This is a question we get from time to time and we would like to clear the air a bit and show you the differences between the types of insulation used on a mobile home and why.

Depending on the region you live in, and here for this example we will assume Texas, for walls the in your home you can assume that you have fiberglass batt insulation.  Because mobile homes have to be kept lightweight in order to maintain mobility, the studs in the walls are thinner than in a traditionally built home, meaning instead of the standard 2X4 studs, you might have a 2×3 or a 2×2 to maintain weight control.

However, the question here is what do you use to insulate under a mobile home? Insulating under your home can make the floors feel more comfortable on those cold mornings and retain the temperature in your home throughout the year.  Air is always looking for a way to escape your home, so keep that in mind.

Insulation Under a Mobile Home

We have seen mobile homeowners with fiberglass underneath their mobile homes and have found more times than not that this is a very bad idea.  Sure, you might save a buck on the installation and materials, but you are inviting mold and rot into your mobile home.  The same would go for cellulose insulation.  These types of insulation, although effective, do soak up moisture and will act as a sponge if you ever were to get flood waters up to that height under your home.  This, in turn keeps that area moist and wet which, over time, will rot the underside of your mobile home.  NOT a good solution!

Now lets take a look at spray foam insulation for mobile homes.  There are two types of spray foam insulation:  open cell and closed cell.  Both are superior to fiberglass in every way as far as insulating an area of your home.  Both last 3 – 4 times as long as fiberglass and will completely block any air leakage in your home as well as provide sound proofing.  However open cell spray foam insulation,  just like fiberglass will also soak up water should you get flooded and the water can reach that elevation.  Open cell is better used in the walls of a home to provide a low-cost spray foam insulation solution that will be both effective and provide great insulation, but again, we are trying to keep out the moisture.

For that reason, we recommend that you only use closed-cell spray foam insulation on the under-side of a mobile home.  Because it is a closed-cell type foam, it will repel all  water, take up minimal space (approximately 2 inches as opposed to 3-4 inches for open-cell foam insulation), and it will seal the under side of your mobile home and provide structural integrity to the home as well. 

Insulating a mobile home isn’t rocket science, but it is better to know what your options are before writing that check to the guy who wants to put the wrong insulation under your mobile home.  All Year Insulation will come out asses your Houston home insulation needs and give you a FREE estimate on what it will take to insulate your home properly.  Upon agreement, our team will get to work and make sure that your home is properly insulated and maximize your utility bill savings.

Insulating your home is not to be taken lightly.  There is never a one size fits all solution to every home.  Each home is unique in that different people require different aspects of insulation depending on cost and goals.  The main thing we want you to know is that we have your back.  We will find the best, most cost-effective solution for your home that doesn’t deter comfort and we will do our very best to make sure that you are happy.

If you are interested in a free, no obligation estimate for your mobile home, please contact us or on a mobile phone, click the button below.  We look forward to serving you.