introduced, but there is no statistical evidence that any change since then has produced enough risk reduction in enough units to produce a noticeable additional drop in the rate of fires per 100,000 units for recently manufactured units.
  
  Manufactured homes had a 2007-2011 fire death rate per 100,000 housing units that was roughly the same as the rate for other one- or two-family homes, relative to occupied year-round units.
  
  Excerpt:
  Estimates of manufactured home fires and associated civilian injuries are underestimated in 1999 and later years.
• MANUFACTURED HOME CONSTRUCTION AND SAFETY STANDARDS, Part 3280 contains 10 subparts pertaining to General (data plate and certification contents and locations), Plans (dimensions, exits, etc), Fire Safety, Body and Frame, Testing, Thermal Protection, Heating/Cooling and venting systems, Electrical, and Transportation (axles, springs, drawbar).

Egress Window Codes for Manufactured Homes

1. ANSI A119. STANDARDS: Clear opening of not less than 22 inches in least dimensions and 5 square feet in area with bottom of the opening not more than 4 feet above the floor. (ANSI A119.1: Effective July 1, 1972, through 14, 1976.)

2. HUD CFR 3280.106: Clear opening of not less than 20 inches width and 24 inches height in least dimensions and 5 square feet in area with bottom of the opening not more than 36 inches above the floor. Locks, latches, operating handles, tables, and other devices, which need to be operated in order to permit existing, shall not be located in excess of 54 inches from the finished floor. (HUD Standards: Effective July 15, 1976, to present.)

3. 2006 International Residential Code (IRC) Sec. 310: All emergency escape and rescue openings shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 square feet. (See exception in R310.1.1 for 5 square feet.) The minimum net clear opening height shall be 24 inches. The minimum net clear opening width shall be 20 inches. Where emergency escape and rescue openings are provided they shall have a sill height of not more than 44 inches above the floor.

Options #2 and #3 above may be acceptable for municipalities that adopt ordinances for “PreCode Manufactured Homes” (homes built prior to July 1, 1972).

Note: Manufactured homes built from July 1, 1972, thru June 14, 1976, shall have egress windows in compliance with ANSI A119.1 or HUD windows in compliance with HUD CFR 3280.106 in every bedroom. All basements when installed under manufactured homes shall meet the egress requirements of the Minnesota State Building Code, 2000 IRC Section 310. - source: EGRESS WINDOWS FOR MANUFACTURED HOMES [PDF] MN DLI,

See also EMERGENCY EGRESS WINDOWS

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2022-01-10 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - mobile home electricity cuts off main breaker: fire risk

@Myron L Sutherland,

We're not sure from your question just how electrical power is being lost at your home, so here are 3 different cases.

1. IF you are finding one circuit breaker in the "tripped-off" position:

Usually if a circuit breaker is tripping, it's doing its job of protecting your home from a fire that might be caused by a short circuit or an overheating electrical circuit.

I would leave the problem circuit turned OFF and ask for help from a licensed electrician who will examine the circuit that's giving you trouble.

2. If ALL of the electrical power in your home is going off the problem could be at the electric meter OR it could be in your electrical panel, OR your electrical panel could have an overcurrent that should be tripping an individual circuit breaker but that breaker is defective, not tripping off, and instead the main breaker is tripping.

IF you are finding the main circuit breaker tripped off: this is VERY DANGEROUS and indicates a serious risk of a house fire because the main breaker only trips at very high current loads.

If that's the case leave power OFF and call for help from a licensed electrician.

3. If you are losing all electrical power and the main circuit breaker is NOT in the Tripped-OFF position then there is still a very serious hazard at your home, risking both electrical fire AND injury or death from electric shock. But we don't know if the problem is a loose wire connection or an unsafe electrical panel.

If that's the case leave power OFF and call for help from a licensed electrician.

Also take a look at

ELECTRICAL SAFETY IN MOBILE HOMES

where you'll find more information about possible defects in your mobile home wiring.

On 2022-01-08 by Myron L Sutherland

We have an older mobile home the electricity keeps tripping as of yesterday can't get it to come on at all I checked the main outside is on but nothing bill is paid.

On 2021-06-04 by mod) - mobile home fire takes daughter's life - unsafe conditions ignored?

@Maggie,

I am so sorry that your daughter lost her life.

It's both sad and maddening, more so because from your very brief description there was a prior fire and, as you put it, many electrical problems, so everybody involved had to have known that there were unsafe conditions in the home.

Did she have working smoke detectors, alarms, CO detectors?

Were the home's fire exits in good working order?

I would need to know quite a bit more to have a useful opinion about this tragic case; you might start however by finding out who told your daughter what, and who was responsible for maintenance and repairs of her home.

For example if she bought it, she's responsible. She should have had an inspection of the whole property by an independent home inspector (one with no conflicting interests) before the purchase was completed. A normal result of that inspection is a home inspection report that notes safety hazards (such as aluminum electrical wiring or other unsafe conditions) and also notes the important or expensive repairs that are needed.

If your daughter was renting, the landlord, in most cases, is responsible for property inspection and maintenance.

OPINION: it is far too easy for a landlord to say "it was inspected and found to be safe" without actually having a shred of actual inspection nor even information.

But you can bet that once there is a fire much less a loss of life, everybody concerned is going to be ducking for cover.

OPINON: in general, there is NO building code requirement for periodic or "Move-in" safety or electrical inspections of an existing home, mobile home or otherwise.

When there is new work that requires a building permit, and some repair work (that may require a permit such as extensive remodeling), then permits and inspections and approvals by local building officials are often required. But mobile homes often fall through the cracks in that procedure, largely because the local building officials figure that the home's manufacturer, building the home under controlled conditions, puts it together specifically to comply with the codes where the home will be sold.

On an older mobile home where there may have been many modifications to it over its life, many of those, if not all, may have been done without permits nor inspections.

For a case like this surely there has been a fire investigation. If you can send us any of that data I would much like to review it. If you prefer to keep that private. you can use the page top or bottom CONTACT link to send us email with attachments.

On 2021-06-04 by Maggie - Who is in charge of inspecting a mobile home and making sure if it safe for habitation?

Who is in charge of inspecting a mobile home and making sure if it safe for habitation? I am asking because my daughter was told by the park that her trailer was inspected and deemed safe. She had two fires in it and TONS of electrical problems. The second fire took her life. There is NO WAY her trailer was safe!

On 2021-12-22 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - fuses have been blowing in my 2 bedroom mobile home

@2 bedroom mobile home,

Perhaps

1. You have been overloading a single electrical circuit by running two electric heaters on the same circuit, thus blowing fuses.

2. When a circuit is overloaded, its wires and electrical connections are getting hot (the fuse is shutting down the circuit to try to avoid a fire).

3. If someone installs a fuse of greater ampacity, say putting a 20A or 30A fuse on a 15 amp circuit to try to stop blowing fuses that will certainly overheat wires and connections and significantly increases the chance of a building fire.

4. If wire and connections are overheated repeatedly, a connection may become burned or a wire burned near a connection enough that it loses its electrical connection somewhere in the circuit - giving a power loss from that point onwards.

So you want an electrician to trace the circuit bringing power to the room that now has no electrical power in order to find and repair the damage.

On 2021-12-22 by 2 bedroom mobile home

Hello I just have a quick question: Unfortunately fuses have been blowing in my 2 bedroom mobile home when we run two space heaters at the same time. And I've had to replace fuses, but now one room doesn't have electricity. But the rest of the house does.

Can I please get some suggestions on what it could be? Thank you in advance- E

On 2021-04-08 - by (mod) - with my dryer breaker turned off, my plug still tests hot

@Raylee,

Watch out: what you describe sounds very dangerous. I suspect at the very least there is improper, unsafe electrical wiring in your home, somehow involving the dryer circuit. I could speculate possible causes but that's not useful.

Sorry to say you need a licensed electrician at the home pronto. The risk is fire, shock injury, or worse.

On 2021-04-08 by Raylee

When I unplug my electric clothes dryer I completely lose power throughout entire mobile home. As soon as I plug it in all electricity comes back. No breakers are tripped.

Actually even with my dryer breaker turned off my plug still tests hot even though dryer itself has no power. HELP!

On 2021-02-10 - by (mod) - mobile home out of level, signs of movement, may be unsafe & could increase fire risk

Sherry

It sounds to me as if we need to get someone out there to inspect the support under your home, someone who cares about you and does not simply ducking doing the necessary work.

Watch out: The first and most important question is whether or not there is continuing movement and whether or not the piers supporting your home are safe. For example movement in a home can break a gas line leading to an explosion, or tear electrical wiring leading to shock or fire hazards, or break a sewer line leading to bacterial and pathogen and infection or other health hazards.

If all those concerns are okay then what remains is a little bit of careful jacking and leveling to get stable and in the proper level condition.

On 2021-02-09 by Sherry young

We purchased a mobile home 6 months ago! and it's been un level every since we have lines in our ceiling where they are seemed together, our doors throughout the home.

We now have a gaps around them not shutting our entryway doors are not shutting correctly either they want to pop open have cracks in the floor you can put your finger under the flooring @ bottom of walls, and floors has multiple unlevel place has some places you can feel the Footers pushing threw.

And our heat & air unit keeps on blowing trash like particle board debris spoke with manufacturer they don't seem to think anything's wrong.

This Q&A were posted originally

at MOBILE HOME PIER INSPECTION

On 2020-11-12 by (mod) - 1990 Lakepointe doublewide home electrical problems burned-up TV

KF

Watch out: Because there are risks of a fatal shock or fire, let's start by getting a licensed electrician to examine your home's wiring.

I cannot diagnose this by a photo or text, and I'm not sure that we're being careful-enough about language or terminology: which isn't your fault as nobody expects you to be an electrical engineer.

According to some expert sources such as Northpower, an electric utility, you're quite right that loose or corroded, mis-wired, wet, or otherwise damaged electrical connections might indeed explain voltage variations as well as intermittent loss of power at some devices, flickering lights, event tripped breakers.

It is normal and proper for the crossover connections to be accessible or visible below your doublewide.

It would be a mistake for those connectors to be exposed to water.

It should be trivial for an electrician to check those connections: they are normally rather few at a mobile or manufactured home. But the electrician may not have found all of them yet, and there may be others that are not below the home but at other locations as you can read in the article above on this page.

But actual voltage level (120VAC or 240VAC at a U.S. home) does not normally vary because of home wiring defects.

On 2020-11-12 by KF - our TV caught on fire

We are having serious issues in our double wide 1990 Lakepointe. 1500sqft. Surging, flickering, random voltage jumps in sockets from 0-240 with no rhyme or reason.

It has caught a TV on fire, killed 2 other tvs, as well as a treadmill killed.

We replaced breakers, which weren’t tripping. Started to replace sockets but found the random voltage jumps. So we stopped. Turning one light on on one side would randomly control a different light on the other side. We did look at the connectors but it was my 13 year old son and FaceTime as well as pictures.

Do you think these look weird? [Photo above]

Could this be the problem? Condensation? Rusting?

They are exposed completely under the house, in Washington where it gets 30* easily these days.

Old owners had no issues and claim to never have touched wiring. Waiting to contact electrician tomorrow but worried because one has been here twice and not fixed it.

This Q&A were posted originally

at MANUFACTURED HOME CROSSOVER CONNECTORS

On 2020-10-08 - by (mod) - burned melted wires in my triple-wide

Anon

Thank you for the helpful electrical failure report;

Do you know if the aluminum wire that overheated and burned was aluminum wire or copper wire?

On 2020-10-08 by anon

own a triple wide 1989. well maintained got it in california desert area .old coleman central gas/electrical hvac large unit. original to home. in 15 yrs. no real problems, but the high heat * 113 this summer and continued draw on A/C and suddenly one room lost power.

I was freaking out thinking i blew a circuit from new soft "spa tub". the electrician 24 hr came,opened a side box main and showed me BURNED melted red large wire..and said " i need to add new leg and this could have started a fire !. new box would be $2000.00 prob better to get a window ac and get off the monster a/c unit....wow..i got lucky.

On 2020-05-25 - by (mod) - This2001 Champion trailer home is a fire and health hazard

MB

With the apology that I am flying blind with respect to the conditions of your mobile home, from what you've described it's a certainty that the home is unsafe. It sounds as if there has been amateur electrical work as well as inadequate (or no) proper repairs or maintenance to leaks, plumbing, and electrical systems.

You might see if there is a legal aid attorney near you who can help you sort out your rights in this situation.

My OPINON (I am NOT a lawyer) is that unfortunately, once the deal is done and paid, you have very little recourse to get a seller to do anything unless you can prove fraud or some other similar crime.

Also in my OPINION, you should not have repairs done by the seller or his agent or employee. Just consider that those are the people responsible for the previous improper work that could have killed you by electrocution.

Instead you need a completely-independent electrician and plumber and perhaps other repair people to inspect the home, list what is unsafe and list what other repairs are needed to prevent both dangerous conditions or rapid costly damage to the home.

Then, IF you have any recourse with the seller, you should want to recover the cost of those repairs done by someone other than the seller, someone with competence, whom you trust, and whom you can call back to the job if necessary.

On 2020-05-25 by Mbourn553

We live in 2001 champion that was bought from another individual. That person did not have a pad put down underneath the trailer, there is no inspection tag to be found. And we just discovered what had electrocuted me one evening while turning the water on to the shower and lighting my feet up when I sat down on the toilet.

The washer inlet valves had been leaking behind the wall for quite some time we didnt know because it was a small slow leak until it got real cold and froze pipes this past winter.

When we ripped the wall out to get to the pipes there is an electrical wire that is in front of these pipes. They had been leaking on that wire. Who said that was ok to leave it there?!

This trailer is a fire and health hazard and water damage with mold damage that he will not fix. This place is actually uninhabitual. Seriously.

Ive tried to tackle a few small things myself but im no where near skilled enough to do the work needed done here. Is there anything I can do to make a believer out of him and fix the damage?

On 2020-04-30 - by (mod) - Do exterior walls on mobile homes have a fire rating?

Yes but I think we need to be more specific and details to be sure we're talking about the same thing. You're talking about the wall structure including the interior wall surface not just the exterior siding

On 2020-04-29 by Lacey

Do exterior walls on mobile homes have a fire rating?

On 2020-01-19 - by (mod) - 2012 Brookstone Skyline electrical problems - hissing sparking electrical receptacles

Judy

YOu did the right thing to turn the breaker off and leave it off as there is a serious risk of fire or worse.

I cannot know without more information but I suspect an arcing, burned electrical connection at the electrical receptacle.

An outlet might arc and spark and even make a buzzing or hissing noise if

1. there are one or more loose or corroded or damaged electrical connectors in the receptacle (outlet) itself or in the wiring in that junction box

and

2. any electricity running through that circuit.

You see, in most U.S. homes the wiring for electrical outlets is done in series; the wires run through each receptacle and on to the next one "downstream" from it.

So you could have something plugged-in elsewhere on the same circuit but the bad behaviour could occur at an upstream outlet with a bad electrical connection.

If you home were actually a bit older I'd suspect an aluminum wiring hazard that would be more extensive. Aluminum wiring connections overheat and can cause fire without ever tripping the circuit breaker.

The right thing to do now is have a licensed electrician open the receptacle junction box and replace the receptacle and check and fix all of the wiring connection.

Watch out: there may be other loose connections on the same circuit.

I would very much appreciate seeing a photo of your receptacle and when the electrician removes it, I'd like to see photos of what he or she finds.

This sort of problem can occur in mobile homes and other homes. I don't have solid research but I think it's far more common than is realized since over 90% of such incidents never get reported into any official reporting chain.

In my experience these failures are more-likely when

1. there has been amateur electrical work done on the home

2. at a receptacle that is more-heavily used, as plugging and un-plugging devices into it an loosen connections in the box

3. the receptacle is a "cheap" one using poorly-made or lightweight materials

4. the electrical receptacle was "back-wired" through push-in type connectors

5. aluminum electrical wire was used on the circuit

Arcing and fretting at loose electrical connections in receptacles

Some supporting research on arcing and fretting at loose connections in receptacles supports this view including that of my mentor and friend Jess Aronstein

• Aronstein, J. "Evaluation of receptacle connections and contacts." In Proceedings of IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts, pp. 253-260. IEEE, 1993.
• Chen, Chen, George T. Flowers, Michael Bozack, Jeffrey Suhling, Bretton I. Rickett, Robert D. Malucci, and Charlie Manlapaz. "Modeling and analysis of a blade/receptacle pair for the prediction of vibration-induced fretting degradation." In 2008 Proceedings of the 54th IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts, pp. 276-283. IEEE, 2008.
• Xie, Fei, George T. Flowers, Chen Chen, Michael J. Bozack, Jeffrey C. Suhling, Bretton I. Rickett, Robert D. Malucci, and Charlie Manlapaz. "Analysis and prediction of vibration-induced fretting motion in a blade/receptacle connector pair." IEEE Transactions on Components and Packaging Technologies 32, no. 3 (2009): 585-592.
  
• Zhang, Fuxi, and George T. Flowers. "Fretting corrosion in electric connectors induced by axial vibration." In 2014 IEEE 60th Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts (Holm), pp. 1-8. IEEE, 2014.
  

On 2020-01-19 by Judy

I have a 2012 Brookstone Skyline. Last night I fell asleep in my recliner and woke up when I heard a hissing sound and terrible smell. An electrical outlet that had nothing plugged into it was sparking.

Afraid of an electrical fire I called 911 and the fire department came. The outlet was hot but eventually cooled off and when they plugged a humidifier in the outlet it worked. They used it to locate the breaker to which the outlet was connected to and we shut the outlet off.

They looked on the outside of the mobile home and said they found nothing under the siding that was wrong and had never seen an outlet that sparked without something plugged into it. I didn't sleep all night worrying about an electrical fire. How common is this in a mobile home and what should I do next?

On 2019-11-17 by (mod) - burning refrigerator receptacle

That's really sounds to me as if an electrical connection or possibly connections in the electrical receptacle box where your fridge was plugged in have burned and dropped power. When you have an electrician look at this and trace the circuit it's very important that you see if there's aluminum electrical wiring in the home. That might explain what you're finding.

Be sure to have the sort it out by a licensed electrician as there are serious fire hazards involved.

On 2019-11-17 0 by Austin

I have a 1991 mobile home that i recently bought a new fridge for and every time i walked buy it it smelled burnt but i checked everything nothimg was burnt. A few days later i lost all power and nothing will come on. None of the breakers are tripped everything is still on i flipped the main breaker off and back on but it wont do anything.

On 2019-08-28 2 - by (mod) - We want to add Propane gas logs to our mobile home fireplace,

Daphine

What kind of fireplace is already in your mobile home?

Watch out: particularly in a mobile home there is very high risk of a fatal house fire or of being asphyxiated (killed) by carbon monoxide or by exhaustion of oxygen in the home.

Do not buy any parts or even think about a fireplace of any sort in your mobile home without first checking with your local building department about what's permitted since the permit and inspection process has as its main goal keeping you alive.

With those dire warnings said, there are Mobile Home "approved" Fireplace systems using propane or gas logs.

But don't just rely on "vent-free" gas fireplace literature - as I warned the loss of oxygen can be fatal as can carbon monoxide; your installation will have to have local building department approval and will doubtless have to meet fire safety clearance distances from combustibles, appropriate safety sensors for carbon monoxide (CO) and oxygen depletion.

My personal OPINION is that even if approved, "vent-free" or "ventless" gas fireplaces that do NOT include an outside combustion air supply are unsafe in small spaces like a mobile home.

I've lived with four such devices for the past 15 years in a home in Mexico where despite all of the safety devices said to be part of the gas log fireplace, including a feature that is intended to turn off the fireplace if oxygen levels are too low, nevertheless in virtually every use the fireplace(s) set off our CO (carbon monoxide) detectors - thus indicating that the operation is unsafe.

We added both fresh air supply and exhaust vents to the building exterior before making further use of these appliances.

More Information on Gas Fireplaces for Mobile Homes

KINGSMAN GAS FIREPLACE OWNERS MANUAL [PDF] MVCST42 for a zero clearance VENTED gas heater, retrieved 2019/08/28 original source http://www.gasfireplace.com/files/gas/MCVST42%20Owners%20Manual.pdf

Also see ALL ABOUT GAS FIREPLACES [PDF] Canadian NRC, retrieved 2019/08/28 original source: https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/energy/pdf/energystar/all_about_gas_fireplaces.pdf

Also see DEFECTS LIST - HEAT SPACE & FIREPLACE, GAS https://inspectapedia.com/home_inspection/Curriculum_Heat_Gas_Space.php

On 2019-08-28 by Daphine Sams

We want to add Propane gas logs to our fireplace, in our mobile home. Need restrictions and the law on this

On 2019-08-25 by gigi - What is the specs on bedroom window?

What is the specs on mobile home bedroom window? Hud regulations

On 2019-03-11 by (mod) - breaker kept tripping so I put in a bigger one

Justin

You should switch that circuit off and absolutely leave it off until you can afford to hire a licensed electrician.

What you have done is a serious risk of setting your house on fire. It's very dangerous. I'm sorry but I have to put your life and safety ahead of the cost of hiring an electrician.

On 2019-03-09 by Justin Purvis

Lost power in bedroom of Mobil home. Breaker was tripping. So changed breaker I’m which the breaker is a 15 amp with a dual 25 amp which is connected together and one more 15 amp breaker

. After I took off the wire running into the bottom 15 amp and put it on a isolated 15 amp breaker by itself it does not even want too come on at all.

At first it would at least stay on for 2 min then would trip. I’m helping out a older women who can’t afford a electrician too come out.

Any help would be great and I can even give someone my cell number who would be willing too call too help me out. Thanks

On 2018-08-31 by (mod) - every home should have 2 or more emergency exits

Denette, every home should have 2 or more emergency exits to permit occupants a second way out in the event of a fire or other emergency.

What's the Difference in Exit Door and Fire Exit Openings for Manufactured Homes (mobile homes, singlewides, doublewides) versus Modular and Site-Built Homes?

But the requirements for number of doors or number of exits is different depending on the type of construction.

Two doors are required for "manufactured homes", which is elegant-speak for "mobile homes" or single-wide homes or double-wide homes built in a factory.

Such homes must have two exit doors for fire safety.

In the U.S. under U.S. Federal Regulations 24 CFR 3280.015, the legal authority, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that the manufactured home (mobile home) home have no less than two exit doors, separated by no less than 12 feet if the home is a single-wide and the doors must be separated by no less than 20 feet for double-wides.

And there are more details for the doors for these manufactured homes:

For fire safety at least one of these fire exit doors has to be no farther than 35' from any bedroom and the fire exit door access path can't be blocked by a locked door. For example if the fire exit door is in another room in the single-wide or double-wide, access to it cannot require that occupants pass through another room that has a lockable door.

On some older mobile home structures a special window might be approved for use as a fire exit.

What about Modular Homes

You asked about a "modular home" which, if we're speaking accurately, is NOT a mobile home, single-wide nor double-wide.

See DEFINITIONS of MOBILE HOME, DOUBLEWIDE, MODULAR, PANELIZED CONSTRUCTION https://inspectapedia.com/Design/Building_Construction_Definitions.php

The confusion comes from the change of use to fancier words for mobile home, singlewide, doublewide, all three of which are currently referred-to as "manufactured homes".

Since a modular home is also built in a factory, it, too is "manufactured" but to rather different construction codes, regulations, and standards. Modulars are generally shipped from the factory to comply with laws in every state or province to which they might be delivered.

Unlike "manufactured" single wide or doublewide homes, Modular homes are also built in a factory (usually in 2 or more sections) but their construction is NOT regulated by the HUD and Federal rules I cited above.

Instead, modulars have to comply with the state and local building codes where they will be delivered. Those state or provincial codes themselves are usually in the form of adoptions of model national building codes like the International Residential Code (IRC) or International Building Code (IBC).

The model buliding codes make a distinction between emergency exit openiings and normal entry/exit doors.

Example code: Section R310 of the 2015 IRC specify the number, size, and location of such emergency exits in modulars and site-built homes.

Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings - EEROs

These can be met EITHER by an egress door (that is a normal door that leads outside of the building) OR by a special EERO for which there are additional specifications such as

- a minimum normal opening size of 24” high x 20” wide and 5.0 or 5.7 sq.ft. of opening, using a “normally-opening_ window, door, or skylight (that is no special keys or tools can be required)

- the EERO bottom or “sill” can be no higher than 44 inches above the floor level

See EMERGENCY EGRESS WINDOWS

Means of Egress Doors: specify that the door must be

- no less than 32” wide in the free opening space

- no less than 78” high from the threshold surface to the underside of the door-stop overhead

- no more than 1 1/2” of threshold height above the walking surface ( I think this is to avoid trapping wheelchairs or people with limited mobility)

The reason that the building codes for modulars and site-built homes may not specify two "doors" explicitly as fire exits is that these model building codes permit other means of emergency exit, such as specially-designed windows that can serve as an exit in the event of a fire.

Other Building Exit Doors don’t have to meet the emergency egress door specifications and can have a rise over the walking surface of up to 7 1/4” = which is assumed to be that of a normal step or stair

See MOBILE HOME CODES & STANDARDS - web article, code citations & links -

And for modulars and site built homes see the following:

MARYLAND & TEXAS & Other U.S. STATE RESIDENTIAL CODE (2012) based on their adoptions of the ICC or IRC model building codes for that year,

Or all our downloadable code documents at BUILDING CODE DOWNLOADS https://inspectapedia.com/Design/COPIES-of-BUILDING-CODES.php

On 2018-08-31 by Denette - should a modular home have two door?

Is there supposed to be two doors on a modular home

This Q&A were posted originally

at MOBILE HOME CODES, STANDARDS & MANUALS

On 2018-07-17 by (mod) - hook up an outside wood burning stove to a 1995 Fairmont mobile home? Fire Risk.

Laurie

Since there are very serious fire hazards in any wood burning stove hookup, even more-so when the home is a mobile home, I would not proceed one inch without first discussing the plan your local building code and fire officials as well as the stove manufacturer. For example there might be different fire-clearances required for your home than for other types of structures.

Ultimately an outside auxiliary heat source might work IF the fire safety questions can be addressed.

Separately, when you mention a gas furnace that smokes up the house, that is asking for the death of everyone in the home. Not to put too scary a face on it, a gas heater that makes smoke or soot is very likely producing carbon monoxide gas - that is odorless, colorless, and can kill the home's occupants.

You should be absolutely sure that your home has

1. working fire detectors AND working carbon monoxide (CO) detectors that are properly located, installed, and tested.

2. working fire exits - more than just the front door


and of course do not use a smoking gas furnace - it needs to be repaired by a qualified, trained gas furnace service technician.

If you're in North America and thus in summer, now is a good time to get that repair help as the techs are a bit less busy.

On 2018-07-17 by Laurie Kulesa

Do you have any idea, how to hook up an outside wood burning stove to a 1995 Fairmont mobile home 14/80! We had problems this last winter, the fireplace was going gas furnace would kick in and smoke up whole house? So my husband wants to install an outside woodstove, how do you go about doing this?

On 2018-10-14 6 by (mod) - burned wall outlets indicates fire hazard & unsafe electrical wiring

Kimberly

What you describe is a fire hazard: risking burning down your home and of course injuring or even killing its occupants.

Stop using the heater you describe immediately.

Also stop using the circuit itself: that means turn it OFF at the electric panel by turning off the circuit breaker or removing the fuse for that circuit.

I know it's inconvenient but the risk of fire is a serious concern.

I can't tell for sure what's wrong but a good guess would be that the circuit into which you're connecting the heater is not properly protected by the right circuit breaker or fuse.

A circuit breaker or fuse prevents over-current: drawing too much current (amount of electrical energy being used, measured in Amps) on an electrical circuit (wires).

For example, a typical home receptacle circuit (wall plugs or "outlets") is rated for 15 Amps or at most (in a kitchen) 20 Amps.

If you plug in multiple devices or even just one that draws more than 20 Amps (easy to do if you're using an electric heater) than the circuit is designed to carry (more than 15 or 20 amps) the wires get hot. Hot wires can set the building on fire.

The circuit breaker or fuse is designed to trip or turn off the circuit if that happens.

If the circuit breaker is over-sized (example putting a 30Amp fuse into a 15Amp or 20Amp circuit in the fuse panel) then the wires can run hot and start a fire.

When you see burning at the wall outlets or receptacle, a common cause is excess current being used, causing overheating to occur not just in the wire but right at the receptacle itself.

The same fire risks apply.

Other causes of burning overheating wall receptacles is arcing due to loose connections or due to a damaged appliance cord or plug itself.

A licensed electrician can examine the circuit wiring, wall receptacles, circuit breaker or fuse, and the heater and its line cord and plug to find the trouble.

On 2018-10-14 by Kimberley - What causes burnt outlets?

What causes burnt outlets? I have a fireplace heater and it did this at my last mobile home. Burnt the plug and outlet. I replaced the plug and it was working fine for several times.

Now it did it again. The outlet also stopped working thats on same wall but this one was still working. Now its all black and it didn't start a actual fire but could have.

On 2017-11-25 by (mod) - issues including fire safety in a 1997 Clayton 16x66 home

Ruthie,

First let's figure out what sort of inspection you need. Your local building department may, on request from you as a homeowner, be willing to inspect your home for building code violations. That can improve the safety of your home and can address high priority repairs.

But a code inspection is not as comprehensive as a more general "home inspection".

On the other hand a home inspector is less focused on legal or technical violations of building codes than she will be on the overall condition of the property, and on the identification of safety hazards as well as expensive repairs.

Such an inspector ought to give you a report describing the repairs needed at the property along with advice about which things to do first.

At the top of this page at EXPERTS DIRECTORY (or at the drop down menu if you're on a smartphone) you can link to https://inspectapedia.com/Expert-Consultants-Directory.php where we give directories for home inspectors who may be able to help you.

Be sure to discuss your type of home with the inspector as not all are familiar with manufactured homes, mobile homes, or doublewides.

My priorities in general are to fix things that are "Dangerous", "Don't work", or that are causing "Rapid expensive deterioration or damage" to the home.

On 2017-11-25 by Ruthie Garrett

We purchased a pre-owned 1997 Clayton 16x66. Can we have our home be inspected? We've found so many building code violations. Studs too short, filled in with little blocks.

Roof not properly attached. Improperly wired. Whole house running off of 4 breakers. Improperly insulated. The list goes on. We live in fear & don't sleep well for fear of a fire during the night. When we're gone we worry about our animals. I hope you will respond & that our home can be looked into. Sincerely, Ruthie Garrett

On 2018-10-28 by (mod) - our floors are getting really hot - fire risk?

In order of priority make sure that you turn off any suspicious electrical circuits, make sure you have working smoke detectors in your home, and then ask for help from a electrician or heating technician depending on what's actually getting hot. If there's any sign of smoke or fire you should get out immediately.

On 2018-10-28 by Kerri Bartz

low heat coming from counter, floor, etc. metal tool getting hot when it doesn't have a reason to be, muscles sometimes tingly and warm with no physical diagnosis

On 2017-10-15 by (mod) - Replaced mobile home window

Ryan

Your guess that a screw may have pierced on electrical wire is a reasonable one. If the screw severed the neutral wire then you would have no power on the circuit but no breaker or fuse might blow.

I think that an electrician would probably check the continuity of the neutral circuit and if she finds that it's broken perhaps make a test cut into the wall in the vicinity of the suspected screw to look for damaged wire.

Watch out: if the window you replaced was an emergency exit from the home then the new window needs to have that same capability - else someone could be trapped in the home in the event of a fire.

On 2017-10-15 by Ryan

Hi.I had replaced my friends mobile home window and everything went smooth, so i thought.After getting all done with the job i found out there was no power in the wall that i just replaced the window on.There is an outlet directly below the window i replaced.Im wondering if i might have screwed into a wire.

Thing is the breaker did not blow and there are no GFCI's.Any help would be appreciated.

On 2017-05-02 b y(mod) - breaker box in my home makes a popping sound - indeed it might be about to catch fire

Watch out: any time there is a sizzling or popping sound coming from an electrical circuit or circuit breaker, fuse, receptacle, or light switch, there is a serious risk of an electrical fire.

I am sorry to say this because I know it's inconvenient, but the safe step to take is to IMMEDIATELY TURN OFF circuit breakers that are powering circuits that are sizzling, hissing, or popping.

If the noise doesn't stop, you may need to turn off the main circuit breaker.

Then call a licensed electrician for help.

Watch out: if there is smoke, sparks, flame, or you are not able to safely turn off electrical power to your home, get everyone outside immediately and call emergency services (such as 911 in the U.S.) or your local fire department for help.

On 2017-05-02 by Idasia

I have a 1996 Fleetwood mobile home..every time I plug up my floor lap in my kitchen the light go dim n start blinking and when I plug something up were my refrigerator go that outlet makes my breaker box in my home makes a popping sound like it's about to catch fire and some of my outlets in this home is burned I just bought this trailer from someone

On 2017-03-29 by (mod) - electrical fire risk in mobile home

Bryan:

Depending on the age of your trailer it may use solid conductor aluminum wiring that can, through deterioration of connections, cause the symptoms you describe. So can some models of problem-electrical panels such as FPE Stab-Lok, Zinsco, and perhaps others.

All of those conditions are unsafe as they are fire hazards.

IF all of the circuits seem to go bad at once the issue is probably in the main breaker or the service to the trailer home.

These are problems and dangers that risk asking for help from a licensed electrician.

Let me know what you're told and I may have other suggestions.

Watch out: Meanwhile:

1. I would see if turning off specific misbehaving circuits stopped the symptom - leave them off

2. I would NOT GO TO SLEEP without properly-installed, tested, working SMOKE DETECTORS and also a check that ALL of the fire exits from the home are un-blocked and operating.

On 2017-03-29 by Bryan

So I have been having an issue in my trailer with the power running fine and then fluctuates down. If that makes sense. The refrigerator light dims and dosnt stay cool like its running on half power.

The water heater does the same thing. The heat kicks on and off constantly. And some outlets run like half power as well. Any ideas? I have already replaced the outside breaker box. And now in totally lost. Please if you can help

Question: 1972 Coleman doublewide breaker popping, shooting sparks

(Mar 12, 2016) jack (no email)

COMMENT:My sister has a 1972 colman double wide 2 be. 2 bath Mobil home breaker keeps poping and shooting out sparks.no juice in some outlets in kit, Lr. and no lights in kit,and porch light,Lr light.trying to find out why breaker keeps poping as soon as u reset it.problem started thru out the night while she was sleeping can you help?

Reply:

Jack

LEAVE the CIRCUIT BREAKER OFF - as you are risking fire, shock, injury or even death. I can't say where the problem is but it sounds like a short circuit in the system.

Call an electrician for diagnosis and repair. She or he will trace the circuit, find and fix the problem, and confirm that the wiring and breaker are safe to continue to use.

BE SURE that your sister has working CO (Carbon monoxide) and smoke detectors properly installed and located in her double-wide and that all of the exits and exit doors are working.

Question: lights flicker and go off but when I turn my oven on they turn on

(Mar 12, 2016) Phil said:
My lights flicker and go off but when I turn my oven on they turn on. It's a single wide older house trailer and I have replaced all my circuit breakers?

Reply:

Phil:

This sounds dangerous to me and risking a fire or shock or property loss or injury. I'd leave the oven circuit off at the main panel until the circuit is inspected and repaired. You may have replaced circuit breakers but not all connections may be proper or you may have aluminum electrical wiring or wiring connections failing at the oven. Leave the circuit off.

Question: can't reset circuit breaker in a York mobile home

(May 1, 2016) Jenny said:
I have a 1965 york mobile home I blow A breaker can't get it back on so bought a new one and still nothing need help please thank you

Reply: fire hazard: don't keep re-setting circuit breaker

If the breaker does not reset that means that either the electrical circuit is UNSAFE and should be LEFT OFF, or the breaker itself is defective. Since you tried a new breaker, it sounds to me as if the circuit has a short circuit and is unsafe.

LEAVE THE CIRCUIT OFF as you are risking a fatal fire.

Ask your electrician to check for the presence of aluminum electrical wire in your home as that's a particularly serious fire hazard if it has not been completely and properly repaired. If there is no aluminum wire the fault is probably a short circuit in the wiring itself or in something you've plugged into the circuit. Unplug everything and try re-setting the breaker again.

Switch it first to OFF then back to ON. If the breaker trips again leave it OFF and ask for repair by a licensed electrician.

Question: ceiling fan runs faster after an electrical "POP" sound

(Oct 30, 2016) Allison R. said:
Hi, I live in a 1970 double wide mobile home. Heard a loud pop coming from front bed room then smoke from TV area.and burning smell. The strange thing is in that part the mobile power is out except the ceiling fan/light is twice as bright and the fan is going faster!! Help?

Reply: turn power off, risk of fire, get out

Allison:

I would turn power off to the home at the main breaker;

Watch out: If signs of smoke or fire continue I would immediately get everyone out of the home and I'd call emergency services or your fire department.

On 2016-12-22 by (mod) - we smelled of burning rubber we removed wall plates and the one in bathroom was glowing orange about to catch on fire

Margaret,

You're asking a legal question that needs to be answered by a local attorney.

Watch out: before thinking about suing anyone, let's be sure you are safe and that nobody burns to death in the trailer. You are describing unsafe electrical wiring. I don't know if the problem is just the new breaker box, a wiring error, or damaged wires, or aluminum electrical wiring (a fire hazard).

Please

1. do not sleep in this trailer without first being sure there are working and properly-located smoke detectors and CO detectors AND that all of the required safety exits (there must be at least one besides the main entry door) are working and accessible in case you have to get the heck out because of a fire.

2. hire a licensed electrician to examine the whole electrical system - let me know what you're told is wrong

On 2016-12-22 by Margaret mccallister

I bought an old trailer from the landlord of the trailer park its sitting on i had to have new breaker box installed it had half of it fuses it kept blowing them and we smelled of burning rubber we removed wall plates and the one in bathroon was glowing orange about to catch on fire the landlord hadnt inspected it is there anything i can so to him

Question: front door sticks on mobile home after rain - frost heave?

(Mar 18, 2015) Brad said:

I live in a Mini home with a built on enclosed porch. Last week we had a rainstorm, then the next day the temperature dropped to -20.

Since then the front door has been sticking and a hairline crack has appeared running horizontally across the wall from the top of the door.

My father in law says it's frost heave and will probably resettle when the ground thaws. Any ideas?

Reply:

Brad your father-in-law's guess is a reasonable one.

Watch out: However there are immediate fire safety hazards - be sure that all exterior doors can be opened.

Question: 1970 Patrician double wide mobile home electrical wiring failures - "we knew we had a fire hazard"

(July 23, 2015) Marti said:
Your website is very informative because it gives many same type electrical problem scenarios that we have experienced since we bought this 1970 Patrician double wide mobile home. This home had been sitting on the landlord's premises for at least 2 years. There was no disclosure that it had electrical problems.

The home needed upkeep maintenance but nothing involving electrical problems. Within that first year, we experienced the lights in the entire home would go out often.

One time, the wires in our bedroom left burn marks in part of the old carpet. We knew we had a fire hazard.

We have lived here 15+ years and twice we have had the electricity in this place fixed by a licensed electrician. The first time it didn't work so well cause we continued to have problems. The second time it turns out the wires in the main fuse box were burnt.

We were lucky it didn't start a fire in our home. Again, the proper repairs were made by a licensed electrician who brought the house to code.

It has been about 10 yrs. since we made these repairs and today, we are still experiencing the same problems. Light bulbs burn out on our fans randomly mostly in the living room and family room. I have to replace them every 2-3 months no matter what good brands I purchase.

Last night, I saw a white flash of light in our bathroom when I turned on the switch. It shorted out the lights throughout the home including our bathroom lights, kitchen ceiling lights, one family room ceiling light, the fan doesn't go on in the living room, and one table lamp light bulb instantly burned out when I turned it on.

I have talked to the landlords about this ongoing electrical problem because they had many electrical outages and power surges since we lived here causing damage.

They said it was not their problem yet, Edison came to inspect the premises and found it came from their main box in the mobile home park providing electrical power to the homes and made them fix it. Now, I am having the same problems. So, is it our home or them causing it?

Reply:

Marti:

Is your home wired with aluminum electrical wiring? If so there could be serious fire hazards that won't be addressed by changes in the electrical panel alone. If your answer is yes,

see ALUMINUM WIRING HAZARDS & REPAIRS

If the home is being hit with power surges that can cause some but probably not all of the problems you describe. The electrical company can confirm whether or not power surges are common in your area. Surge protection devices installed in the electrical panel and at some other locations can reduce those problems.

I do not understand how a wiring error would cause burn marks on a carpet. Electrical wiring runs in walls, floors, ceilings, not across carpeting. Was the burn from an extension cord? If so, the use of an extension cord, particularly under carpeting, is a serious fire hazard - don't do that.

Reader Question: Loss of electrical power in a 1971 Royal Embassy Singlewide

(June 5, 2014) Maurice anderson said:
I live in a 71 royal embassy single wide with pop out.

Last night everything stopped working in the spare bedroom, bathroom and half of the living room. That's everything on one breaker. I shut down the breaker and tested it and appears to have continuity between the hot and neutral

In searching I discovered one melted receptacle which I removed but still get cont.

I guess my question is can I safely replace all of the alum. Wiring 12 awg.with 14awg. Romex + new switches & receptacles without going all the way back to the breaker. The alum. Wire appears to be good up until the junction at the pop out?

Reply: serious fire hazard from aluminum wiring

Maurice, it sounds as if you are reporting an aluminum electrical wiring failure in a mobile home - which leaves me especially thankful that the failure didn't result in a more catastrophic fire.

Yes #12 AWG solid conductor aluminum wiring would be replaced by #14 solid conductor copper wiring - both are rated for 15 Amp circuits.

Proper repair methods for aluminum electrical wiring are described at

inspectapedia.com/aluminum/Aluminum_Wiring_Repair_Methods.php

Watch out: making an improper repair, such as leaving the aluminum wiring in place and using connectors not recommended by the US CPSC can actually increase fire risk.

Replacing the circuit wires entirely is the safest course, but is more costly than using copper pigtailing and approved, recommended connectors such as the AMP TYCO Crimp connector or the King Innovations AlumiConn connector.

Question: Mobile home furnace not working

(Dec 14, 2012) Sean Newcomer said:

I have a brand new thermo pride furnace for my moble home ... it would burn then the fan would come on after a couple minutes the call to burn would shut off, then the fan would shut off a few mins later, upon fan going off the burner would cycle for heat again... and so on.

But the heat keeps climbing it doesn't stop

So i got ahold of the installer he told me it was the thermostat, i replaced it and still does the same its under warranty but i can't afford to pay a serve man 200.00 to come to tell me the problem.

Is it the burner control or is it the computer board can it be reset and how

Reply: the heat keeps climbing it doesn't stop

Sean,

IF the warm air output from a supply register is blowing right onto the room wall thermostat, then "the thermostat is the problem" could be a correct statement.

Otherwise I suspect a bad fan limit switch or improper installation of that control. For example, if the limit switch is mis-adjusted or if its sensor spring is binding, the system won't work properly.

Watch out:  a fan limit switch that is bent, damaged, mis-handled, even mis-adjusted, can be dangerous, risking damage to the heating equipment or even a fire.

Diagnostic articles for heating problem troubleshooting are at

• DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE A/C or HEAT PUMP
• DIAGNOSTIC DETAILS A/C or HEAT PUMP
• DIAGNOSE & FIX HEATING PROBLEMS-FURNACE

Question: front door sticks on mobile home after rain - frost heave? Fire exit hazard?

(Mar 18, 2015) Brad said:
I live in a Mini home with a built on enclosed porch. Last week we had a rainstorm, then the next day the temperature dropped to -20. Since then the front door has been sticking and a hairline crack has appeared running horizontally across the wall from the top of the door. My father in law says it's frost heave and will probably resettle when the ground thaws. Any ideas?

Reply:

Brad, your father-in-law's guess is a reasonable one.

However there are immediate fire safety hazards - be sure that all exterior doors can be opened.

...

Continue reading at MOBILE HOME INSPECTIONS, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

BUILDING CODES for STAIRS - home
• BUILDING FIRE SAFETY, ARTICLE INDEX - home
• CLOTHES DRYER FIRE HAZARD WARNINGS
• EMERGENCY EGRESS WINDOWS - emergency fire exits through windows
• FIRE ESCAPES & FIRE STAIRS
• LIGHTING OVER STAIRS & AT EXITS
• MOBILE HOME CODES, STANDARDS & MANUALS
• MOBILE HOME ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
• MOBILE HOME ELECTRICAL - FLICKERING LIGHTS
• MOBILE HOME EXTERIOR DEFECTS - fire safety egress issues on mobile homes, trailers, doublewides
• MOBILE HOME FUEL SUPPLY - know where the gas or oil and electrical shut-offs are located
• MOBILE HOME WATER HEATERS - is your water heater installation safe?
• MOBILE HOME HEATING SYSTEMS - respect fire clearances, combustion air needs, proper venting
• MOBILE HOME SAFETY DEFECTS
• MOBILE HOME STRUCTURAL DEFECTS - examples of movement that may jam fire exits
• PLATFORMS & LANDINGS, ENTRY & STAIR

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MOBILE HOME FIRE SAFETY at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to MANUFACTURED & MOBILE HOMES

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