The past year has seen an increase in average energy costs, meaning homeowners pay more for heating their homes during the winter months and cooling it during the summer. When it comes to energy-efficiency, it’s on a homeowner’s mind far more than it used to be. Thankfully, manufactured homes are increasingly energy efficient and offer cost-savings for homeowners across the nation. These homes, which are built in a factory, promote more energy-conscious practices than one might expect.
Here’s why the best homes for energy efficiency are factory-built:
Factory-Built Bonuses
Factory-built homes live up to their namesake. They are built part by part in a factory, assembled right there at the plant, and then transported to the home site.
This process, while different from site-built house construction in a few ways, marks a key difference when it comes to energy efficiency.
For one, since they’re made inside of a factory and then shipped to the home site, the building process is far less likely to be impeded by weather conditions, unlike homes that are site-built. If a rain storm appears over construction on a site-built home, it can soak all the wood and potentially cause damage. During the factory-built process, the home is weather tight thanks to being entirely indoors.
Secondly, because factory-built manufactured homes are built to a specified floor plan and produced in multiples in most cases, there’s less leeway needed during the building process for unforeseen issues. This means that the customer saves thanks to materials being purchased in larger quantities to reduce the overall cost.
All of this means that factory-built manufactured homes are literally built more efficiently from a time-savings standpoint.
Appliances
Modern manufactured homes are outfitted with modern appliances that not only work faster and quieter than ever, but promote even more energy savings than in years past.
For instance, washers and dryers now offer “low energy mode” that wash and dry your clothes using far less energy than normal. Dishwashers can now work similarly, and modern manufactured homes may include these appliances as standard.
Temperature Control
Similarly, many smart thermostats, which now automatically regulate temperatures inside your home, come standard with modern manufactured homes, such as the ecobee smart thermostat to the right. These thermostats are great for lowering your home’s temperature automatically during times of lower usage, such as overnight, and prioritizing use during a resident’s most active hours.
While the amount of energy you save depends on who you ask, some energy providers say you can save up to 30% of your energy costs annually by using a smart thermostat from brands like ecobee, Honeywell, and many more.
Tips For Improving Energy Efficiency
If you’re a manufactured home owner and are looking for ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency, here are a few tips:
- Insulate your windows and doors. Clear insulation around your windows, weatherstripping, and ensuring there are no gaps around your doors and windows are key.
- Annually inspect caulking, and re-caulk if necessary. This can be a major source of cold air drafts in your home if you don’t keep up with your caulking.
- Ensure that your mobile home’s insulation is in good shape. If not, explore getting it replaced.
Now it’s time to find the mobile home of your dreams and take charge of your energy-efficiency. Visit MHVillage today to search for mobile homes for sale or rent in your area.
