Everybody wants to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Going green isn’t just good for the earth; it also instills a sense of personal satisfaction, creates a more sustainable lifestyle for yourself, and can help you save money in the long run. Mobile Home Outfitters is here with eight ways to make your mobile home more energy efficient—discover how these steps can improve your quality of life before you know it.
1. Invest in Insulation
One of the most significant causes of high energy bills and needless power usage is improper insulation in your home. Mobile homes require insulation in multiple places, including the walls and crawl space underneath the home.
Having insulation in the walls, underside, and roof area of your manufactured home will dramatically cut down on heat loss. Additionally, controlling the temperatures will enable you to save money on your utility bills during the seasons that require heating or air conditioning.
2. Change Your Home’s Lighting
One of the smallest and easiest ways to make your mobile home more energy efficient is going through your house and changing out all the lightbulbs. Many manufactured homes use older, less environmentally friendly lighting, but a quick trip to the hardware store may help you find better bulbs for your home.
While traditional lightbulbs may last for about 1,000 hours, LED bulbs last significantly longer. Not to mention, energy-efficient lightbulbs lower your yearly power bills, and the lengthened lifespan allows you to save money on replacement bulbs.
3. Upgrade Your Windows and Doors
Much like with insulation, doors and windows are common places for heat to escape from your home. Older manufactured homes may have cracks or gaps, which can make your home less environmentally friendly and increase utility bills.
One option for reducing these issues is the use of proper weatherstripping to ensure there are fewer places or opportunities to lose heat. However, those looking to improve their home’s efficiency through renovations may want to invest in energy-efficient doors and windows. We recommend looking for fiberglass doors to help block heat and opting for double-paned windows—these windows are thicker and do a better job regulating energy passing through them.
4. Create a Solar Panel System
One of the most expensive and labor-intensive upgrades you can make for your mobile home is installing a solar panel system. These systems involve panels, converters, batteries, and other pieces of equipment that allow you to bring renewable energy into your home.
Once you set up the system, the collected solar power will provide a lot of renewable power; this power helps cut down on your bills, creates a more sustainable living area, and makes your mobile home better for the environment. It’s worth noting that certain states and regions even offer government assistance for those looking to invest in solar energy. As the technology improves and becomes more accessible and affordable for residential areas, consider investigating this off-the-grid system to determine whether it could be right for you.
5. Harvest Rainwater
Assuming you live in a community that allows you to set up such a system, rainwater harvesting is a common practice. Harvested rainwater enables homeowners to use the natural water for several purposes, such as gardening and cleaning; collecting rainwater also reduces natural soil erosion, keeping your yard in mildly better condition.
A proper rainwater harvesting system is an investment, albeit one that provides many benefits to those living in areas with regular or extensive rainfall throughout the year. While you’re collecting rainwater, you can plant a garden or some trees in your yard to make your living space more green over time.
6. Buy New Kitchen Appliances
Many homeowners choose not to swap out appliances after purchasing a house. Because of this, your manufactured home probably uses industry-standard appliances that don’t offer much in the way of green energy consumption.
When looking to make your home more environmentally friendly, some of the most common appliance options are dishwashers, refrigerators, washing machines, and dryers. By finding energy-efficient appliances, you can save anywhere from 10 to 50 percent on your utility bills each year by using far less water and power for a single load of dishes or clothes.
7. Focus on Your Roof
Changing your roofing is a great way to create a more sustainable home. There are several options when it comes to finding a more environmentally friendly roof—one of the best choices is installing a white roofing option. The bright white coating helps reflect sunlight, allowing you to use far less electricity with your air conditioner during the hot summer months.
One other renovation option for your roof is to make it slanted. The additional angle creates more space for insulation, giving you more control of the temperature in your home and keeping things as green as possible.
8. Install Proper Ventilation
Taking care of the underside of your house is a vital part of making your mobile home more energy-efficient; pipes, insulation, and other beneficial pieces of your home's construction are all located underneath the structure.
Skirting works to protect your home's underside from wild animals or adverse weather conditions, but keeping this area properly ventilated is important for preventing humidity buildup and creating a cross-breeze. To help keep this area from becoming too musty or overheated, you should focus on installing proper ventilation in your skirting. These vents increase the overall lifespan of your skirting and regulate the temperature, giving you more control over the need for your air conditioner in the summer or heat in the winter.
Creating an environmentally friendly home can be a lengthy and expensive process. However, starting with the smaller steps—like changing out your lightbulbs or looking into replacement mobile home windows—is a positive change that’s good for the environment and your pocketbook. Whether you want to help create a more sustainable living space or are just looking to save money on your utility bills, the experts and specialists at Mobile Home Outfitters have the parts and expertise you need to get things started. Contact us today, and we'll help you find whatever you need to turn your manufactured house into an energy conscience home.
