Mobile and manufactured home plumbing around Knoxville

Frozen Risers and Heat Tape

The riser, where the supply comes up out of the ground into the home, freezes first. It needs insulation and working heat tape, plugged into an outlet that has power. Many winter calls are a riser with dead heat tape or insulation that has fallen away. We thaw the line, check for splits, replace the heat tape and insulation, and make sure the skirting around the home is closed so cold air is not blowing across the pipes. A thermostat-controlled heat tape only runs when it is cold, which saves power.

Belly Leaks and Repiping

Many manufactured homes from the 1980s and early 1990s were plumbed with gray polybutylene pipe, which can fail without warning. When we open the belly for a leak and find polybutylene, we recommend replacing it with PEX, either the whole home or the runs we can reach, and resealing the belly behind us. Newer homes usually have PEX already, and leaks there are more often a failed fitting. Before repiping, we check that the floor framing and belly fasteners are sound, because a repair is only as good as the support underneath it.

Water Heaters and Fixtures

Mobile home water heaters are often special models sized for a small closet, with the water connections and access in specific places. We replace them like for like or with an approved equivalent, and we repair or replace the fixtures, valves and drains that wear out in any home, using parts that fit manufactured-home layouts. Manufactured-home heaters often have side or front water connections and a sealed combustion system that draws air from outside, so a standard heater is not a safe swap. We check the label and the closet before quoting the replacement.