How to Replace Mobile Home Skirting

Out of sight, out of mind! It's a saying that's too often true about making repairs around the base of your home. Problems with manufactured home skirting are common, but thankfully, replacing your mobile home's skirting is easier than you might think.

Most manufactured homes have skirting attached to the base of the home. This skirting protects your pipes and other fixtures, reduces updrafts and helps to control moisture. Damaged aluminum and vinyl skirting panels should be replaced, not patched. Fortunately, individual panels are not very expensive and are easy to replace. If you have trouble finding identical replacement panels, switch the damaged panel with one in a less conspicuous location. Or, if your skirting is aluminum, buy a panel in a similar pattern and paint it to match. In warmer climates, a screen or louvered vent can also be used as a replacement.

Besides your replacement panel, you'll need tin snips, a measuring tape and a pencil.

Step 1: Remove damaged/worn panel.

Slide the panel up until it is above the ground channel. Pull it out from the bottom and slide the rest of the panel out. With some types of skirting, it's easier to remove panels if you unsnap the trim.

Step 2: Cut replacement panel.

Measure the damaged panel to determine the size of a replacement panel. Both aluminum and vinyl skirting panels can be cut with tin snips. Remember to keep the top of the panel straight.

Step 3: Insert new panel.

Slide the top of the panel in first, and then lift to insert the bottom into the ground channel. If you removed the top trim front, make sure the replacement panel is in place, then snap the top trim front back in place.

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