Pests in Mobile Homes: Prevention and Insurance Coverage for Control Services

Pests can be an immense source of frustration for mobile home owners and renters alike. Not only can common rodents and insects be a nuisance to those in the manufactured home, they can also cause damage to the structure. All that can lead to an unlivable environment and spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars to restore it.

Although some mobile home parks could offer pest control services, the best way to prevent a small issue from turning into an expensive problem is to take proactive steps to defend your home yourself.

Read on to find out more about pest prevention inside, underneath, and around manufactured homes and learn whether mobile home insurance might cover pest damage, prevention, and removal.

How Pests Cause Problems for Mobile Homes

In addition to being unpleasant – particularly when they appear in your bedroom or kitchen – pests that make their way into your mobile home can lead to a range of issues, including:

• Damage to the manufactured home’s structure: From holes in the drywall to chewed electrical wires, pests can cause all kinds of damage to your mobile home, the full extent of which may not be noticed until much later.
• Ruined possessions or food: Whether it’s holes in your clothes or being forced to throw away food that pests have gotten into, pest damage can quickly go from annoying to costly if not dealt with.
• Infecting people or pets: Many pests such as insects or mice carry disease, which they can then pass on to those living in the mobile home.
• Nuisance odors: When an animal leaves excrement or dies in the walls or underneath the home, the smell can be overpowering.

The risk of these problems only grows if the pest problem becomes an infestation, which can lead to costly repairs or long-term remediation. As a mobile home owner, take steps to deal with any pests at the first sign of the problem to minimize the potential long-term losses or issues. Looking for the presence of pests or their damage should be a part of your mobile home maintenance routine.

Common Pests for Mobile Homes

Pests can come in all shapes and sizes, none of which are a welcome sight in or around your mobile home. The most common mobile home pests include:

• Mice/rats: These larger pests can find their way under or into your house to escape predators or seek warmth, especially during the winter. Once there, they can chew through insulation, drywall, and even wiring, potentially causing significant, costly damage.
• Cockroaches: These unsightly pests are most commonly found around kitchen appliances, and in addition to being fast and managing to disappear into tiny crevices, are also frustratingly resilient. Not only that, but depending on the breed, they can quickly reproduce, going from a small problem to a large infestation before you know it.
• Termites: These wood-loving pests can be found within the unseen voids of your home, such as your crawl space or within walls. If not treated quickly, infestations of termites in a mobile home can cause significant structural damage.
• Ants: Most often found in kitchens and other places where food is stored, the small size of these pests can conceal the true extent of an ant infestation. Carpenter ant varieties can cause similar structural damage to mobile homes as termites.

Does Mobile Home Insurance Cover Pest Control or Damages Caused by Pests?

Mobile home insurance typically does not cover pest control services, and damage caused by pests is often excluded- especially if it develops over time. Some insurance policies may contain limited coverage for sudden or accidental damage, but this varies and often excludes specific pests like termites.

Understanding what manufactured home insurance covers -especially when it comes to pest related damage- is important, as coverage can vary significantly between policies. Be sure to review your policy details or consult your insurance agent for clarification.

Pest Prevention Tips for Mobile Homes

There are a number of steps you can take to keep your mobile home safe and protected from pests.

• Install and maintain skirting: In addition to helping with insulation and making the home look nicer, skirting can help to prevent nesting animals such as mice, rats, and squirrels.
• Prevent excess moisture: Termites and cockroaches thrive in areas with excess moisture. Installing a vapor barrier under your mobile home is a good way to not only prevent these pests, but can also help to prevent mold growth.
• Move garbage cans away from the home: One of the most common causes of pest infestations is due to easy access to food. Moving your garbage cans further away from your home can help prevent pests seeking food in them from being able to shelter inside. Additionally, you can secure your trash cans with locking lids or bungee cords to keep pests out.
• Place bird feeders away from the home: While you might enjoy watching the birds that visit your feeder, they’re not the only visitors. Rodents and other pests love to eat the seeds that fall to the ground, so it’s best to place your bird feeders away from your mobile home to prevent them from venturing inside.
• Trim back trees: In addition to protecting your mobile home from potential damage caused by falling limbs, taking the time to tend to overhanging limbs or budgeting for tree maintenance can also help prevent rodents or bugs from easily accessing your roof.
• Mow your grass: In addition to making your property look nicer, maintaining a properly trimmed yard can also remove tall grass that pests could use as nesting places.
• Declutter your home: Insects and rodents love messy homes because they offer countless hiding places. Keeping your mobile home tidy is a good way to prevent infestations from forming without your knowledge.
• Clean up spills and crumbs: Ensuring your home is clean and free from anything that might attract pests is an easy way to prevent pests like ants and cockroaches.

Have your mobile home regularly inspected: While you can easily notice some pests, the true extent of an infestation or damage from pests might be hidden from you. It’s best to have a licensed exterminator regularly look at your home to develop an effective pest exclusion or extermination plan. Professional exterminators will have better long-term solutions than any DIY pest control method.

Get Affordable Mobile Home Insurance Coverage with 21st Insurance Agency

At 21st Insurance Agency, we specialize in mobile and manufactured home insurance. With over 30 years of experience with mobile homes, we understand the unique risks associated with them, and strive to help you find a policy that fits your specific needs. Get a free mobile home insurance quote today and protect your mobile home from costly out-of-pocket repairs. Contact us on our website or call us at 844-343-9408 to learn more!