How to lower utility bills in a manufactured home

Manufactured homes have a few energy leaks that site-built homes don’t. Start with the cheap fixes and work up.

1. Stop drafts

• Hold your hand near door edges, window frames, outlets on outside walls, and where pipes come through the floor. Feel for moving air.
• Add or replace weatherstrip on doors and windows.
• Caulk gaps around window trim and where pipes and wires pass through walls or the floor.
• On older single-pane windows, a clear window insulation film kit helps through the winter.

2. Check the underbelly

The underbelly, also called the bottom board, is the fabric or board that covers the insulation under the floor.

• With a flashlight, look for tears, sagging, or places where insulation is hanging down.
• Torn underbelly lets cold air reach the floor and the pipes. It’s also an invitation for animals.
• Small tears can be patched with underbelly repair tape. Large sections are a job for a pro.
• Close up the skirting, which protects the underbelly from wind.

3. Check the ducts

In most manufactured homes, heating and cooling ducts run under the floor. In a multi-section home, a crossover duct connects the halves underneath.

• Look for a crossover duct that’s disconnected, crushed, or torn.
• A duct leaking into the crawlspace means you’re paying to heat or cool the outdoors.
• Have a heating and cooling contractor reconnect or replace damaged ducts.

4. Heating and cooling

• Change filters on schedule. A clogged filter makes the system work harder.
• Have the system serviced once a year.
• Close blinds on sunny windows in summer and open them on sunny winter days.
• A window unit sized for one room can be cheaper than cooling the whole home, if that’s where you spend your time.

5. Lighting and appliances

• Swap the bulbs you use most for LEDs first.
• Set the water heater to the temperature the manufacturer recommends, not higher.
• Unplug an old second fridge or freezer if you don’t really need it.

Ask about help

Many utility companies and state weatherization programs offer free or reduced-cost energy audits and repairs for income-qualified households. Call your utility, or search your state’s name with “weatherization assistance program.”