It’s not your imagination. Mobile homes lose heat differently than other houses.
If you live in a mobile home in Michigan, you already know the feeling: the furnace is running, the thermostat says 70, and your feet are still cold. There’s a band of cold air that seems to hover a couple feet off the floor no matter how high you turn the heat.
That cold zone has a name in the industry. Some people call it the death zone. It’s the layer of air that sits just above a poorly insulated floor, and it’s one of the most common complaints we hear from mobile homeowners across Michigan.
It usually isn’t the furnace
Most people’s first move is to call about the furnace. In a lot of cases, the furnace is working exactly the way it’s supposed to. The problem is the building around it.
Where mobile homes actually lose heat
• The underbelly — the wrap beneath the floor that protects the insulation often tears over time from age, moisture, or rodent damage
• Gaps around skirting that let cold outside air reach the underside of the floor • Duct runs beneath the floor that lose heated air before it ever reaches a vent • Older windows and doors that were never well sealed to begin with
In many older mobile homes, the underbelly material has been damaged for years without anyone realizing it. Once it tears, the insulation above it gets wet, compresses, and stops doing its job. The result is exactly what you’re feeling: cold floors, a furnace that runs constantly, and a bill that doesn’t match the comfort you’re getting.
Why turning up the heat doesn’t solve it
Raising the thermostat just asks the furnace to work harder against the same leaks. It doesn’t fix the underbelly, the skirting gaps, or the duct losses. It just costs more every month while the underlying problem stays exactly the same.
What actually fixes a cold mobile home
• Repairing or replacing damaged underbelly material
• Adding or upgrading floor insulation
• Air sealing around skirting, windows, doors, and penetrations
• Sealing and insulating ductwork that runs beneath the home
Depending on your income and location, Michigan energy programs may help cover some or all of these improvements for qualifying mobile homeowners.
Where we work
Grand Rapids and West Michigan
• Holland and the Lakeshore
• Marquette and the Upper Peninsula
• Metro Detroit
• Many additional Michigan communities
Tired of cold floors and high bills?
A home energy assessment can tell you exactly what’s happening underneath your home and what it would take to fix it.
■ Call Great Lakes Weatherization today
■ Visit our website to learn more
■ Schedule a free mobile home energy assessment