What is the Best Type of Insulation for Mobile Homes?
Mobile homes have seen a recent rise in popularity thanks to their affordability and transportability. However, many mobile homeowners have never considered whether or not their home is properly insulated.
Many mobile homes are often built and installed in more temperate climates, leading many builders to forego insulating them entirely since the environment leads to relatively comfortable temperatures year-round.
However, this doesn’t factor in the increasingly hotter summers and colder winters people are experiencing in most of the world, nor does it account for the other protections that insulation provides for your home (for example, keeping out pests).
We’ll examine the best types of insulation for mobile homes and why you should consider giving your mobile home a proper insulation inspection and update.
Why should I insulate my mobile home?
Of the biggest problems in mobile homes is they are under-insulated. Mobile homes have little to no insulation in their walls, ceilings, and underbelly. They also have the reputation for begin drafty and have unstable interior temperatures, leaving you and your family uncomfortable.
Proper insulation can keep heated and cooled air inside your home without having air leaks and drafts affecting the temperature inside your mobile home. Insulation is an investment that pays off big time. You want to be sure your mobile home is properly insulated to help keep everything from your AC units to your pipes in good working order and save you big bucks on heating and cooling bills. Insulation is an investment that pays off big time.
Are mobile homes difficult to insulate?
Mobile homes and trailers come with unique challenges. For example, mobile homes prioritize minimizing weight, so the studs in the walls are often thinner than standard homes. This means it’s much easier for heat to penetrate the walls, and it can be slightly more difficult to install new insulation or update existing insulation.
We’ve put together a comprehensive list of the best types of insulation that will work great for both new and older mobile homes.
Which types of insulation will work best for mobile homes and RVs?
Blanket Insulation
Blanket insulation (Batt Insulation) is one of the most common types of insulation. It consists of several layers of fiberglass, rock wool, or other similar materials stacked together to form a blanket, which can be installed on floors, ceilings, and walls. It is often sandwiched between thick pieces of paper or cardboard to protect it from moisture and other incursions.
It’s also one of the most affordable and easiest to install insulation solutions, so if you’re trying to keep costs low, this is a great option.
Fiberglass Board
Similar to a fiberglass insulation blanket, fiberglass board insulation is made of layers of fiberglass stacked together. However, with a fiberglass board, the layers are compressed into a stiff board instead of a pliable blanket.
This type of insulation can be a little more difficult to install due to its stiffness, so professional installation is recommended.
Spray Foam
Spray foam insulation is a type of insulation that uses special equipment to spray an expanding foam substance into the space you want to be insulated. This is a great insulation solution for older and newer mobile homes with irregular spaces in the walls. Another great advantage to spray foam insulation is its ability to get into tight nooks and crannies, making it ideal for the thinner walls of a mobile home.
Blown-in Insulation
Like spray foam insulation, blown-in insulation is installed using special equipment to blow the insulation into the space. However, instead of foam, loose-fill insulation uses a combination of loose recycled materials like cellulose or fiberglass to insulate the space.
Just like spray foam insulation, this is a great option for mobile homeowners because it fits into tight wall spaces. It’s also often more affordable than spray foam, which is a bonus.
How Do I Choose Which One is Right for My Mobile Home?
If you’re looking to install insulation in a new mobile home or update the insulation in an old one, the best place to start is with an insulation expert evaluation. During this evaluation, your mobile home will be carefully inspected to identify the current state of your insulation (if any) and identify which types of insulation will work for your unique home.
At Koala Insulation, our experts are well-versed in all kinds of insulation materials and installation techniques. When you book an inspection with one of our experts, they will arrive with state-of-the-art equipment to thoroughly inspect your home from top to bottom. They will provide a detailed assessment of the current conditions of your home and use their years of experience to design bespoke solutions to meet your needs.
Every home is different, so your expert may suggest a combination of installation options to best protect your mobile home against various issues involving cold, heat, moisture, or other intrusions.
By hiring a Koala Insulation expert, you not only get a home that is protected against moisture, pests, and other issues, but you also get to benefit from the years of energy savings that professionally installed insulation will bring. Contact us now to schedule a consultation and be on your way to reaping the energy-saving benefits of custom-fit, expert-installed insulation.
