I just moved into a mobile home that was built in 1997. At night I hear cracking noises as if the home is settling. Should I be worried?? I have never lived in a Mobile home before and have no idea if this is normal. The home has been in the since 1997.

All homes settle unless they are attatched to bedrock. Wind may affect your home more then a stick built one and cause it to make more noise. But ground swell and shrink from weather is a normal event.

Your real worry would start to come if craks start to appear or tiles lift. Then you have problems.

Thank you for your quick response. None of the other concerns you mentioned above have accurred thank god!

"The home has been in the since 1997." Can you take another shot at this sentence, not sure what you mean. All structures move in the wind and storms, even steel sky scrapers so some movement sound is acceptable. However, if your home makes noises in a perfectly still time of the day with no one moving in the home I'd have the jacking looked at.

Mobile homes do not have a lot of mass. Consequently, they heat up and cool down quickly. You can usually hear pops and clicks as the panels expand and contract. The fact that you hear it at night makes sense, it is cooling down. If you were at home during the day, you may hear the same sounds. Usually not too much worry. I have a log home with a metal roof; snap, crackle and pop!

I agree with ma0641. Its probably nothing to worry about. Its simply the shrinking of the metal that follows the expansion from daytime heating.

This all hinges on what type of set up is used under the house. If the house is set up on cinderblocks on a poured concrete pillar the home should not make funny noises. But if the home is set on cinderblocks on the bare ground, then possibly the home may be settling and will get unlevel eventually. If you notice exterior and interior doors not fitting properly, then call out someone to have your house releveled. Also, has there been a lot of rain in your area lately? This could definitely affect the home's level situation unless it is on a cement slab, runner, or pillar.

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Originally Posted by ma0641

Mobile homes do not have a lot of mass. Consequently, they heat up and cool down quickly. You can usually hear pops and clicks as the panels expand and contract. The fact that you hear it at night makes sense, it is cooling down. If you were at home during the day, you may hear the same sounds. Usually not too much worry. I have a log home with a metal roof; snap, crackle and pop!!

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Mobile homes are VERY different from log homes. They do not weigh as much as a stick built home and are very easily off level due to the weather such as having too much rain undermining the undercarriage set up. Mobile homes are not made with metal skins any longer but use vinyl siding and shingles for the roofs. I used to work at a manufactured home dealership and know mobile homes backwards and forwards. Sorry. Look underneath first.