Manufactured or mobile homes often log higher energy bills than other homes, but if you live in a mobile home, you can take steps to help manage energy costs and increase comfort. Here are some areas to check out for possible improvements.
- Belly boards. In most manufactured homes, the belly board holds the insulation in place under the floor and serves as a vapor barrier. It can be damaged by animals or deteriorate over time, causing insulation to become wet or fall out, exposing ductwork and increasing energy loss.
- Air leakage and infiltration. Infiltration problems include deteriorated weatherstripping, gaps in the “marriage wall” that joins the multiple units making up the home, holes in the ends of ducts, gaps around wall registers and behind washers and dryers, and unsealed backing to the electrical panel.
- Crossover ducts. Sealing the ducts that run under the sections making up your home will result in tremendous energy savings and increased comfort. Crossover ducts are often made of flexible tubing and are therefore prone to collapse and easy for animals to chew or claw into. Crossover ducts made of thin sheet metal can leak heated or cooled air to the outdoors. Consider replacing a flexible crossover duct with metal ductwork.
- Lack of insulation. Insulation levels and R-values in walls, floors and ceilings in manufactured homes can be woefully inadequate. Adding additional insulation or insulation with a higher R-value to ceilings and floors that are easy to access will help with energy savings. However, adding insulation to walls would be a major renovation that may not be cost-justified.
- Uninsulated ductwork. Ductwork itself may not be wrapped with insulation, leading to heating and cooling losses. Wrapping ductwork will lead to energy savings.