Skirting in double wide mobile homes serves as a critical protective enclosure that shields the open crawl space beneath the structure from weather extremes, pests, and moisture, directly improving heat retention, safeguarding plumbing, and reducing energy costs.
It acts as a durable perimeter barrier that stabilizes the under-home environment, making the interior more comfortable and preventing expensive repairs tied to frozen pipes or underfloor decay. For tailored help, reach out to a trusted Phoenix mobile home contractor with regional expertise.
What is Skirting? A Look at Its Function
Skirting, sometimes referred to as underpinning, is a continuous panel system installed around the base of a mobile or manufactured home. It closes off the exposed crawl space from the outside environment. While skirting is most visibly a solid enclosure, it also serves a number of hidden but crucial functions:
- Insulating the crawl space to stabilize temperatures under the home.
- Protecting plumbing and ductwork from freezing conditions.
- Reducing moisture intrusion, which can lead to mold, mildew, or wood rot.
- Discouraging pests and small animals from nesting beneath the structure.
These combined effects make skirting an essential component for protecting the investment of a double wide, extending the lifespan of both the understructure and interior systems.
Why Skirting Directly Impacts Energy Efficiency
The open space beneath a double wide can act like a thermal drain. In winter, cold air circulates freely, stealing heat from the underside of floors. In summer, hot air under the home can also compromise the efficiency of cooling systems. The result is a consistent strain on HVAC units, leading to higher energy consumption and utility costs.
By adding well-designed skirting, homeowners create a microclimate beneath the home that buffers extreme outdoor temperatures. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, effectively enclosed crawl spaces can reduce heating needs by up to 10%, depending on climate and insulation quality. This makes skirting one of the simplest yet most powerful upgrades for improving energy efficiency in manufactured housing.
Immediate Benefits: More Than Just Aesthetic
While many first install skirting to satisfy local zoning codes or to improve the look of a double wide, the functional benefits extend far beyond appearances. With properly installed skirting:
- Heat stays under the floor, making interiors more comfortable and reducing how often the furnace kicks on.
- Pipes are shielded from freezing, which can prevent catastrophic water damage and expensive repairs.
- Humidity levels stabilize, cutting down on the risk of underfloor condensation and long-term structural decay.
These advantages make skirting a strategic decision that pays for itself in reduced heating and cooling expenses, fewer emergency repairs, and better year-round comfort.
How to Choose the Right Skirting Material for Energy Performance?
Not all skirting performs equally. The material choice directly influences how well a double wide maintains heat under the floors, resists moisture, and stands up to weather conditions. Here’s a closer look at the most common materials used for skirting, with an emphasis on their impact on energy efficiency.
Vinyl Skirting: Popular but Limited Insulating Value
Vinyl skirting is among the most widely installed options due to its affordability and ease of handling. It typically comes in panels or sections that attach to a track system around the perimeter of the home. Vinyl resists moisture and is relatively simple to clean.
However, its insulating properties are minimal. Vinyl panels are thin and primarily serve as a wind barrier. While this helps block drafts, it does little to reduce conductive heat loss through the floor system. In colder climates, homeowners often need to combine vinyl skirting with additional insulation boards inside the crawl space to see meaningful energy gains.
Metal Skirting: Strong Against Pests, Moderate Thermal Help
Metal skirting, typically made from steel or aluminum, offers superior durability and stands up well to impacts and rodents. It also resists warping and cracking over time. Like vinyl, metal primarily acts as a physical barrier against wind and pests.
Thermally, metal is a conductive material, meaning it transfers temperature quickly. Without an inner layer of insulation, metal skirting may actually allow more heat exchange, making it less effective on its own for cutting energy costs in winter. When paired with rigid foam boards or spray foam on the inside, it performs significantly better.
Rigid Foam Insulated Panels: Built for Efficiency
For homeowners focused on maximizing thermal protection, rigid foam insulated skirting stands out. These panels combine a durable exterior with an inner core of polystyrene or polyisocyanurate foam, offering genuine R-values similar to wall insulation.
- Reduces conductive heat loss: The foam barrier limits how quickly heat moves from the warm underfloor to the cold outside air.
- Stabilizes crawl space temperatures: Even modest insulation values can keep under-home spaces above freezing during most winter days.
- Cuts HVAC load: This translates into less frequent cycling of furnaces or heat pumps.
According to studies referenced by the North Carolina Department of Insurance, properly insulated skirting can lower heating energy needs by a measurable margin, especially in zones with sustained low winter temperatures. This makes insulated panels a leading choice where energy efficiency is the top concern.
Concrete or Masonry Skirting: Permanent and Thermally Robust
Some double wide installations incorporate block or poured concrete skirting, turning the crawl space into a semi-conditioned zone. Concrete provides excellent protection from animals, wind, and moisture. Thermally, it also offers mass that slows down rapid temperature swings.
While more costly and permanent, masonry skirts, when properly vented and sealed, create stable under-home environments that limit frost exposure to plumbing and maintain higher temperatures under the floor deck. This solution is especially common in regions prone to deep frost lines.
What Are The Smart Skirting Design Features That Enhance Efficiency?
Beyond just the material, specific design features can significantly influence the energy performance of skirting systems.
Adequate Ventilation and Strategic Closure
Effective skirting must balance ventilation and enclosure. During summer, vents allow humidity to escape, preventing mold growth. In winter, many systems include vent covers or closable vents, sealing the crawl space to trap residual warmth.
- In cold months, closing vents keeps underfloor temperatures closer to indoor conditions, directly lowering heating demands.
- In humid climates, controlled ventilation helps avoid condensation that undermines insulation effectiveness.
Many building codes require a certain number of vent openings per square footage. However, some modern guidelines encourage sealed crawl spaces with controlled moisture barriers, improving energy metrics further by turning the crawl area into a conditioned zone.
Sealing Gaps and Using Ground Vapor Barriers
Air gaps or poorly joined panels compromise skirting efficiency. Even small openings allow cold winds to enter the crawl space, reducing the benefits of an insulated skirt. Additionally, placing a vapor barrier (like thick polyethylene sheeting) on the ground beneath the home minimizes moisture migration from the soil. Less moisture means insulation stays drier and more effective.
These design enhancements work together, preventing the common problems of cold floors, frozen pipes, and high utility bills.
Here’s a refined, professional rewrite of your section on climate-driven choices for skirting systems, now organized as a clear introductory paragraph with detailed bullet points to improve scanning and emphasize practical homeowner actions.
Climate-Driven Choices for Skirting Systems
Selecting the right skirting system for a double wide means paying close attention to the local climate zone. Each climate brings its own priorities, directly influencing whether the main goal should be to hold in heat, allow for ventilation, or balance both needs across changing seasons. This tailored approach ensures that the skirting does more than just cover the crawl space — it becomes an active component in managing energy efficiency, moisture control, and structural protection year-round.
- In northern regions with long freezing periods:
- Prioritize maintaining higher temperatures under the home to keep pipes from freezing and to reduce heating system demand.
- Investing in insulated rigid foam panels or even masonry skirting delivers measurable energy savings by trapping warmth in the crawl space, slowing down heat loss through the floor.
- In southern or coastal climates with high humidity:
- Focus shifts to moisture management and airflow.
- While freezing is rare, unchecked humidity can cause mold growth and weaken insulation.
- Install skirting that promotes ample ventilation, pairing it with a ground vapor barrier to prevent moisture from rising from the soil and damaging underfloor components.
- In mixed or transitional climates:
- Combine insulated skirting panels with adjustable vents.
- This hybrid setup allows homeowners to close vents during cold months to retain warmth and open them in humid seasons to let excess moisture escape.
- The flexibility maintains energy efficiency across different weather patterns, protecting both heating and cooling investments.
By aligning the skirting strategy with the specific demands of the climate, homeowners can extend the life of their double wide, stabilize energy costs, and ensure the crawl space remains a protective buffer zone in every season.
Installation Practices That Maximize Energy Efficiency
Proper installation is the difference between skirting that saves money and one that merely hides an eyesore. A professional service on double wide skirting team can do the installation process by their experience. Each of these installation practices directly ties to energy outcomes.
Ensuring a Tight, Continuous Seal
Sealing the perimeter is critical. Gaps at panel joints, around corners, or where skirting meets the ground become easy channels for cold winds. Installers should:
- Use overlapping joints or specialized trim pieces that lock panels together securely.
- Seal seams with weather-resistant caulk or foam where necessary.
- Extend skirting a few inches below ground level or secure it with ground anchors to block airflow underneath.
This minimizes convective heat loss and helps maintain a stable microclimate under the home.
Integrating Ground Vapor Barriers
A simple but powerful addition is a heavy-duty polyethylene ground cover, spread across the entire crawl space floor. By blocking soil moisture from evaporating up, this keeps under-home humidity low, protecting insulation and reducing latent cooling loads in warmer months.
For maximum impact, extend the vapor barrier several inches up the inside of the skirting walls and secure it. This continuous envelope prevents moisture from wicking into the floor system.
Safeguarding Pipe and Duct Insulation
Even with high-performing skirting, plumbing and ductwork should be individually insulated. This redundancy ensures pipes are protected if an unusually harsh cold snap hits or if skirting becomes damaged. It also means furnaces and air handlers work less to deliver the desired temperatures, keeping utility costs in check.
The Importance of Regular Maintenance
Skirting is not a set-it-and-forget-it upgrade. Over time, weather, settling, or accidental impacts can create openings or damage panels. Routine checks are essential to sustain energy savings.
Seasonal Inspections and Quick Repairs
At the start of each heating and cooling season, homeowners should:
- Inspect all panel seams and corners for gaps or loose sections.
- Check vent covers to ensure they operate smoothly and seal tightly.
- Look for signs of moisture accumulation under the vapor barrier or on the understructure.
Prompt repairs prevent small problems from undermining the entire system’s performance.
Keeping Drainage Effective
Proper drainage around the home also supports energy goals. Ensure the ground slopes away from the skirting so water does not pool and seep under panels. This keeps crawl space conditions dry, enhancing the thermal resistance of any insulation present.
Long-Term Energy and Cost Benefits
When thoughtfully designed, properly installed, and routinely maintained, skirting becomes one of the most impactful upgrades for a double wide’s energy profile. By reducing heat loss, protecting critical systems from freezing, and moderating humidity levels, skirting lowers year-round utility bills. Over time, these savings often recoup the initial investment, while also extending the lifespan of flooring, pipes, and HVAC systems.
Conclusion
Skirting is far more than a cosmetic finish for double wides. It is a strategic enclosure that shapes the energy dynamics of a home from the ground up. By understanding how different materials, climate considerations, installation techniques, and ongoing upkeep each influence performance, homeowners can make informed choices that maximize comfort, protect their investment, and deliver meaningful cost savings season after season.