e? There are two basic categories: homes
built before mid-1976 and homes built since
June 15, 1976, when all manufactured homes
produced in the United States were required to
meet the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Developments Manufactured Home
Construction and Safety Standards Code.
The code requires that new manufactured
homes have:
met maximum heat loss criteria,
ceiling and wall vapor barriers,
construction that limits air and water
infiltration,
storm windows or double-pane glass,
minimum furnace recovery efficiency of 75
percent,
insulated heating ducts,
ID number, HUD data plate and heating
certificate, and
other quality and safety features.
1. Estimated Average Missouri Manufactured Home
Energy Use
. The biggest energy users in Missouri
manufactured homes are space heating, cooling and water
heating. Electricity is more than twice as expensive as
natural gas or propane in the end-use; therefore, owners of
homes heated with electricity may spend a greater
percentage of their total energy dollars on heating than
shown in the chart. Energy costs and equipment end-use
efficiencies vary from area to area.
The unique energy-related problems of
manufactured homes must be considered. An
adequate foundation and proper leveling are
critical. The underside may be exposed to
outside air temperature and wind conditions.
Excessive moisture buildup may be a problem,
particularly in cold and humid areas. Wall area,
and consequent wall heat loss, is greater relative
to floor area than in site-built homes. The walls
and ceiling are difficult to reinsulate. In
addition, there is inadequate thermal mass for
passive solar applications, and there is often
insufficient space and/or structural strength for
active solar systems to be mounted on roofs.
However, these problems are not
insurmountable and frequently can be solved
easily. Whether you live in a home built before
or after 1976, there are many ways you can
reduce the amount of energy you use.
2. Typical Manufactured Home Heat Loss. Most of a
manufactured homes heat loss is air infiltration. This
chart is for a manufactured home with R-19 ceiling, R-11
walls, and R-13 floors, typical of current construction. 2
Energy Consumption and Costs
The energy for heating, cooling and
providing hot water to a family living in a
manufactured home is typically about 85
percent of the total energy consumed by that
home every year. Most of the money is spent to
operate the heating system. This includes the
energy used to heat the home and the energy
wasted in heating air that goes out the doors,
windows and cracks, as well as up the flues.
The energy consumption pie charts on page
one may give you a better idea of where your
energy actually goes and may help you decide
where to conserve first. (Illus. 1 and 2.)
This booklet is primarily for manufactured
home owners, although many of the energy-
saving suggestions will be useful for renters as
well. The major part of the booklet deals with
energy conservation, followed by a few solar
options and remodeling and building addition
ideasthings you might consider once you have
taken all the fundamental energy conservation
steps.
At the back of this booklet, you will find a
checklist of energy-saving actions you can take,
grouped by cost and effectiveness, along with
some sources of additional information.
0% to 8%
8% to 15%
15% to 30%
Manufactured Homes as a proportion of all occupied housing, 1990. 3
Preliminary Steps
Selecting a Manufactured Home
Here are some important questions to ask when
shopping for a manufactured home:
1.

Are the ceiling, walls and floor well
insulated?
2.

Are double-glazed windows and/or storm
windows provided (or can they be easily
added)?
3.

Are insulated exterior doors provided
(and/or storm doors)?
4.

Is there a vapor barrier in the ceiling, walls
and floor?
5.

Does the manufactured home appear to be
tightly constructed, that is
Is it well sealed?
Will it hold up to being transported to
your site?
Are panels likely to come loose during a
strong wind?
Are gaps filled and sealed where pipes,
vents, etc. penetrate the exterior shell,
and are there foam pop-open gaskets in
the bathroom fan vent?
6.

Is there an energy-efficient water heater?
7.

Check the manufactured home's data plate
(usually located inside a closet or cabinet).
Are the wind, roof load (snow) and climatic
zones correct for your area?
8.

Is the furnace properly sized (not too big or
too small) for the winter weather conditions
at your site? You may want to consult a heating
specialist.
Site Considerations
The location of buildings, along with hills,
trees and other natural barriers to the wind and
sunshine should be considered before selecting
the site for your manufactured home. The best
site is one that provides as much natural
summer coolness and winter warmth to your
home as possible. Consider planting trees that
shade your home in the summer (particularly on
the west side), but allow the sunshine to come
through to the southerly sides in the winter.
Also, locate your home so that landscaping and
other wind barriers block the prevailing winter
winds, yet channel the prevailing summer winds
for free cooling.
The orientation of your home also is
important. Orientation is simply the direction
the home is placed on the site in relation to the
sun and the prevailing wind. The home will be
exposed to more warmth in the winter (and less
in the summer) if the long side (with the most
windows and usually the main entrance) faces to
the south or slightly southeast. Active areas of
the homethose that are used a lot during the
day, such as the living room or kitchenshould
be located on the south-facing side of the home.
(Illus. 3.)
3. Orientation
. In winter, an ideal orientation would expose the manufactured home to the sun while blocking the worst of
the winds. In summer, it would expose the home to the winds while blocking the worst of the sun. 4
How to Make Your Mobile Home More Energy Efficient
Within the sections ahead (such as
"Insulating Your Manufactured Home"),
energy-saving projects are generally listed in the
order of cost-effectiveness. The checklist in the
back of the booklet also shows the cost-
effectiveness of measures in perspective.
No-Cost Measures
There are many things you can do to save
energy in your manufactured home without
spending a penny. For instance:
ThermostatIn cold weather, keep the
thermostat setting as low as you can and still
be comfortable. Reduce it further at night. In
warm weather, reverse the procedure.
Windows and DoorsOn cold days, open
window shades and drapes on the south side
of the home to let in the sun's warmth. On
cloudy days and after sunset, keep drapes or
insulated shades closed. Keep doors closed
as much as possible.
Appliances and LightingUse your stove,
refrigerator, and other appliances as
efficiently as possible. Turn off lights when
they are not needed. See the checklist in the
back of this booklet for numerous other no-
cost measures, some of which are covered in
more detail in the pages ahead.
Caulking and Weatherstripping
During both the heating and cooling
seasons, it can be costly to have air leaking (or
"infiltrating") in and out of your home.
Manufactured homes are susceptible to air
infiltration because they are usually installed off
the ground, the outside walls are sheathed with
panels, and exterior building components have
been jarred around when the unit was
transported.
The best time to check for air infiltration is
on a windy day when you can see not only
cracks and holes, but feel the air moving in and
out. Places to check include:
Around door and window frames.
Wherever penetrations through the
manufactured home envelope exist,
including: gas, electric, water, telephone,
and TV cable penetrations; heating and
cooling system flues, supply air ducts, and
combustion air ducts; and ventilation fan
ducts. (Illus. 4.)
At edges and seams of the belly board.
Wherever the interior finish is penetrated, as
for plumbing fixtures (especially the
bathtub) and electrical outlets, switch plates,
and fixtures.
At seams, joints, and holes in the interior
paneling, including wall-floor, wall-ceiling,
and wall-wall junctures.
There are several things you can easily do to
stop air infiltration: caulking, weatherstripping,
installing gaskets behind electrical outlet and
light switch plates, and sealing kitchen and
bathroom vents.
4. Sources of Infiltration. Door and window frames and penetrations for utilities, window air
conditioners, and exhaust fans are the worst sources of infiltration. 5
Caulking
Caulk is a compound used for filling cracks,
holes and joints on the inside and outside of the
home. Apply caulk where any two different
non-moving materials meet, such as a window
frame and the wall paneling. It can be done with
a few simple tools.
You will find many caulking compounds on
the market that vary greatly in cost, durability
and ease of application. Common ones are listed
in the chart.
Caulking compounds are available from
hardware stores, building suppliers, lumber
yards and other dealers. Be sure that the caulk
you select will remain elastic after it dries. This
allows for expansion and contraction of the
different adjoining materials as well as for
normal movement and settling of your
manufactured hom