Mobile Home Roof Issues | Pacific Coast Roofing

As housing prices have continued to rise across the Bay Area, we’re seeing more clients buying land and installing mobile homes as a more affordable living option. This is a smart move, but remember that mobile homes require annual inspections and maintenance like any other home.

Roof maintenance is essential for any home, but mobile homes require an even more attentive eye. Mobile homes are particularly susceptible to water leaks.

5 Common Mobile Home Roof Issues

Here are five common mobile home roofing issues and how to prevent them.

Poorly maintained roofs

It’s easy to get behind on home maintenance, but doing so puts your home at risk. The roof is your home’s most significant protection from high winds and rain. Routine inspections are essential to make sure the roof is in good shape and to repair any red flag issues before they get worse and lead to costly or irreparable damage.

Your mobile home manufacturer provides clear instructions on maintaining the building’s roof. This includes things like:

Regular roof inspections at least once, and preferably twice per year
Clearing debris from the roof ASAP
Repairing any roof issues as soon as you notice them to prevent long-term or more serious water damage
Keeping the roof free of algae, mildew, or mold
Cleaning gutters and downspouts at least once per year, upon any signs of clogging or overflowing, or in between major storms.

Establishing a connection with a local, licensed roofing contractor, preferably one with mobile home roofing experience, is the best way to ensure your mobile home roof has access to routine maintenance.

Flat mobile home roof issues

Most mobile homes are built with one of three roofing styles: bowstring, flat, or pitched. We recommend ruling out flat or bowstring styles if you haven’t purchased a mobile home yet. They are the most prone to trouble. Bowstring roofs drain water fairly well but are not structurally designed to hold much weight. Between storm, fire, and earthquake potential – your roof could experience heavy loads if tree limbs, power lines, or other debris come down. Its roof design and materials should stand up to the task.

We wrote an entire article on the pros and cons of flat roofs, but the cons outweigh the pros in our opinion. Flat roofs are prone to water collection in a climate as moist as ours. It’s never good for water to sit on a roof for any length of time, so we recommend purchasing a mobile home with a pitched roof instead.

Flashing issues

Mobile homes are prefab by nature. After they’re manufactured, they’re transported and installed onsite. In the meantime, any poorly installed components, or components damaged along the way, cannot perform as designed once the home is attached to its foundation.

If the unit flashing is damaged, misaligned, or just plain outdated, it will leak. This leads to water accumulation virtually anywhere in the home, from ceiling leaks to water pooling or signs of moisture at the bottom of exterior walls. Roof flashing and gutters work together to draw water off the roof and away from a building’s foundation. Where there’s a problem with one, there may be a problem with the other.

Outdated roofing materials (or overdue roof repairs)

Mobile home roofs are the same as roofs on a traditional home, and the life expectancy depends on the type of roofing materials used. Most mobile homes have asphalt shingles or metal roofs. When well-maintained, these roofs last for multiple decades. If you’ve purchased a mobile home that is new to you, see if you can learn more about the previous owner’s roof maintenance history.

A roof inspection is the best way to determine the status of your mobile home’s roof, and we’ll let you know whether it needs any repairs. We can also discuss plans for replacement if the roof has outlasted its lifetime.

Poor ventilation, insulation, or humidity control

Roofs are part of the whole-home structure, so their performance depends on other structural systems. If the home lacks proper ventilation, and adequate insulation, or has humidity control issues, the roof suffers. In most cases, these issues lead to condensation that sits on roofing materials, creating consistent moisture damage. Moisture control problems also put your home at risk for mold/mildew infestations.

This shouldn’t be a problem in mobile homes built within the past five to 10 years. However, licensed contractors should inspect older homes to determine whether they’re up to date and performing as they should be. The good news is that updating any or all of these systems improves whole-home comfort and humidity levels – while also providing energy-efficient benefits.

Prevent Mobile Home Roofing Issues With An Inspection

Not sure about the condition of your mobile home roof? Schedule an inspection with Pacific Coast Roofing, or give us a call at (510) 912-5454 to get expert answers to your roofing questions or concerns. Our family-owned roofing business has built and maintained high-quality, long-lasting roofs for Bay Area homeowners for over 20 years. We’d love to add you to our client family.

Eva Tucker

2022-11-11

After a storm, I asked Pacific coast roofing service to inspect our roof for any damage or leak. Brian was very responsive and provided an honest evaluation of the roof. My roof required minimal work, which was provided by their company. I highly recommend them to anyone here in El Sobrante who needs their roof to be inspected/repaired.

P Herron

2022-11-04

I reviewed Pacific Coast a few years ago when they installed our new roof. They did excellent work then and still do. We had a disastrous exterior fire in September most likely due to PG&E equipment. Our local fire department chopped a hole in our roof to make sure there was no heat or flames inside the house. We weren’t on the schedule but Brian promised to work us in and get the job done before the winter rains. He kept his promise sending his carpenter to replace the charred fascia and roofers to patch the hole. I will always enthusiastically recommend Pacific Coast Roofing without reservation!

Hariett Davis

2022-10-29

I tried two previous times to get my roof repaired with other companies without success. Pacific Coast Roofing was able to work very fast with my insurance and the inspector to get the roof repair approved. Scheduling the work was easy and fast after. The crew came in promptly as scheduled and worked quickly and thoroughly. They made sure all my requests were met.

Jonathan Morton

2022-10-11

The experience with Pacific Coast Roofing was nothing less than exceptional! We worked with Brian who was perfectly attentive throughout the entire process. He came out personally to check and they made temporary repairs until we could have the entire roof replaced. The crew performing the replacement was extremely fast. Very professional experience at a very reasonable price. We highly recommend them! Thank you, Brian and team!

Adriana Hammond

2022-09-27

We hired Pacific Coast Roofing to handle a large job with a mix of flat and shingled roofing on an old building. Brian was incredible. He worked around our schedule and finished in a timely manner. Very happy with the finished product. They were upfront with their pricing and kept in touch when additional repairs were needed. I would highly recommend this company for any roofing needs.

Bruce Gill

2022-09-14

Pacific Coast Roofing and Brian were great. They were very communicative and they even helped me file the insurance claim. In addition, Brian was present during the whole process of repairs. I love the roof they installed on my house and would recommend them to others. The install crew was timely, professional and did a great job of cleaning up afterwards. Overall, I had a 5/5 experience and will definitely go back to them for future repairs, if needed.

Sylvia Dominguez

2022-08-23

I cannot express enough how wonderful Brian and Pacific Coast Roofing were to work with. They offered exceptional service in the installation and repairs while coordinating with our insurance company for the claim following a storm. Brian went above and beyond for any queries or problems we had. If you're looking for a roofing contractor in El Sobrante, I'd strongly recommend them, esp. Brian.

Davian Cook

2022-07-23

I cannot say enough about the dedication that Brian put in to inspect our roof. He had several adversities to make his appointment with us, but he still made the effort to go out of his way just to help us. He exceeded our expectations. He was very personable and polite. His knowledge about the industry is superb and his personality is remarkable.

Catherine Smith

2022-07-11

Brian of Pacific Coast Roofing was positively wonderful to work with and he made sure everything was completed to perfection every step of the way. He helped me choose the best roofing material, shingle color, gutter color, provided subcontractors to paint and repair the interior damage, replace chimney caps, and everything that needed to be done to restore my home in excellent condition after suffering damage. I would recommend them to anyone. They exude integrity and honesty in their dealings, both with the homeowner and insurance company. They made an otherwise frustrating situation into a positive experience, and I know they will stand by the work they performed.

steve taugner

2022-06-07

I rarely leave reviews but I have nothing but good things to say about Brian and this company. If there is anything negative at all its you cant reach them by phone. The work looks great and they were prompt, courteous and did a good clean up. I will use them again.