Having a mobile home (also known as an RV or trailer depending on the style) is a sustainable, convenient, and relaxed way to live, travel or spend your vacation.
However, many people are put off because mobile homes can become cold and unpleasant in colder climates, or simply because heating a mobile home isn’t the same as heating a traditional home. (If you’re interested in home heating, check out our sections on wood burning stoves and fireplaces.)
If you fall into one of those brackets, stick around.
Below we will discuss the two best ways to heat under a mobile home – heat tape and thermal floor heating!
Table of Contents
What Not to Do
Before we talk about what to do, it’s essential to establish what not to do.
The two most vital things to avoid are having a naked flame underneath the home or attempting a job with a lack of experience or the necessary tools. Remember, if you’re unsure then talk to the professionals.
It might sound self-explanatory but it’s vital to understand that attempting a poor job, or trying to manage a naked flame in this environment won’t end well. Mobile homes are constructed with multiple materials, many of which are highly flammable.
Therefore, invest a bit more money into buying good quality heating equipment and installing it professionally.
Why Underfloor Heating is Best for a Mobile Home
It might seem strange to have heating underneath you. In most homes, heat travels from a boiler via radiators. However, many mobile homes don’t have the infrastructure to have such a network.
Additionally, because heat rises, it is wise to have it at the lowest level (underneath). If the heat were higher, it would escape through the ceiling before you’d feel any actual benefit.
Heat Loss Prevention
Just before we talk about how to add more heat to your mobile home, it’s wise to first recognise how to lose less.
There is no point in heating your home if that heat will easily escape through the walls, ceiling, or windows.
To ensure your mobile home is adequately insulated consider adding insulation to the walls, securing windows and doors more tightly or adding bars or barriers where required.
Consider this your first step before moving on to adding additional heating.
How to Heat Under a Mobile Home
Method 1: Heat Tape
The first heating method underneath a mobile home is “heat tape”.
This tape is essentially just regular tape, but with a wire inside.
When plugged into the electrical system, the wires become hot, radiating upwards to warm the rest of the building. As well as enabling the cables to stick, the tape also has an insulating effect, which prevents any unexpected dangers.
As well as the floor, some people also put heat tape on their water pipes to stop them from freezing.
However, before you lay down the tape, you must be completely sure none of the plumbing has any leaks. If water touches the electrical wires, it could cause all sorts of issues, from a power outage to electrocution.
How to install heat tape:
1. Check there are no leaks in your plumbing.
2. Place the tape where it needs to be. This will usually be underneath the carpet and around the water pipes.
3. Secure the tape to your mobile home’s electrical network. And plug it in.
4. Enjoy the warmth.
As great as heat tape is, it won’t last forever. Most professionals would recommend replacing it every 3-5 years.
Method 2: Thermal Floor Heating
The second way to heat your home is with thermal floor heating.
This might sound like new, fancy technology, but it’s actually been around since ancient Rome. Yes, that’s right, the ancient Romans had heated floors!
The oldest type of thermal floor heating is hydraullic. This is where hot water travels via a network of underfloor pipes, which heat up and emit that heat into the room.
Although this form of heating can be expensive to set up, it has lower running costs.
The second form, probably more appropriate for most mobile homes, is electrical (or dry) thermal floor heating.
This is where electric heating pads are placed underneath the floorboards, and their heat emits upwards to heat the room.
Unlike the heat tap, thermal floor heating will require you to take the floorboards out, place the heating pads down, and then put the floorboards back on top.
Please consult a construction professional before doing this, as some mobile homes are designed so that nothing can go underneath the floorboards.
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We hope this helps you on your mobile home heating journey!
Mobile homes can be great for their flexibility and mobility, but for more home heating tips stick with CosyWarmer.com