After almost two years of people living in campers and mobile homes provided by FEMA, the evidence is surfacing that formaldehyde may be making us sick. The coast is littered with thousands of these mobile facilities that were hurriedly manufactured. While everyone applauds the effort that was made to house so many so quickly, the fact still remains that these mobile homes may be the root of problems a lot of people are experiencing.
In the summer of 2006 it was mentioned that possible formaldehyde could be causing some problems. The answer to this was to air out your home. While this may have been the best answer that could have been provided at the time, sitting in a metal home in the middle of a treeless lot was not the time to turn off the air and open your windows. The temperatures were in the 90’s and the humidity was up. So your choice was to breathe the fumes or suffer a heat stroke. Many people were already sick, suffering from unexplainable rashes, breathing problems, and generally feeling lousy when this latest problem surfaced.
For example, one person interviewed that had triple by-pass surgery a week prior to the hurricane, and returned home one day before the storm hit was already not in the best health due to problems from swimming out of his home during the hurricane. After being placed in a FEMA camper this person had asthma attacks, breathing problems, unexplained coughing, and a constant build-up of fluid in his lungs. Being homeless from the storm this person had little choice but to live in this camper.
The choice for many was to live with their health problems and have them treated as best they could. They could not afford to move. There was no choice but to suffer. In the last few months FEMA has handed out flyers informing people that this problem may exist. The flyers give a number you can call if you believe this is the case in your trailer. It states that if problems exist of this nature, they may move you or provide you with another trailer. Most people contacted are not planning on saying anything. They are afraid they will end up in a worse spot than they are now.
Many fear that at this point in time it is too late to do anything. They fear the harm has already been done. They are disappointed in the treatment they have received and the lack of concern afforded them by organizations that they had contributed to in the past. The people of the coast are a strong, self-reliant, proud bunch. But in the last two years they have suffered more than the loss of life and home and family. You can see it in the faces of the young and old. The eyes do not lie. They are tired and they are sick. The toll has been been more than they can pay and the end is not in sight.
Problems with sub-prime loans and home refinancing have created a lot of financial problems for many American families in the last few years. Our family is a victim. My fiancé is on disability, and I am having a hard enough time finding a decent-paying job here in West Virginia.
When we purchased our mobile home in Reedsville, we qualified for a home loan that would enable us to refinance the loan after two years for a new rate and time frame. Our original payment on this house was $325 a month and on our limited income of about $1200 per month combined, that was barely affordable.
As most people in our situation are relatively aware of with such a low income, we had to borrow money from one high rate lender to catch up the bills that we were letting fall behind. This of course meant that now we had multiple monthly loan payments due every month.
When our two-year mark came around on our mortgage and they sent us that friendly letter that they would love to offer us an easy refinance mortgage on our home, we jumped at the opportunity. We thought we were so much better off now because we only had the one loan payment to make each month.
However, there was a catch that we were not aware of ahead of time. You see, our interest rate at first was just about 6% on our home. Much to our surprise, when we got our first monthly statement on our refinanced mortgage bill our new interest rate was 14%! That was a huge increase in our monthly payment, almost as much as it was with the three separate loans.
This financial crunch really starts to be noticeable around Christmas time this year. With a four year old daughter and our newborn son due at any day, it’s hard to listen to all the stories about what her friends are getting for Christmas and what she wants for herself.
It is hard to explain to your little girl that we just do not have the money to give her the Christmas that we really wish we could provide for her. This year is, of course, especially hard now that we even have less money for presents with all the things we need for the new coming baby. As a parent, this is the worst emotional pain we have felt in our lives to see that look in her eyes when the tree does not have so many of the big things she wished for.
I wonder if the lending companies have any heart or how they manage to sleep at night when then think about people like us that suffer with these problems every day while making them richer all along!
Electric Fireplaces are a new alternative to the old wood fireplaces. There is no professional installation required, no contractor needed and you can put away the ax forever. Electric fireplaces are a beautiful accent to any home. The patented flame design looks like a real fire. You just plug it in or can have it wired and it is working immediately. For now on an ambient romantic atmosphere is only a switch away. These fireplaces can be as small as a picture frame or as large as a full size fire place. There is no gas supply or venting needed. Due to its clean electric operation there is no combustion and no carbon monoxide. Best of all the glass stays cool to the touch. You have the option of running it with or without the heat source. For the first time ever you can have a fireplace in your apartment or mobile home just as easily as a normal house. The average Electric Fireplace uses $0.03/hr of electricity without the heater and $0.08/hr of electricity when the heater is set to 50%. Most fireplaces include a thermostat controlled heater with remote. If you are looking for a beautiful addition to your home this would definitely be a better choice than your standard fireplace. They are reasonable priced anywhere from $50.00 to $3000.00 depending on the brand and options you choose to have.
An electric fireplace may be purchased at a home furnishings retail store near you. If you go to dimplex.com you can find the nearest retailer that carries electric fireplaces. You can even search by brand. In Illinois there are over 325 different stores to choose from that carrying the top four brands of electric fireplaces. Dimplex, Symphony, ElectraFlame and Dimplex Outdoor Living are the most popular brands. Lowes, Home Depot, American Furniture, and Sam’s Club are some common mass merchant retailers that can help you with your purchase. You may also want to try your favorite hardware store such as True Value. Some areas also have actual fireplace dealers that can assist you with purchasing a new fireplace.
Like traditional homeowners insurance, a mobile home insurance policy is crucial in protecting your home and its contents. Unfortunately, many people do not understand what type of insurance coverage they need, or that they can even get coverage to start with. There are many insurers offering mobile home policies, but you need to take a little time and make yourself familiar with various coverage’s and options before signing up for any policy. Here are three areas that you really need to be aware of.
Coverage on the home itself
Obviously, the most important part of any mobile home insurance policy is protection on the actual home itself. Be sure you have high enough policy limits to cover you in the event of a total loss. Don’t forget about any out buildings or tool sheds you have on your property. Having a natural disaster is bad enough, but not having coverage to provide for replacement of your loss is even worse. A good policy will always cover you from loss by fire, storms, vandalism, smoke and other natural disaster.
Do you live in a flood plain? If so you will need to purchase a separate flood insurance policy. Mobile home or traditional home insurance policies do not cover you in the event of flood damage. This has been a huge matter in recent hurricane in New Orleans and the surrounding area.
Coverage on your personal property
Next, you want to be sure you have adequate coverage for your personal contents. The best way to keep track of all that you have is to do an inventory. Write down all of your major items such as big screen TV, computers, stereo or home theatre, appliances, etc. Take pictures of everything, especially any kind of collectables, including jewelry. This will help in proving ownership in the event of a catastrophe. Keep these records in a safe or in a safe place that is not in your home.
If you have ever went through a serious claim situation before then you know how important it is to keep an inventory. In addition, it also helps you determine the total amount of contents coverage you need. Yes, it will take a couple of hours to complete your inventory, but I can assure you that it is time well spent.
Liability coverage
Finally, you will want to be sure you have good liability coverage with your mobile home insurance policy. It is your liability insurance that covers you in the event someone gets hurt while in your home or on your property. It will provide protection for any medical bills as well as any potential lawsuits that may arise. It should also provide for your legal defense in the event of any lawsuits.
What is the right amount of liability protection to have? $100,000 is the minimum you would want to have. $500,000 and up is preferable, especially if you have teenagers and pets such as a dog. Here in the U.S. we have become a very litigious country, and being protected is a must! You should also take steps to be sure your home and property are free from excess clutter. Be sure your walkways, porches, and driveway are in good shape and not an accident waiting to happen so to speak.
Your mobile home is not only your biggest asset, but it is your home. Be sure you have a good mobile home insurance policy in place that will protect you for years to come in the event something was to happen out of your control.
The first thing any potential home buyer sees, of course, is the outside of the home. It’s extremely important to make a great first impression by doing a few easy projects outdoors. Flowers and plants are breathtaking and cost little. If it’s the right time of year, go to a department store and purchase flowers which are already potted. If it’s winter try using silk arrangements instead. Many silk floral arrangements can withstand the elements outdoors to shine beautifully all year long. Choose floral designs which have hearty leaves and flowers rather than delicate petals. The silks can also be used in the ground. Simply dig a small hole and insert the arrangement. They look gorgeous and need no care whatsoever. The plants can be removed in the winter or left in place year-round. Or, use large rocks to make a unique shape in the yard, then fill it with real or silk flowers and plants.
To enhance a deck, choose silk tree arrangements for an immediate striking appearance. Place a tree in two corners of the deck. Make sure the pot for the tree has a drainage hole on the bottom. Wire the tree to the deck boards or weight the pot down with rocks or gravel. The area under the deck is often overlooked. Purchase inexpensive lattice work to surround the area, then plant vines which will grow and travel across the lattice, or use silk vines.
Home improvement stores sell cheap troughs for dipping wallpaper and these troughs make great planters. Use dimensional paint to make the cheap plastic look like expensive rock or granite. Weigh the troughs down with rocks or tie them to the deck railings. Fill the troughs with Spanish moss then insert colorful flowers or greenery.
There are lots of unusual ways to display flowers. An old stepladder, for example, can hold quite a few plants and can be set up anywhere in the yard, on the deck, or on a patio. Other examples are an old wagon or bike, a wheelbarrow, or even a set of mobile home steps. Any of these can be set quickly and covered with pots of flowers and plants.
Make stunning stepping stones from the curb to the front steps quickly and with little expense. Purchase quick-setting concrete and mix as directed. Pour into old deli tray lids, burned pizza pans or make a form from cardboard. After the cement sets, turn the stones out and set them in the ground. You can enhance the look of the stones by first placing marble, colored rocks, beach glass or other items in the bottom of the form. Pour concrete directly over the objects and allow to set up well before removing the stones from the form.
There are many projects you can do simply by looking around to see what areas could use a flash of color. Remember, potential home buyers notice the outside first, so concentrate on those areas before starting on the interior.
More resources
Home Exteriors: A Do-It-Yourselfer’s Guide by Carl Giles, Barbara Giles, The Essential Guide To Exteriors (Home Building & Remodeling Basics) by Editors at Hanley Wood
Mobile home parks and apartments are two of the most popular housing choices for today’s young families and single professionals. Both of these options have benefits and pitfalls, some depending on where you live, and it can be difficult to choose between them. If you are comparing mobile home and apartment living, consider the following factors before you make your decision.
Rent vs. Own
When you choose apartment living, you rent a unit in a complex for a specific amount per month, but you don’t build equity in your housing. With mobile home living, you have a mortgage that you pay every month (unless you buy outright), and you do build equity. Of course, it can be more difficult to qualify for a mortgage than for rent, and you can always ditch your apartment after your lease is up. In short, mobile homes mean more stability but more responsibility.
Living Space
Another factor to consider when comparing mobile home and apartment living is living space. In most cases, mobile homes will be more spacious than apartments, and also usually provide outside room for parking, playing and gardening. Of course, there are some luxury apartments that have private courtyards and spacious interiors, but it depends on how much you want to pay.
Maintenance
Although some mobile home parks offer landscaping and other maintenance with your community dues, most repairs and replacements are the responsibility of the owner. With apartment living, someone else is responsible for the upkeep of the unit as long as you don’t cause any damage. This is a significant benefit of apartments if you don’t have much ready cash in case of an emergency.
Security
Although some people might disagree with me on this, mobile homes are generally less safe than apartments. Why? Because a dark mobile home park provides an opportunity for thieves and burglars. With an apartment, you usually have adequate lighting, deadbolts, security chains, and the benefit of extremely close neighbors. This isn’t always the case in a mobile home community, especially if there is no neighborhood association.
Amenities
Generally speaking, apartment living comes with more amenities than mobile home parks, though this can certainly vary depending on where you live. For example, apartments often offer appliances, swimming pools, workout facilities, business centers, tennis courts, community activities, trash pick-up and other luxuries that you won’t find in mobile homes. This is definitely something to consider if you want to take advantage of community amenities, or if you don’t have the means to procure your own appliances.
Many of us when looking up and down the streets in our respective neighborhoods are facing the reality of the “housing slump.” For most who have either been forced to sell a home or have had it foreclosed on, it doesn’t have to be the end of all luck. And it’s becoming more common for homes in suburban or residential neighborhoods to have an added member of the family or guest, particularly someone who has recently lost his or her home.
This doesn’t mean that the person, persons or family at a loss has failed or did something to let the process of losing a home happen. And no, it doesn’t mean these despairing people are incompetent in any way, can’t finance, or have no chance of ever owning a home again. It also doesn’t permit an excuse with regard to anybody who has owned a very large home and has been prosperous that he, she, or family has a second home to go to. What’s important is what you can do until the slump subsides. One alternative is home sharing or living in closed quarters while savings or work opportunities build.
Many military families, students and mobile workers are plagued with nomad living constantly. Other considerations include a modular or fabricated home, a mobile home, or staying in a recreational vehicle or trailer park. Also, mobile homes are available for rent at the same rate as small in-town rents, but with more space and room for pets when allowed. By the time some of us survive the slump perhaps there will be some rethinking done and a mobile home can be eventually moved to an ocean site, set up near a national park or wildlife refuge, or kept in walking or short driving distance of a casino, sports, theater or shopping town utopia.
Instead of the “housing slump” getting anybody down perhaps it’s a chance to touch base with long-missed friends or family, an opportunity to visit an old home town or a chance to spend some time with Spot or Rover, maybe Muffin if you have a favored feline. Considering the crunch is not practical for a family with children in school, perhaps if the bills are spinning out of control and mom, dad, wife or husband is out of work, you may have little choice other than selling your home in the spring, camping at a quality site over the summer before school starts and give yourself a chance to save for a rent or smaller place in the meantime. Another solution is to rent your home while you stay at a less expensive location. Also, remember some area Social Service agencies are holding some reserves for the housing crunch with regard to food and medical as well as non-profit organizations and local church groups.
It’s necessary to keep your head up and thoughts positive, to use the local libraries, business centers and employment resources for computers and letter writing. Be aware that in most neighborhoods at this point of the slump, somebody has either lost a home or has someone staying with them who is in the predicament. It could happen to any of us for many reasons, catastrophes are not on purpose. In fact, after talking in depth with most people, all too many have “been there” at some time of their lives. And for those of us who have a warm roof over our heads this can be a reminder to be exceedingly grateful.
More money is wasted in homes by small things that require a little maintenance than the big things because you fix the big things that you notice and ignore the little ones.
Heating and cooling in your home can account for up to 70 percent of the energy used in your household. That is 70 percent of your bills going into heating and air-conditioning. Even adding a little insulation can add to the savings.
The first inch of insulation accounts for most of the energy savings. Added insulation increases this savings but that first inch is a must. If there are areas that have missing or no insulation this should be addressed quickly.
The first step in this can be done easily. Walk around with a flashlight and check out every area of your home. Look around at anything that could possibly lead to the outside. Doors, windows, vents, pipes and such that go from the inside wall to the outside. Now look around them and see if you can see to the outside, or feel air blowing in or out.
Around these places are one of the biggest loses of heat and AC. Even places like light switches on outside walls and outlets can have air flowing into your house or out. You can buy caulk, fiberglass insulation and great stuff spray insulation to stuff those cracks and holes. There are small foam insulations that can be added to your wall switch and outlet cover to reduce loss at the plates.
Check places outside like the vents on the roof and the pipes for the plumbing that are for venting. They can have cracks and gaps around them that let air in and out. Also check around the stairs into the attic or the panel for the attic access. Ensure that air is not moving in and out there. If it is buy some foam tape that is sticky on one side and install where the panel or stairs close to prevent air flow.
That is the whole point, stopping air from flowing in the places you don’t want it to. Along the frames of windows and doors, anywhere around a fireplace, vent, pipes, and electrical cables running into or out of the house.
Plug these gaps and holes with something. If it’s on the outside and could get rain on it, use a caulk. If it’s inside and hard to get at, you can use a foam spray like Great Stuff. For odd sizes and larger areas use pieces of fiberglass insulation and duct tape.
Outside, if you own or rent a mobile home, make sure the roof is not in need of repair. The vents and such have a black sealer that can leak water and heat from.
Also if you have a skirting that does not have insulation behind it look into buying some. A one inch foam board added behind the skirting will help keep the trailer warn and cool in the appropriate times of the year and will help prevent pipes under the trailer form freezing in the winter.
You can buy insulation board and glue it to the back of the skirting pieces. This will save greatly on heating and cooling.
On houses with vinyl siding make sure there are no gaps near the cables and such and odd places the siding had to be fitted on the house. Around windows and doors, near the entrance of the electric lines and telephone and cable TV wires.
On the doors and windows make sure the seal and rubber sweeps are in good shape. Replace them if they are worn. A seal around the door frame that contacts the door when it is closed is a must. Sweeps need to be in contact with the frame bottom when the door is closed.
The small seal along the bottom of the storm windows need to be in good shape, not cracking or splitting. When the storm window is closed it should be in contact with the bottom. And there is a seal between the two storm windows in the middle of the window that closes the air from the outer and the inner window. Make sure it is in good shape.
Once you have all the house sealed up, try looking at the two devices that heat and cool your home. The furnace and air conditioner have filters on them, clean them or replace. Open the covers on both and vacuum out accumulated dust and anything else in there.
Get rocks and leaves out from the fan unit of the air conditioner that sits outside. If the unit is outside with a cover and you need to go in and pull leaves and debris out, turn off the power to the unit to ensure it does not come on when you are poking around inside. Remove any debris, put the cover back on, and turn it back on.
A cover for the outside part of the air conditioner, the condenser and fan unit, is a good purchase to keep things out of it during the winter months when not using the AC.
Keep the furnace filter replaced every four to six months. If this becomes expensive, home improvement stores have a washable filter material that you cut to size for most furnaces.
Some other tips for energy savings, fix any leaky faucets you have. A leaky faucet that fills a coffee cup in ten minutes can be wasting 3000 gallons of water in a year. That’s a lot of water you don’t have to pay for if you just fix the leak.
Faucet repair kits are cheap at the home improvement store and it usually takes just a few tools to fix. A few minutes of your time and you’ll be saving money in no time.
Take a look at your basement, do you have a sump pump that runs a lot, does it get it’s water from your basement. Try fixing the leaky walls and floor with some waterproofing barrier cement and paint. This will stop the water before it comes into your basement.
An energy saving device that is easy to install and use is an electronic thermostat for your furnace. Even if you have an old furnace that uses one of those old round thermostats you can replace it with a new one that works more efficiently.
They can be programmed to heat and cool at certain times of the day and night, weekday and weekend. If your not home during the day all week long you can set the thermostat to use less heating and cooling at these times. Then set it for what you want an hour before you get home and it will be just right when you walk in the door.
You can purchase one at a home improvement store or Wal-Mart type store. Ask for help and have the make and model number of your furnace for help in picking out the correct kind and type.
Things as small as window blinds or drapes on windows that get a lot of sun in the day during the summer can reduce heat inside the home. Use ones that block the sun more, and you will be feeling the savings in your pocket book.
It doesn’t matter whether you own or rent your home, the savings to the energy bill will be yours. Just get permission before doing any work on a house you rent. Landlords may not want to do the work or pay for any, but you can sure do it and save money.
He will appreciate the job and it may help get more benefits in the future such as he may pay for some materials or get them for you. He will also remember things like this when it comes time to move and you want to get your deposit back.
With an increase load of writing and online jobs the desk, bookshelf and other furniture dominating the living room was too much - and offers too many distractions. Being in a mobile home, and on a tight budget, an add on room was out of the question…but there was “the junk room”. That room that isn’t a bedroom anymore but is a catchall for whatever “else” isn’t wanted in other areas. Turning this smallish room into an office wouldn’t be easy.
The challenges - money. The room lacked shelves…and wasn’t very big. Organizing so as to have things close at hand yet not crowded around the desk would be a challenge. The size of the used desk was substantial. A bulletin board area was wanted - and $20-30 for that was out of the question. It was enough to make one give up. However - looking at things with new eyes meant putting together a functional room that is an office area with some extra. Here’s how it was done.
Step one was obvious - clearing out all the other “stuff” to where it was bare room. The walls were wiped down and after this was done the $6 can of paint purchased was deemed of better use in the bedroom that needs remodelled (next project!). Not a waste, but redistributed. The desk was moved in, as well as two small bookcases that fit perfectly in a little cubbyhole in the room - using otherwise unused space. Stacked one on top the other the bookcases offer a wall type storage area for a myriad of books on writing, horses, dogs, publishing and other topics - they’re close at hand and yet out of the way of the rest of the room.
An old sewing machine cabinet was wiped down and put into service in the corner of the room - on it sets the computer and monitor, leaving the *desk* clear for keyboard, mouse, daily use books, and my “treasure box”. The cabinet has a flip up deep storage on one end. An unused microwave cart was put in the opposite corner; and spanning the distance a wire double shelf taken from the kitchen when it was no longer needed there. Cost so far - nothing but time and some cleaning. Before putting the sewing cabinet down it was positioned over a dog crate, allowing a “den” for one of the dogs and using space that would otherwise be unused. The wire shelf could be problematic as things fall down between and I didn’t want to go buy boards. The solution - lay down magazines to form a base over the wires - they’re “stored” and useful.
Shelves were wanted - while purging the living room several horse models and busts were cleared out, and I had photos I wanted to put up also. There was small items that needed corralled also. The solution - a trip to the dollar store and three baskets purchased ($3). While in town shelf brackets were purchased ($10) and three plain pine boards 8′ long each. These were cut to fit the space available on one wall - and altogether provide about 30′ of storage space for less than $20 including brackets and boards. I did not get the higher priced shelving - going outside to just the plain boards saved about $7 per board X 4! The high cost of bulletin boards was discouraging and none of the stores knew what corkboard was nor had any. What to do - I really wanted a place to put up memos, papers that needed tended to, business cards used often. While wandering around the store I found the solution in the ceiling aisle…somewhat fragile but with care they work beautifully and were already white. I purchased two ceiling tiles - good sized sheets for $3.66 each. This provides a board in front of me as well as behind me on the wall. A couple of nails holds each one to the wall - a caution using these is they tend to break off easy…use caution in handling them and don’t drive the nails too close to the edge. But they’re white, plenty of space and both of them cost lest than a single smaller bulletin board.
The rest of the project has been just arranging, setting it up and figuring what needs to be how close to the chair/desk. Storage boxes would be a nice thing but that can come in time. An old sofa cushion was put under the desk to provide room for one of the dogs to doze in comfort. This was a project done for under $50 by using other things. Look at things with different eyes…it’s not as costly as you might think. A home office has been a great way to use this room and much more efficient than “junk room”.
There are many things you can do to prepare your home for cold weather and many of these things are easy enough to do in an afternoon by yourself. First, before you begin any winterizing, change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. This should be done at least twice a year and make sure to test them as well.
Adding an extra layer of insulation in your attic can make a large difference in your energy bill, especially if you live in an older home. If you live in a mobile home be sure to check the insulation under your home. Make sure that you not only have enough insulation under the mobile home but also that the insulation has not fallen.
While you are checking your insulation be sure to check any exposed pipes you have, especially those under a mobile home. These pipes can be insulated if need be. This will also allow you to find your main shut off valve in case your water to the house needs to be quickly shut off. Be sure that any outside water faucets have been turned off and the hoses attached to them taken off and put up in the garage for the winter.
A large amount of energy can be lost in the cracks and crevices of your home which are commonly found around windows and places where items, such as your cable cords, enter and exit the home. You can check for places in your home where you are losing energy by carrying a lit incense stick around the walls, outlets, and windows. The smoke from the incense will pull toward areas where air is leaking to the outside. This is an easy way to see where you need to apply more caulk or weather stripping. This is a good time to put in storm windows and doors. Loss of energy can also be had in the cracks around window air conditioners and these AC units need to be taken out for the winter season.
Make sure that your roof and gutters are clear of any debris and damage as well as check the area around your home for damage that may need to be fixed before the cold sets in.
Outside items need to be winterized also such as draining gas from the lawnmowers and putting away all the pool and summer gardening equipment.
Some items on your Winterize Checklist need to be done by a professional. Have someone come out and check your furnace and your chimney, this can save you a lot of heartache this winter and will make your home much safer.
Finally, make sure you have salt or sand. These add weight to the back end of your vehicle and help keep you from slipping on ice. Keep an emergency kit in your home and in your car. Your emergency kits should contain blankets, a first aid kit, bottled water and non-perishable food for you and your pets. Keep candles handy and a flashlight with new batteries in each room. You can also keep the kind of flashlights that wind up in case you cannot find batteries or your batteries go out.
Preparing your home for cold weather can not only save you money but it is also good for the environment and can make for an easier time if your family does find itself in an emergency.
