Need some mobile home winterization tips? Are you feeling uncomfortable due to a draft in your mobile home? Do you always feel a chill, even though your heat is constantly running? When we get cold, we’ll throw on more clothes or crank the thermostat, but both options have downsides.
Fortunately, there’s a great way to avoid making both options. Winterization of your mobile home can save you a lot of money on your utilities. By adding door, window, and wall insulation, you’ll put less stress on your heat, which means you save energy AND money.
By following this guide on how to winterize your mobile home, you could save money, improve the lifespan of your heating unit, and enjoy a more comfortable indoor climate all year long.
How to insulate mobile home doors.
When it comes to doors, people are always coming and going. This causes a draft, but there are steps you can take to limit the effect doors have on your home temperature. Insulating doors is key to mobile home winterization.
The best protection against cold drafts is to install a storm door. This is an outer door that reduces the time your front door allows air through. More importantly, when both doors are closed, the storm door acts as a buffer from the wind. The storm door prevents damage to the front door and stops cold air from coming in. Placing a door sweep or draft stopper at the foot of your front door will help with subtle drafts as well.
You might find that the weather stripping around the door has worn away. There is a groove around the door for weather stripping, and cold air can come in those gaps. The type of material you choose depends on how tough the stripping needs to be and how tightly the door closes. Popular v-strips can make it difficult to close doors, while felt or foam tape degrades quickly.
To install weather stripping, wash the groove with warm, soapy water. Then, trim the weather strips carefully to align at each corner of the door frame. Any gaps will allow cold air to get in, so make sure those cuts are accurate.
How to insulate windows.
Windows are known to cause chills. Some windows in your home might be older than others, so it’s important to check each one for issues. Most of the time, you’ll find that either the stripping is worn away, or the windows are just old and can’t be insulated very well.
For winterizing your windows, you may decide to add weather stripping with the same v-strips used for your doors. Use soapy water to clean around the grooves. Then apply the stripping carefully.
For all windows, hanging curtains helps keep cool air in a pocket around the windows. Blackout curtains (thick curtains meant to keep the sunlight out) have the most insulation.
How to insulate walls.
Sometimes, part of your attic is wearing away and needs to be patched with insulation. You can insulate exterior walls by cutting a small hole and blowing in loose insulation. Another option is to place a cut piece of insulation board or insulation blanket in-between the studs in the walls.
If the problem area is a garage or porch, solutions vary. Some people choose to hang blankets or sleeping bags on their mobile home walls as an extra layer of defense against cold drafts. This has the added benefit of preventing sound from passing through the wall, but we don’t recommend it, as this can be a fire hazard.
Garage doors require their own insulation, done with v-strips, while your porch will likely have windows and doors that are the true culprits for wasted energy. Both areas may benefit from a space heater that you will be able to use while you’re in the room.
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