Mobile homes make cheap and efficient places to live for many people. Unfortunately, they aren't so efficient when it comes to energy needs. Not only do mobile homes have a tendency to become very hot during the summer, but they lose all of their heat during the winter. This makes winter heating costs very high, but it doesn't have to be this way. Take steps that will make your mobile home much more energy efficient.

Install underpinning on your mobile home. This is a basic part of living in a mobile home, but is something that many people neglect and overlook. Putting underpinning on the mobile home not only improves the appearance of your home, but prevents cold winds from blowing under the home. Restricting these winds helps keep the floor of your home warm.

  • Mobile homes make cheap and efficient places to live for many people.
  • Putting underpinning on the mobile home not only improves the appearance of your home, but prevents cold winds from blowing under the home.

Enhance the insulation in your home. Most mobile homes have poor insulation. Many have no insulation at all. Improving your home's insulation can be a large project that consumes most of a weekend, but you will reap the benefits for years. Carefully remove the panelling from the interior walls of your mobile home. Fill the walls with a high quality insulation made from cellulose foam or fibreglass. Replace the wood panels on the walls when the inside is well insulated. Also insulate the ceiling if it is possible to remove ceiling panels.

  • Enhance the insulation in your home.
  • Replace the wood panels on the walls when the inside is well insulated.

Consider upgrading your windows. Most mobile homes have very cheap windows. Cheap windows not only allow heat to escape, but also allow cold air to penetrate your home. Replacing your old windows with double-glazed windows will help heat your mobile home during winter and remain more energy efficient all year.

  • Consider upgrading your windows.
  • Replacing your old windows with double-glazed windows will help heat your mobile home during winter and remain more energy efficient all year.

Inspect and service your heating unit annually. Most mobile homes have LPG heating or electric heaters. These units can operate for years without the need for maintenance. However, you should hire a heating professional to inspect your system each year so that you can repair any problems in advance. This will prevent you from suddenly finding yourself without heat in the middle of winter.

Think about building a solar panel to heat the air in your home. This is not an expensive solar panel that generates electricity. It is a simple, low-tech panel that uses the sun's rays to heat air temperature.

TIP

Roll up old towels and place them across the bottom of any doors that lead outside. This will help prevent any heat exchange through the bottom of the door.