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Furnaces for mobile homes typically last for about fifteen years. That is less time than furnaces for traditional homes. That is why it’s important to buy the best mobile home furnace.

Read on for everything you need to know about how to choose the right furnace for your mobile home.

Why Are Mobile Home Furnaces Different?

Mobile homes are a fraction of the size of traditional homes. That means that you need to use less heat and air conditioning to keep the temperature just right.

At the same time, you can’t just buy regular furnace when your current one kicks the can. A mobile home furnace is a specialty furnace.

For one thing, the unit must be small to fit in a small, enclosed cabinet. there’s no attic or basement to store the unit, so it has to be built into the main living space in a mobile home.

Sometimes, the HVAC units need to be taken apart in order to perform repairs due to its small size.

Because it can be a hassle to access the furnace parts, it’s crucial that you choose furnaces for mobile homes that will last.

Choosing the Right Size for your Mobile Home

The first thing you need to do is find out the square footage of your mobile home. If you know the make and model, you can find the information on the manufacturer’s website.

If you aren’t able to find out from the manufacturer, you can measure each room using a tape measurer. Make sure your measurements are accurate so that you don’t buy a furnace that doesn’t suit your needs.

Measure Furnace Area

The next thing you need to do is measure the size of your furnace closet. If your old mobile home furnace is old, the new models may be different sizes. You want to make sure it will fit in the allotted space.

You also need to leave enough room for ventilation in the room. The heat of a furnace is a fire hazard if there is not enough space for the heat to escape.

You don’t need an extensive amount of space around the furnace in a closet, just enough for air to circulate. Your HVAC specialist can advise you on the right size furnace that can safely fit in the space you have.

Calculate How Many BTUs You Need

Finally, you need to calculate how many BTUs you need to heat your mobile home. This number depends on the climate where you live.

BTU is an acronym that stands for British Thermal Unit. This is used to measure heat energy.

As a general rule, 25-30 BTUs per square foot is enough in warm climes. In colder regions, you could need up to 45 BTUs per square foot.

Multiply this number by the square footage in your mobile home to find out have many BTUs you will need.

Keep in mind that the actual output of a furnace is 80% of the listed specs. So if you need 60,000 BTUs, the actual output will be 48,000 BTUs. If you know you need 60,000 BTUs for your mobile home, your best bet is to buy a furnace that approaches 80,000 BTUs.

It’s always better to have more BTUs than you need than not enough.

Choose Furnace Type

After you have calculated the size of furnace your mobile home needs and can fit, you can choose the type of heating you want.

Types of Furnaces

Furnaces for mobile homes come in electric, oil or natural gas such as propane.

Electric

Electric furnaces are highly efficient, operating at close to 100% efficiency. But these can be more expensive. The units themselves are about the same price as gas and oil furnaces.

Propane

Propane furnaces convert gas into heat and are smart choices for both mobile and traditional homes.

There is a wide range of models that have varying degrees of efficiency. Some are up to 95% efficient. These high-efficiency models may cost more upfront but can save you a lot of money in monthly heating costs.

Some of the benefits of choosing a propane furnace include affordability and safety. Plus, propane tanks are easy to store, portable, and won’t take up too much space. These are all important considerations when living in a mobile home.

Oil

Oil furnaces spray oil into a special chamber and then the fuel is set on fire. The oil burns up which makes heat. Oil furnaces for mobile homes come in at 80% efficiency and have a higher price point than electric and most propane varieties.

Compare Quotes on Mobile Home Furnaces

Before you decide on a particular furnace for your mobile home, gather a few quotes. Make sure to ask questions about the cost of delivery and installation.

These extra costs could really add up. You want to know before you buy exactly how much it is going to cost you.

Make sure the company offers a warranty on their unit as well as on their workmanship. This will save you headaches in the future if anything goes wrong.

Keep in mind that you should not just go with the cheapest price, either. You need to weigh the upfront cost of the furnace with the potential energy saving it can provide you in years to come.

Make sure any HVAC technician you choose to do the work is licensed and qualified. And that he or she has experience working with mobile home furnaces.

Final Thoughts

We hope this article has been instructional in helping you learn exactly how to choose the best mobile home furnaces for your needs.

Next, check out these common propane furnace problems and how to solve them. This will save yourself some money by not having to call a technician.