Manufactured homes usually have specially designed furnaces that are less expensive and perfect for smaller houses. A mobile home gas furnace is one option, and in this article we are going to see how to install one. So have you ever wondered why this type of heating system might be the best option for your home?
A mobile home propane furnace is not only affordable but it can come with additionally powered fans that make it work faster. Let’s take a look at this type of furnace in more detail.
What Is a Mobile Home Gas Furnace?
A furnace is a device that is used for heating your home. A gas furnace uses natural gas in order to push hot air through its duct-work, then through its vents. It is considered that a furnace that is fueled by propane in its liquid form is one of the most efficient heating systems.
Many mobile homes come with already manufactured gas furnaces, which is of course cheaper. However, you should be aware of features and cost and possible installation steps. They will be discussed in more details below in the article.
Gas Furnace Features
Each gas furnace has a similar array of features, and they mostly depend on the furnace’s price. Let’s take a look at the most important ones:
- Variable-Speed Blowers are used for delivering air in a slower and less noisy manner. That means that you won’t feel unnecessary drafts or drastic swings in temperature.
- Variable Heat Output can be found on those furnaces that have variable-speed blowers. The use of this output is to increase efficiency and comfort when it comes to adjusting the heat. When a furnace has only one fixed heat output, it is not possible for the furnace to deliver the heat continuously. The variable heat output helps with that.
- Air Filtration is important because when the furnace blows the hot air, it can also blow the dust with it. However, if you get a furnace with air filtration, then you get an electrostatic filter that uses an electrical charge to trap particles and reduces any risk of dust. This is important for people who suffer from asthma or any other lung disease.
- Dual Heat Exchanger is the component that draws heat from the burned gas. The role of dual exchanger is to exchange the primary supplement with the second in order to provide more energy-efficiency. This second exchanger is made of stainless steel so it does not condensate.
- Ignition System increases the efficiency of burning because it provides the constant flame in various ways. That means that furnaces with this ignition system will not wait for the next command to ignite the flames but will ignite it right away.
- Zoned Heating uses multiple thermostats and a central controller. It also uses a series of dampers that control the airflow in order to deliver different amounts of heating or cooling to different parts of your mobile home. This is a great feature for huge homes; however, it also requires more repair and maintenance.
- Warranty is usually basic for cheap and low efficient furnaces. But it is still important to have one, no matter which model you plan to get.
What to Consider Before Purchasing a Gas Furnace
If you want to replace the old furnace or you are simply buying the new one for the new mobile home, there are several things you need to consider.
Size
Size is probably the most important thing to consider before buying a furnace. If the furnace is too small, it won’t heat your home properly. If it is too large, you will pay and spend more energy than you need. Believe it or not, but furnaces in most homes are bigger than they should be.
That usually ends up in hot air not being distributed properly and evenly, which means the furnace wastes energy, wears on all of the components and makes the temperature vary. All of this will result in damage and unavoidable costs. You might even have to buy a new one. So how to be sure to get the proper size?
First of all, if you are not experienced, employ a reputable professional who will calculate the heating needs according to a standard. That standard is also called the “Manual J HVAC Residential Load Calculation” of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America. It is important to take into consideration not only the size of the house, but also the design, climate of the area and construction.
Efficiency
If your gas furnace does not work properly, then you will be wasting energy and spending more money than you should. Currently, the most commonly used heating fuel is gas, and the heating efficiency of converting gas into energy is calculated by the annual fuel-utilization-efficiency (AFUE) rating, measured via percentage.
Today, some really good gas furnace models are able to achieve 97 percent efficiency, which makes them almost totally efficient. These figures become more impressive when comparing them to the gas furnaces in the 1970s that used to be only 65% efficient.
To Repair or to Replace?
If you have noticed your gas furnace does not work properly, before calling the heating contractor, make sure to check several things.
- Make sure that the air filter is not clogged; that can result in a low airflow.
- Check if there are any loose wires in the thermostat. Perhaps you need to change the batteries in it.
- Then check the fuses and circuit breakers. They should not be burned out or tripper otherwise they might cut off the power.
If none of these can be applied, then you should call a professional. It will be probably more affordable to repair it instead of replacing it.
However, if the heat exchanger has failed, then you might as well purchase the new furnace. The average lifespan of a furnace is 15 to 18 years and if yours is older – then it might be a good choice to finally replace it.
The Mobile Home Furnace Prices
Speaking of costs, the average cost of furnace installation is $1800. The minimum average cost is $1700 while the maximum one is $2100. Having in mind that gas furnaces are very energy-efficient, this kind of investment really pays off. The cost depends on the company and contractor who will install the furnace and also the area you live in.
There are also some additional costs that are associated with mobile home furnace installation. Even though the average cost of the furnace is around $1000, most owners end up paying around $2000 after the purchase and installation.
That is because the work takes around 8 hours for the team of professionals to install the furnace. Their cost is around $500. You should also take into consideration the cost of materiala such as insulation and hoses that might end up around $200.
Of course, it also depends on whether you are installing the new furnace in a new home or you are simply replacing the old one. That is because it would take the team longer to complete the installation because they would need to properly arrange all of the arrangement, components and hoses.
How to Install and Replace a Mobile Home Gas Furnace
Before you decide to venture by yourself into replacing or installing a new furnace, remember that you are dealing with natural gas that can be very dangerous. If you are unexperienced, hire a professional to help you. Here a few steps on how to replace or install a new gas furnace:
- First of all, if you have an old furnace, make sure to assess it to see whether it needs repairing or replacing. If it needs to be replaced, then you can proceed.
- Make sure that the ducts of the old furnace can fit the new furnace. It is common for newer models to be smaller. After that, turn off the furnace. You need to shut off the power and gas supply. That is done by the valve and breaker. After you do that, secure the ducts with cleats and screws.
- Remove the old furnace and while doing so check the old wires.
- Put the new furnace into the existing duck work and gas pipes. Make sure to install switches, wires and latches into the internal furnace.
- After you have done so, connect the plenum to the new furnace and use a clamp to make sure that the duct is properly attached to the furnace. Attack the boot to the furnace. If you have one, use a gas-leak detector to make sure that there are no leaks and that the gas lines are attached properly. Gas leakage is very dangerous.
- Connect the thermostat and power supply by wiring them together.
- When you are finished, you can finally install the new furnace and start heating your mobile home. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
7 Tips on How to Maintain Your Gas Furnace
After you have purchased and installed your new gas furnace, the work is not finished. You need to maintain your furnace from time to time in order to ensure that it is running properly. Here are seven tips on how to do that:
- Make sure that you exercise safety measures. Make sure that the gas is turned off whenever you are working around it and make sure that there is no leakage. Any power systems should be turned off as well.
- Clean and replace the filter system regularly. You need to do so in order to prevent dust and dirt from getting into furnace and spreading it all over the house. If the filter gets clogged then you need to either clean or replace it. They are usually very cheap.
- Check the thermostat regularly. If you do not want drastic changes in temperature or uneven distribution of hot air, then the thermostat needs to work properly.
- Clean the blower after you are finished with cleaning the filter. It is located right after it and it gets clogged with debris, dirt and dust. Clean the blower with a clean damp cloth.
- Clean or repair furnace ducts by using a high-powered vacuum cleaner. Make sure to cover all ducts when you are finished as to not spread the air everywhere.
- Clean the venting system because it can get blocked from time to time. Use a large brush.
- Make sure to inspect the furnace regularly. By doing that you will avoid bigger problems, damage or additional costs. Make it a routine to clean everything and keep it unblocked.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, we have covered the basic info regarding the installation and maintenance of a gas furnace for a mobile home. We have also talked about average cost and some tips on making your furnace run smoothly.
The most important thing to remember is that when you are dealing with gas, you always need to be careful. Make sure to hire a professional to replace or maintain the furnace if you are not sure how to do that.
Are you satisfied with your mobile home gas furnace? Have you had any problems with it or perhaps you are satisfied with the energy-efficiency? Thanks for reading and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask them in the comment section below.
