Vapor Barrier Blog

February in Florida is paradise.

Perfect 75-degree days. Low humidity. Blooming flowers everywhere. Everyone's grilling out, hitting the beach, enjoying our "winter" while the rest of the country digs out of snow.

It's easy to just kick back and enjoy it.

But here's what smart Florida mobile home owners know: February is the most important maintenance month of the year.

Not May when hurricane season starts. Not June when the heat cranks up. February.

Why? Because February is your last chance to catch and fix the problems that winter revealed before they become disasters in hurricane season.

And the best part? Most of these checks you can do yourself in an afternoon.

Why February Is Your Mobile Home's "Tell-All" Month

Florida's winter (December through February) puts unique stress on your mobile home that summer doesn't. Cool nights, warm days, higher rainfall, temperature swings—all of this reveals weaknesses in your home's protection systems.

By February, here's what's happened:

• Three months of temperature fluctuations have stressed your vapor barrier

• Winter rains have tested your drainage and exposed any moisture infiltration

• Cooler weather has shown you exactly where air (and water) are getting in

• Pests sought shelter under your home during cooler months

• Your frame, piers, and tie-downs have been through wet-dry cycles

Think of February as your mobile home's annual report card. Whatever problems exist are now visible. Fix them now, and you're golden. Ignore them, and they multiply when summer heat and hurricane season arrive.

The 30-Minute February Self-Inspection Every Mobile Home Owner Should Do

Grab a flashlight, a notepad, and 30 minutes. You're going to check the five critical areas that determine whether your home is ready for the year ahead.

Check #1: The Crawl Space Smell Test (5 minutes)

What to do:
• Go to different areas around your home's perimeter
• Get down near the skirting vents
• Take a good sniff

What you're looking for:
• Fresh, neutral smell = Good
• Musty or earthy smell = Moisture problem
• Sour or moldy smell = Active mold growth, needs immediate attention

Why February reveals this:
• Winter moisture accumulation is at its peak
• If you smell anything off in February, it'll be ten times worse by August

What to do if you find problems:
• Schedule a professional vapor barrier inspection immediately
• Don't wait—moisture problems accelerate rapidly once summer heat arrives

Check #2: The Soft Spot Floor Walk (5 minutes)

What to do:
• Walk slowly through every room in your home
• Pay special attention near exterior walls, bathrooms, and kitchen
• Press down firmly with your foot in suspicious areas

What you're looking for:
• Floors that feel spongy or give when you step
• Any new soft spots that weren't there last year
• Areas that feel damp or unusually cool

Why February reveals this:
• Winter moisture has had time to penetrate and damage subfloors
• Soft spots in February will become holes by summer

What to do if you find problems:
• Mark the location of every soft spot
• Call Freedom Vapor Barrier for a comprehensive subfloor assessment
• Early subfloor repair is 1/3 the cost of emergency replacement

Check #3: The Skirting Inspection Walk (10 minutes)

What to do:
• Walk completely around your mobile home
• Check every skirting panel
• Look underneath at accessible areas

What you're looking for:
• Missing or damaged skirting panels
• Gaps where pests could enter
• Loose or detached sections
• Blocked or damaged vents
• Standing water or excessive moisture underneath

Why February matters:
• You need proper ventilation established BEFORE summer humidity
• Damaged skirting lets moisture accumulate and pests enter

What you can DIY:
• Replace obviously damaged panels
• Clear any debris blocking vents
• Secure loose sections

When to call professionals:
• Extensive damage to multiple panels
• Evidence of pest intrusion
• Standing water underneath
• Need for complete skirting replacement

Check #4: The Door and Window Test (5 minutes)

What to do:
• Open and close every exterior door and window
• Notice if any stick, drag, or won't close properly
• Check for new gaps or light showing through when closed

What you're looking for:
• Doors that suddenly stick or won't latch
• Windows that bind or won't open smoothly
• New gaps around frames

Why February tells the truth:
• These are signs your home has settled over winter
• Settlement accelerates once rainy season and summer heat arrive

What to do if you find problems:
• Minor sticking might just need adjustment
• Multiple doors affected = your home needs leveling inspection
• Don't ignore this—it only gets worse

Check #5: The Anchor and Tie-Down Visual (5 minutes)

What to do:
• Check all visible tie-down straps and cables
• Look for rust, fraying, or damage
• Verify connections appear tight

What you're looking for:
• Visible rust on cables or hardware
• Frayed or damaged straps
• Loose connections
• Straps that appear to have lost tension

Why February inspection matters:
• Winter moisture accelerates corrosion on metal components
• You need these SOLID before June 1st hurricane season
• This could literally save your home in a storm

What you can DIY:
• Visual inspection only
• Document any concerns with photos

When to call professionals IMMEDIATELY:
• Any visible damage to tie-down system
• Rust or corrosion on cables
• Loose or disconnected straps
• Unable to verify proper installation

Hurricane season is 4 months away—fix this NOW.

The February Problems Most People Miss (Until It's Too Late)

Beyond your self-inspection, there are issues only professionals can detect:

Hidden Problem #1: Vapor Barrier Separation

What happens:
• Winter temperature changes cause vapor barrier seams to separate
• By February, gaps have formed that you can't see from outside
• Moisture is now freely entering your crawl space

Why you can't catch it yourself:
• Requires crawling completely under your home
• Need to inspect every seam and connection point
• Professional moisture testing required

What Freedom Vapor Barrier checks:
• Complete vapor barrier integrity
• All seam overlaps and tape condition
• Moisture levels throughout crawlspace
• Any tears, gaps, or separation points

Hidden Problem #2: Pier Settlement

What happens:
• Winter rains saturate soil under piers
• Piers slowly sink or shift position
• By February, your home is slightly unlevel (you might not notice yet)
• By summer, doors won't close and floors visibly slope

Why you can't catch it yourself:
• Changes are gradual and subtle
• Requires professional leveling equipment to detect
• Need to check all pier positions and stability

What Freedom Vapor Barrier checks:
• Complete home leveling assessment
• Every pier position and condition
• Soil conditions around pier bases
• Whether immediate action needed or monitoring required

Hidden Problem #3: Frame Corrosion

What happens:
• Winter moisture accelerates rust on steel frame members
• Corrosion is happening where you can't see it
• By February, damage is progressing but still repairable
• Wait until summer and you're looking at major frame work

Why you can't catch it yourself:
• Frame members aren't all accessible without equipment
• Need to identify early-stage corrosion vs. serious damage
• Requires knowledge of what's normal vs. concerning

What Freedom Vapor Barrier checks:
• Accessible frame member condition
• Rust or corrosion on I-beams and cross members
• Structural integrity of support system
• Whether preventive treatment can stop progression

The February Action Plan: What to Do Based on What You Found

If your self-inspection found nothing:
• Congratulations! But still schedule a professional inspection
• Even perfect-looking homes benefit from expert assessment
• Think of it as your annual physical for your home

If your self-inspection found minor issues:
• Skirting damage, minor soft spots, slight door sticking
• Schedule professional inspection within the next 30 days
• Don't panic, but don't ignore it
• February problems become May emergencies

If your self-inspection found major red flags:
• Strong musty smells, multiple soft spots, standing water, damaged tie-downs
• Call Freedom Vapor Barrier immediately
• These are urgent situations
• Every week you wait makes it worse and more expensive

February DIY Projects That Actually Make a Difference

While you're waiting for your professional inspection, here are February projects you can tackle yourself:

DIY Project #1: Skirting Vent Cleaning

What you need:
• Brush
• Garden hose
• 15 minutes

What to do:
• Remove vent covers
• Clean out any debris, leaves, or blockages
• Rinse vent covers
• Reinstall securely

Why it matters:
• Proper ventilation is critical for crawlspace moisture control
• Blocked vents trap humidity underneath your home
• This simple task prevents major problems

DIY Project #2: Perimeter Drainage Check

What you need:
• Rake
• Shovel
• 30 minutes

What to do:
• Walk your home's perimeter after a rain