If you own a mobile home, you may have found that some plumbers do not want to work on your home. Why exactly is that? Well, many plumbers are simply inexperienced working with mobile homes and mobile home plumbing parts. Apache Junction mobile homeowners that are fed up with trying to find the right plumber with the job should consider handling plumbing maintenance themselves. Read on for some of the basics of the differences between working with mobile home plumbing parts and those for site-built homes.
The Basics
Essentially, manufactured home plumbing systems are just more simplified versions of traditional systems found in site-built homes. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however, because it means that the system is overall more accessible and easier to work on. As long as you’re comfortable working with tools and understand some of the general concepts of plumbing, you should do just fine.
Parts Differences
Some manufacturers of use lightest and cheapest plastic piping or galvanized metal possible, so mobile home plumbing parts will need replacement a little more frequently than those in site-built homes. Galvanized pipe is known for rusting and plastic piping will corrode, so if you want your mobile home’s plumbing to last for a long time, it may be worth it to just go ahead and re-pipe the home. It’ll be far cheaper in the long run. You’ll have to check into area plumbing codes to see what material you should use, but Pex is a good choice.
Differences in Set Ups
Mobile homes plumbing systems are set up a little differently than traditional homes. The main water supply is usually found under the edge of the home, and the supply lines are typically housed in the middle of the home or on the side. Plumbing pipes tend to be stubbed straight through the floors under the sinks, rather than housed in the walls.
Additionally, clean outs and overflows aren’t used often in mobile homes. Instead you’ll find a ventilation stack, or soil stack, sticking out of the home’s roof. This stack is used to carry bad fumes and gases from waste away from the home. They are necessary for the plumbing to work properly.
