Double wide trailer with destroyed insulation

Hi I'm Marcia and I live in North Carolina. Cats have crawled up into my insulation, water has busted through from my washer, and from my water heater. Presently it has happened again. and this time I personally went under to see what was going on. I can't make heads or tails of all the pipes criss crossing. I see a really fat tube which might be my dryer vent or heater that is hanging detached.

So I found on a website that the plastic is about $240 for 16 x 80 so twice that for a double wide. Then the insulation- batten is it?- it's annoying. But I also read that there should be some air was appropriate You Don't Need a Vapor Barrier (Probably) and Building Science 101

Like 95001 said above, what about future repairs? So I was thinking why not put insulation tiles right onto the underside of the floor. These tiles could go around the HVAC flues or whatever they're called and then the pipe could have those slitted foam covers and when a repair is needed you could actually see where to go AND replace only what is needed.

I was looking on the Owens Corning site but they don't have prices. That means it's expensive. Comments?

 

Marcia, welcome to the forums! I moved your post to its own thread so you will get better exposure. Owens Corning is a manufacturer, not a retailer. I don't understand how water has "busted" through to your washer. From the underside?? Pipes burst? Insulating the individual pipes is a good start, then insulating the body of the home is secondary, but necessary for a good heat retention.

Mobile homes have the plastic stretched under the joists because they are built from the top of the frame up. In other words once the plastic is on, the workers drop insulation in the floor joist cavities, then subfloor it, then all the other construction takes place. It is mostly for speed and convenience. It is not 100% necessary in a retrofit. You can measure the width of your joists (probably 14 1/2" or 22 1/2" between the joists) and purchase kraft faced insulation and install it kraft side up and hold it with wire "stays". This won't keep vermin and cats from destroying it if there is any way they can get in, which is a given.

THAT is where the covering comes into play.

 

I often use tar paper over the underside of the insulation when redoing the insulation [or other repairs] under a trailer. Don't buy that big piece of plastic! You wouldn't be able to install it in one piece anyway and smaller pieces are easier to work with. The block piers that support the MH are in the way and prevent you from installing one continuous piece.

Good underpinning might keep the critters from getting under your MH.