Smoke detectors now are standard equipment for mobile homes. You’ll find these early warning devices on the hallway ceiling outside all sleeping areas. Home fires typically smolder long before they burst into flame. A smoke detector can warn you to evacuate the the unit and call the fire department, sometimes before the fire actually erupts.
However, smoke detectors lose their sensing ability if they’re not kept clean. Remove the filters and wash them every three months— Sooner in dusty regions. Some smoke detectors have silver or gold sensing dots. Clean these monthly with window cleaner. Do not use any type of spray around detectors; it might clog up the sensing devices. Keep your owner’s pamphlet that explains the smoke detector.
If your mobile home does not have a smoke-detecting system, you can install one yourself. Some styles of smoke detectors attach
the ceiling like a light fixture. Get an electrician to do the extra wiring for these. Others plug into any normal ac power outlet. Place the detector itself high on the wall or ceiling just outside your sleeping areas. A set of instructions should explain how to put the detector into operation. Then test it with some heavy cigarette smoke.

Manufactured homes must be transported. They’re bulky. Obviously, moving a 24-foot-wide mobile home from Texas to Idaho would be extremely difficult. Many states restrict the width and length of homes that may travel on their roads. Therefore, dealers deliver double-wides in two sections and fasten them together at the buyer’s alto. These are not simple to transport when you move. Consider them more as permanent housing.
Many problems arise when a double-wide home is not set up and blocked properly. Leave this job to experts. Your mobile home dealer should be able to make a competent initial installation. Thereafter, verify the leveling periodically . With double-wides, leveling Is doubly important. You can’t maintain a proper seal at the seams, particularly the center one, if the unit keeps settling. If you encounter sagging or leaking that you can’t remedy by the means outlined in this book, you’d better find qualified service—soon.