Aging mobile homes burden owners with huge power bills and mold

[LiberalElite]

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/08/aging-mobile-homes-burden-the-grid-and-their-owners.html

If you walk into Charlotte White's home, this is what you notice: colorful potholders hanging from the cabinets. A cat stretched out in a beam of sunlight. And the loud rattle of the washing machine.

"It spins off balance, because the floor is uneven, because it's rotten," White says.

[Arctic Dave]

1. Mobile homes were never meant to last that long.

They were the temp housing of the day.

[duffyduff]

2. They are built much better now.

The stickler is the newer models are very expensive, but Oregon is trying to do something about the situation.

There are many people in manufactured housing here in Oregon.

[Arctic Dave]

3. Newer "modular homes" are built very well.

The type in the video are old 2x4 construction, at best, and no energy efficient windows.

Build anything in the fashion and it is only a matter of time before it rots away.

Most municipalities don't even allow them in their area anymore.

[duffyduff]

4. I don't know what you point is.

Not everybody has the money to buy a stick built house.

[Arctic Dave]

6. Just stating that the construction practices of that day are obsolete for good reason.

My BiL owns a mobile home park and it is a constant battle to keep them going.

I've lived in a couple myself. As a kid when we first moved to Alaska and the first one I lived in as an adult was a drafty 2x2 construction fixer upper and the other was a 14x70 that we moved into after we sold the other. The floors on it were made of particle board and the floor bowed down from the years of moisture and extra snow weight.

It would be great if they made a more affordable modular home built with todays higher standards.

[BeyondGeography]

5. My mom lives in one of those in Fla.

Never-ending battle with the floors.

[snappyturtle]

7. Good article and audio at the bottom of the article. nt