Mobile home inspection processes center on materials, structural integrity, and occupant safety. While trailer homes from China provide a decent housing at low cost, their importers must ensure that occupants are protected against any foreseeable risk when inside these structures.
InTouch formulates its inspection protocols with due diligence to make sure that its clients are protected from any bad delivery. The following are some of the key points in mobile home inspection:
Materials Inspection
- Interior Finishing Materials – Verify that paints and wallpapers used for covering or finishing interior walls and related surfaces have flame spread ratings less than those prescribed by applicable standards.
- Plastic Thermal Insulating Materials – Check that these materials are not used on restricted spaces such as wall cavities, do not exceed flame spread rating limits, and are properly insulated to prevent combustion.
- Steel – Check that steel materials comply with applicable standards including ASTM D395, AISC–S335, ASCE19, and SEI/ASCE 8–02.
- Wood and Wood Products – Check that wood and wood products used for manufacturing comply with relevant standards such as ANSI/AHA A135.4, ANSI/HPVA HP–1, ANSI/AITC A190.1, and PS 1. These products should also be tested to determine if they comply with formaldehyde emission rating limits.Visual Inspection
- Data Plate – Verify that product data plate is permanently affixed in a conspicuous location. The plate should contain all required information such as manufacturer name and address and product model and serial numbers.
- Certification Label – Check that the certification plate, apart from the data plate, is affixed permanently in an accessible location. The plate must clearly state that the manufacturer or importer/distributor certifies the compliance of the product to standards and regulations imposed by authorities.
- Carpeting – Inspect that carpeting is confined to spaces not directly adjacent to furnace and/or water heater to reduce the likelihood of fire incidents.
- Smoke Alarm – Verify that smoke alarm systems have passed the requirements set forth by UL 217 or UL 268 and that they are installed in standard specified locations.
Functional Inspection - Lighting – Verify that each room provides ample natural and/or artificial lighting that promotes ideal living conditions. Window and door sizes are determined according to the standard requirements set by importing territories.
- Ventilation – Check that the entire unit has sufficient ventilation capacity from mechanical and/or organic means which promote ideal living conditions.
- Exit Doors – Check that there is a minimum of two exit doors remotely located from each other to facilitate easy and fast evacuation during emergency situations.Dimensional Inspection
- Ceiling Heights - Verify that ceiling heights of every room conform to the standard requirements to ensure comfortable living.
- Rooms – Verify that each mobile home consists of a living area with floor area of 150 sq. ft. or more, and a sleeping area of 50 sq. ft. or more depending on the number of occupants.
- Toilet Spaces – Verify that toilet compartments conform to the requirements in minimum width and frontal space, which are 30 inches and 21 inches, respectively, in the USA.
- Hallways – Measure width of hallways for compliance to the minimum of 28 inches. Additional clearance space of 27 inches is required in front of installations such as laundry and cooking appliances.Performance Inspection
- Wind Resistance – Verify that the product complies with Wind Zone II and Zone III requirements if they are to be used in areas prescribed by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development or equivalent regulations in other countries.
- Metal Frames – Check that metal frames are protected from corrosion through methods such as painting or are made from corrosion-resistant materials.
- Anchoring Systems – Check that structure has sufficient anchoring systems which when properly installed would protect the unit from overturning or sliding vertically such as during the presence of strong winds.
