How mobile homes took root in the Reno area
Trailer living in Reno goes back further than most people think. Chism's Auto Camp on West Second Street opened in 1927, added trailer sites as travel trailers caught on, expanded its trailer spaces again by 1958, and added 15 more mobile home spaces in 1960. Reno Historical notes it may have been the first park in Reno to take the more permanent mobile homes. By 2014 it had 124 permanent spaces; it operates today as River West Resort.[1]
North of Sparks, Sun Valley became the region's biggest trailer landscape. A University of Nevada, Reno dissertation traces it from the 1938 Small Tract Act through 1976, describing decades of largely unplanned trailer settlement, and notes trailers remain the dominant housing form there.[2]
Then came the big dividing line. On June 15, 1976, HUD's federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (the "HUD Code") took effect. Any home that entered production on or after that date had to meet one national standard and carry a HUD label.[3][4] The code has been tightened several times since, including wind standards strengthened in 1994 and roof load and thermal updates in 2005.[5]
What that means for you: a pre-June-1976 "mobile home" was built before any national standard. A post-1976 "manufactured home" was built to the HUD Code, but a 1978 home still has nearly 50 years of Nevada weather on it. Either way, Nevada's installation rules apply to every home regardless of its build date, and installs, reconstruction and additions need a permit through the Nevada Manufactured Housing Division.[6][7]
Mobile homes county by county
The numbers below come from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey, 2020–2024 5-year estimates. "Share" means the percent of all housing units that are mobile homes.[8]
| Area | Mobile homes | Share of housing | Median year any home was built | Homes built before 1980 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washoe County | 11,193 | 5.1% | 1991 | 35.0% |
| – City of Reno | 4,481 | 3.6% | 1990 | – |
| – City of Sparks | 522 | 1.1% | 1993 | – |
| Lyon County | 4,519 | 17.8% | 1998 | 22.2% |
| – Fernley | 860 | 9.4% | 2001 | – |
| – Dayton | 222 | 3.6% | 2002 | – |
| Carson City | 2,453 | 9.8% | 1981 | 48.6% |
| Douglas County | 1,616 | 6.5% | 1990 | 30.7% |
| Storey County | 387 | 19.0% | 1989 | 36.4% |
| Churchill County | 1,856 | 16.9% | 1990 | 32.7% |
| – Fallon | 418 | 9.2% | 1985 | – |
(Median year built and pre-1980 share are for all housing, not mobile homes only. The Census doesn't publish build year by structure type at this level.)
What we see in each area:
- Washoe (Reno, Sparks, Sun Valley, Lemmon Valley): the largest number of homes in the region, with a lot of older park and Sun Valley stock. In those homes, belly wrap, leveling and old plumbing come first. Washoe County's building department flags expansive clay in the Truckee Meadows, and that shows up as doors that stick one season and swing free the next.[9][10] → Reno & Sparks
- Lyon (Fernley, Dayton, Silver Springs, Yerington): almost 1 in 5 homes is a mobile home, the highest share of any large county here. These are mostly on their own land, out in open country where the wind and the sun hit hardest.[8] → Dayton, Silver Springs
- Carson City: nearly half of all housing was built before 1980, the oldest stock in the region, so pre-HUD and early-HUD homes are common.[8] → Carson City
- Douglas (Gardnerville, Minden): a smaller share, but long cold Carson Valley nights make frozen lines and heat tape a winter regular. → Gardnerville, Minden
- Storey: at 19.0%, the highest share in the table. Storey County's own master plan says most of those homes are on 1.25–5 acre estate lots, largely in Mark Twain and Lockwood, and that most owners are 55 or older.[8][11]
- Churchill (Fallon): about 1 in 6 homes. The Washoe Zephyr usually weakens by the time it reaches the Carson Sink near Fallon, but heat, sun and dust don't.[12]
Our climate, in numbers
- Dry: Reno averages 7.35 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normal). Most of it falls from November through March, and about 23.5 inches of snow falls in a typical year.[13][14]
- Freeze-thaw: Reno averages about 122 nights a year at or below 32°F, yet about 65 days a year at 90°F or hotter.[13] Winter days often swing 20–25 degrees between the low and the high.[14]
- Snow load: Washoe County's design table puts ground snow load at 35 psf at Truckee Meadows elevations (4,500–5,000 ft). At 6,000 ft in the Tahoe Basin, it's 315 psf, about nine times more.[9]
- Wind: the Washoe Zephyr is a west wind that usually starts in early to mid-afternoon in summer, peaking before sunset with sustained winds of 12–20 knots near US-395/I-580. It also fanned the 2004 Waterfall and Andrew fires.[12][15] Gusts commonly reach 20–30 mph,[15] and Reno's peak gust in 2025 was 70 mph (February 2).[13]
- Sun and altitude: the Reno airport station sits at about 4,400 ft (1,342 m),[16] with dry air and long summer days, which means hard sun on roofs and siding.
- Earthquakes: Nevada is the third most seismically active state.[17] The 2008 Mogul–Somersett swarm in west Reno peaked with a magnitude 4.9 quake on April 26, 2008.[18]
How that climate damages a manufactured home
Roof seams and leaks
Long summer heat followed by freezing nights makes metal and membrane roofs expand and contract every day. Seams, fasteners and sealant around vents loosen, and the first real storm finds the gap. Snow that melts by day and refreezes at the eaves backs water under edges. → roof sealing
Leveling, piers and settling
Clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry moves piers unevenly.[9][10] Signs are doors that won't latch, cracks at drywall corners, and windows that bind. Most of our calls are for releveling. → foundation inspection & leveling
Frozen water lines and heat tape
With about 120 freezing nights a year,[13] any exposed line, failed heat tape or gap in the skirting is a frozen pipe waiting to happen. Carson Valley and Lyon County nights are often colder than in town. → under-home plumbing
Skirting and wind
The Zephyr pushes on skirting every summer afternoon, and winter storms add gusts on top. Loose panels let in cold air, snow and animals. → skirting & releveling
Tie-downs and anchors
Nevada requires tie-downs that resist uplift, sliding and overturning.[6][7] Straps rust and loosen, and anchors shift in soil that moves. After a big wind event, have them checked. → tie-down & anchor service
Belly board and rodents
A torn belly wrap lets in cold air, moisture and mice, especially in Sun Valley, Lemmon Valley and rural Lyon County lots that border open desert. → belly wrap repair
Soft floors
A soft spot almost always means water: a roof leak, a slow plumbing leak, or damp coming through a torn belly. Older particleboard decking swells and gives way. → subfloor repair
Window and door seals
A home that shifts plus constant hot-cold swings means frames go out of square and seals crack. That brings drafts, dust during Zephyr afternoons and wildfire-smoke days, and higher heating bills. → window & door realignment
Siding and paint fade
Strong high-desert sun breaks down paint and vinyl, so south- and west-facing walls go chalky first. → exterior painting
Earthquakes
In shaking, a home on piers that hasn't been checked is more likely to slip off its supports. Sound piers, a level home and tight tie-downs are the cheap insurance.
Pre-1976 vs. post-1976: what to check first
- Pre-June 1976 homes: start with structure and safety. Check piers, tie-downs, the original wiring and the plumbing. → electrical
- Post-1976 HUD homes: the label proves it was built to code, not that it's held up. Check level, belly, heat tape and roof seams on a schedule.
- Any home: reconstruction, additions and reinstalls in Nevada need a permit.[6][7]
A simple Northern Nevada maintenance calendar
- October–November: test heat tape, close skirting gaps, check the belly for tears.
- After big snow: clear the roof edges and watch for drips inside.
- Spring thaw: check level, doors and windows after the clay has moved.
- Early summer: check skirting and tie-downs before Zephyr season, and reseal roof seams.
FAQ
Why do my doors stick in spring and not in fall? Soil moisture changes move the piers. Washoe County flags expansive clay in the Truckee Meadows.[9] A releveling usually fixes it.
Is my older mobile home safe to keep fixing? Usually yes. Nevada installation rules apply to every home regardless of build date, so it can be brought up properly.[6]
How often should a mobile home be releveled here? It depends on your soil and piers. We recommend a check every couple of years and after any big wet winter or earthquake.
Do I need a permit? Installs, reconstruction and additions need one through the Nevada Manufactured Housing Division. Many small repairs don't. We'll tell you which applies.[7]
Do you serve my town? Reno, Sparks, Sun Valley, Lemmon Valley, Carson City, Dayton, Silver Springs, Fernley, Gardnerville, Minden and more. Call to confirm.
Get it looked at before winter
We've spent 10 years working on these homes in this weather. Call (916) 494-8868 or send the quote form and tell us your town and what you're seeing.
Sources
- Reno Historical, "Chism's Auto Camp" – https://renohistorical.org/items/show/20
- Cummins, J. (2017), The Biggest Little Trailer Park: ... Sun Valley, Nevada, 1938–1976, UNR dissertation – https://scholarwolf.unr.edu/items/54a697ad-b612-42f4-b01c-11edc0dce576
- 24 CFR 3282.1 (eCFR) – https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/24/part-3282
- HUD, "Manufactured Housing: Reflections from HUD Leadership" – https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/mhsreflections.pdf
- HUD, "The Evolution of the HUD Code" – https://archives.hud.gov/news/2024/The-Evolution-of-the-HUD-Code.pdf
- NAC Chapter 489 – https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NAC/NAC-489.html ; NRS Chapter 489 – https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-489.html
- NV Manufactured Housing Division, Permits/Plans/Inspections – https://housing.nv.gov/manfhousing/permits/plans/inspections/
- US Census ACS 2020–2024 5-yr, tables B25024, B25035, B25034 (via Census Reporter API, acs2024_5yr) – https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.B25024
- Washoe County Building, Design Requirements – https://www.washoecounty.gov/building/getting_started/Construction_Design_Requirements.php
- NBMG, Swelling Clay – https://nbmg.unr.edu/geohazards/SwellingClay.html ; Reno News & Review, "Clay station" (2020) – https://renonr.com/2020/01/17/clay-station/
- Storey County 2024 Master Plan, Ch. 6 Housing – https://storeycounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/21983/Chapter-6-Housing_Final_20241127
- Brong, NWS Reno, Washoe Zephyr thermal gradients – https://www.weather.gov/media/wrh/online_publications/talite/talite1304.pdf
- NWS Reno annual climate summary 2025 (CLA) – https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?issuedby=RNO&product=CLA&site=NWS
- NOAA Tech Memo NWS WR-276, Climate of Reno – https://www.weather.gov/media/wrh/online_publications/TMs/TM-276.pdf
- KTVN 2News, "Explaining the Washoe Zephyr" (2022) – https://www.2news.com/news/explaining-the-washoe-zephyr-and-its-role-in-fire-danger/article_82bfedde-d6fe-11ec-8d36-43196853fd71.html
- NOAA NCEI station USW00023185 – https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cdo-web/datasets/NORMAL_ANN/stations/GHCND:USW00023185/detail
- NBMG, Nevada Geology – https://nbmg.unr.edu/GeneralGeology/NevadaGeology.html
- NBMG, Mogul–Somersett swarm – https://nbmg.unr.edu/geohazards/Earthquakes/MogulEQ/index.html ; JGR study – https://doi.org/10.1002/2016jb013399