What AC Unit is Right for My Mobile Home?

Finding the right central air conditioning system for a mobile home is important to maintaining a comfortable environment. An air conditioner performs two functions. The first is to lower the temperature of the area by removing heat. The second is to remove excess humidity from the air. If the unit is too small, it will labor to cool the home especially during the warmest times. However, if the unit is too large, it will have difficulty removing the humidity that builds up in the home, which can result in mold, mildew and condensation around the floor registers. To determine the best system, you will need to consider the following factors.

What is the square footage of the home?

The home's square footage should appear on the sales contract, title, tax statement or the permanent tag affixed to the home. If you have made alterations, such as adding a room, you will need to add that square footage to the original home's number. Should you be unable to locate a document with the footage, you can calculate it by multiplying the home's width by its length.

When was the home manufactured?

Mobile homes made during or after October 1994 have had to meet a higher standard for insulation. This means that older homes may need a bit more cooling power. If you have an older mobile home, you might need to consult with a contractor who has experience with HVAC systems for mobile homes.

Here are some more tips to help you find the right system:

1. Purchase your unit from a company that specializes in mobile home parts. A unit built for a traditional home often costs more for the same capacity than a unit designed specifically for mobile homes.
2. A package unit that includes the furnace is typically a better investment than trying to purchase the heating and cooling units separately.
3. The permanent tag affixed to your mobile home may indicate the size of cooling system that the manufacturer recommended. These are often stated in terms of BTUs, while systems are normally stated in tons. To convert, divide the BTUs by 12,000. To illustrate, if the tag recommends a unit not to exceed 36,000 BTUs, you will likely need a three-ton central unit.
4. Purchase a unit with a rating of at least 13 SEER, which stands for seasonal energy efficiency ratio. Higher SEER ratings indicate better energy efficiency. If you live in a hotter climate, you will likely be better off to purchase a unit rated at 16 SEER.

The Perfect Garden Tub for Your Bathroom

The perfect bathtub can be a sanctuary that allows you to forget about the stresses of your day. As such, choosing a tub for your bathroom comes down to a few things: space, design and comfort. When trying to distinguish between different types of tubs, it’s key to note that Garden tubs offer several advantages over traditional tubs and come with plenty of space to enhance your bathing experience. Garden tubs integrate into larger mobile home master bathrooms, have wide, deep sides and typically lack a shower head and jets. However, the garden tub offered by MobileHomePartsDepot.com is available in a Whirlpool model by special order.

Because of its dimensions, this model requires a lot of space and becomes the focal point in the master bathroom. In fact, its 54x40-inch size makes it easily visible from the bedroom and creates an oasis appeal from a distance.

Designed with a slip-resistant floor, this tub ensures maximum safety for kids, adults and seniors when stepping into and out of the bath using the built-in step. Because of its fiberglass construction, it holds up well to years of consistent use and cleans easily with regular tub cleaner.

Available in white or almond color, this tub complements any modern or traditional bathroom setting. Lastly, its deep volume provides total body submersion, which is hard to find in traditional tubs.

Soaking in a hot bath relaxes your mind, relieves stress, and helps reduce aches and pain. Make sure to give yourself every opportunity to enjoy moments like these by installing a high-quality garden tub in your mobile home. You won’t regret it.

Give Your Mobile Home More Curb Appeal

Transform your mobile home's exterior for maximum curb appeal with our selection of mobile home parts. You probably spend a lot of time decorating the inside of your home and making sure the decor complements each room, but how much effort goes into the outside of your mobile home? With just a few items and a sunny weekend, you can create an entirely new look and enhance your home in no time.

Start With Landscaping

Create a new entranceway to your front door with a series of stepping stones in the yard. To each side, plant a row of flowers and small shrubs to accentuate the new walking path. In addition, have the stepping stones lead to fiberglass steps for a brand new look.

New fiberglass steps make your mobile home more inviting, and their 12-inch depth offers an easy, comfortable way for you and your visitors to enter your home. Because our steps have a slip-resistant surface and mimic the look of stone, they provide safety in wet conditions and match the look of your new stepping stones.

For even more visual appeal, add our decorative stair railings to your fiberglass steps. Depending on your mobile home's entrance, you can choose between single and dual railings. Adding railings not only creates a pleasant look but also improves safety for everyone who walks up the steps.

Create a Solid Foundation

Give your mobile home the look of a solid foundation with vinyl skirting panels. Skirting panels not only create a uniform appearance around your mobile home, but they also keep out unwanted pests and animals and protect your home from damage. Furthermore, they prevent rainwater from blowing in and causing soil erosion under your home.

Vinyl skirting panels benefit your home in other ways, from offering weatherproofing to adding a pop of color. In fact, skirting panels come in a variety of colors and instantly breathe new life into your mobile home. If you add stepping stones and fiberglass steps, pick skirting panels with a pebblestone color to complement your new additions.

With new steps, stones and skirting in place, step back and view your mobile home's transformation. Accentuate your exterior even more with louvered or raised-panel shutters, and tie the look together with a brand new vinyl-steel combination door. From fiberglass steps to vinyl skirting, upgrade your home's exterior with the help of MobileHomePartsDepot.com.

Energy Savings Tips for Summer

When summer arrives, it is time to deal with the warm outside temperatures. Often, this means running the air conditioner to stay cool indoors. When living in a mobile home, this can cause a great increase in electric bill costs. To avoid the expense and be friendlier to the environment, it will be helpful to learn some tips to save energy.

Seal Doors and Windows

As summer approaches, it will be important to stay cool. When the air conditioner is on, it is imperative for the cool air to remain inside. Often, mobile homes have poorly sealed doors and windows. This allows warm air to enter and cold air to escape. In the end, the air conditioner will have to run harder to maintain the same temperature.

To make sure these leaks do not occur, it is wise to inspect the spaces surrounding the mobile home's doors and windows. If it is not possible to block the leaks, it may be time to select new windows or doors. Besides being energy efficient, the numerous style choices will update the look of a home as well.

Maintain the Air Conditioning Unit

The best way to make sure an air conditioner is ready for summer is to perform regular maintenance on the unit. The most common chore that assures few problems is cleaning the filter. Every few months, it may be wise to invest in a new filter. Not only will the unit function better, it will also save energy as well.

Replace the Light Bulbs

Although summer is a season filled with sunlight, it will still be necessary to turn on the lamps from time to time. To make things more energy efficient, it is possible to replace old light bulbs with newer energy saving fluorescent models. These bulbs use up to a quarter less energy than traditional bulbs. Lowering the energy usage will create a nice savings at the end of each month.

Cover the Windows

A smart way to keep the heat from the sun out of a mobile home is to keep the windows covered. Window blinds are easy to hang and do not interfere with existing curtains. They will increase privacy and help keep interior temperatures lower. This means that an air conditioner will not need to work as hard. These blinds are available in various sizes to accommodate all windows as well.

Coat the Roof

Something most people forget about is the roof of a home. However, this is one of the first places to consider taking measures to save energy. Many products on the market are made to coat the roof of a mobile home and reflect the warmth of the sun. This will keep interior temperature much lower. A white roof coating will reflect up to 85 percent of the sun's rays. This type of product is simple to apply, especially with a quality roof coating brush and handle.

Use Appliances Wisely

To save energy during the summertime, it is vital to understand how to use appliances wisely. For instance, to keep indoor temperatures down, it is wise to run the dishwasher or dryer at night. It is also better to cook dinner on the barbecue instead of baking in the oven. Lastly, it is important to unplug appliances or other electronics when they are not in use.

Setting the Thermostat Correctly

When your air conditioner is connected to your thermostat, remember to set the temperature to the highest level possible that maintains comfort. It is recommended to set the dial at 78 degrees or higher when at home and 85 degrees while away. This will prevent the A/C unit from running when it is not necessary. It may also be helpful to turn the hot water heater to 120 degrees. Both of these measures will help save energy during summer months.

Insulate

The best way to make a mobile home energy efficient is to add insulation under the roof and underneath the base. This will protect the home from the elements and help maintain the interior temperatures. In other words, it will remain warm in winter and cool in the summer.

The above tips should help a person save energy in a mobile home during the warm months of summer. They require simple effort but will bring many positive benefits. In the end, using less energy will lower monthly utility bills and help the environment as well.

8 Items to Keep Your Mobile Home Safe

Safety is one of the top concerns for mobile-home owners as well as for conventional-home owners. A thorough inspection of your mobile home may reveal some features you can upgrade and some features you can add that will increase the safety of your family and guests.

Smoke and Carbon-Monoxide Alarms

Early warning systems are important features that help save lives and property, and we have a good selection of alarms that will give you peace of mind concerning fire, smoke and carbon monoxide. Keep a smoke alarm near every sleeping room and living area and select electric or battery-powered detectors. Protect your family from carbon-monoxide poisoning by purchasing a carbon-monoxide detector as well. Our carbon-monoxide detectors powered by lithium batteries have sensor-life monitors, electrochemical sensors and are resistant to tampering. Additionally, a combo alarm combines a smoke detector and a carbon-monoxide detector in one unit for economy and efficiency.

Fire Extinguishers

Made especially for kitchen fires, our kitchen fire extinguishers are effective for electrical, oil and flammable-liquid fires. The fire-fighting contents of the extinguishers are not corrosive and surfaces with which they come in contact are easy to clean.

Our heavy-duty, multipurpose fire extinguishers are rechargeable and valuable tools for controlling fires fueled by electricity, liquids, paper, wood and trash. Keep them in convenient locations where you can reach them quickly if necessary.

Lighting

Well-lit spaces provide extra measures of safety both inside and outside your mobile home. Exterior lighting discourages intruders by making your home more visible and less attractive to anyone with criminal intentions. Further, you can walk around outside without stumbling on objects left in your driveway or on the sidewalk when you have adequate outdoor lighting, and our lighted assist handles help you locate doors easily. Sufficient indoor lighting helps prevent tripping or stumbling in your home after the sun goes down. We have a wide range of light fixtures, bulbs and shades, including dome lights, ceiling lights, the popular Europa lights, appliance bulbs, chandelier bulbs, a variety of outdoor and indoor shades and even skylights.

Railings and Steps

Guarding against falls at the entries to your home is easy and inexpensive when you install railings along the steps. Our rail mounts have pre-drilled holes for faster installation, and prices start at less than $30. If your steps are cracked or broken, replace them with our fiberglass steps that have textured, slip-resistant surfaces to give a better foothold in any weather. Receding risers allow the steps to offer 12 inches of space for feet and provide a contemporary appearance as well.

Doors, Guards and Viewers

In addition to our standard, manufactured-home doors, we offer doors made of thick, high-quality, vinyl-laminated, galvanized steel to provide greater protection. Comparable to those on site-built homes, the doors have additional value because they feature insulation of energy-efficient polyurethane, and you can add one of our decorative door lights to enhance the appearance of the doors.

Our doorknockers include viewers that let you see who is on the other side of your doors before you open them, and chain guards allow you to open doors enough to speak to people without admitting them into your home.

Locks

Locks provide security for your family and your possessions. We have an array of locks, including single and double-cylinder, stainless or brass dead bolts, storm-door closers and latches and patio-door locks, and we offer the kits that make installation simple.

Anchors

Mobile homes constructed in factories and delivered to their home sites do not have as much structural support as do standard homes built on site. Because mobile homes are lighter, which makes them easy to transport, they may not be sturdy enough to withstand the winds of a strong tornado. Although it is best to get out of mobile homes if threatened by a tornado, it may not always be possible to leave before a storm hits the area. There are ways to make your home safer during extremely windy conditions, including anchoring it down securely. In addition, you can prevent outdoor sheds and other heavy objects like swing sets from becoming flying missiles if you anchor them into the ground as well.

We have the supplies you need to secure your home, like anchor machines and adapters, anchor/stabilizers, patio anchors, J-rod concrete anchors, eye anchors, rock anchors and rods, double-helix anchors, double-head anchors and stabilizer plates.

Warning Signs

Because mobile homes are relatively easy to transport, you may want to literally move your home when you transfer to another location, and our moving and setup equipment will help you make the move safely and efficiently. Tarp straps, longitudinal struts and beam clamps are some of the supplies you will need. If you plan to transport the home yourself, you will also want items to promote safety on the road, like red flags, light bars or strobe beacons and signs warning other motorists about your large load.

Five Upgrades for Your Mobile Home Kitchen

Some people decide to upgrade a mobile home and add personalized touches to the space. This eliminates the factory-made appearance. Since most budgets are tight, a great room to consider renovating is the kitchen. This is the area that is used the most and tends to become a gathering point during parties or family get togethers. Here are five upgrades that will create a unique look in a mobile home's kitchen without breaking the bank.

Change the Faucets

For an instant upgrade to a mobile home's kitchen, it is wise to replace the sink faucet. This is one of the most affordable upgrades as well. Few people realize the big impact that results from replacing such a small fixture. It is possible to choose from a wide variety of fancy faucet options. For instance, choosing a brushed metal or chrome finish will bring shine and class to the room. Selecting a gooseneck design with teapot handles will add elegance to any kitchen.

When changing a faucet in a mobile home, it is wise to replace the stiff water lines as well. The ends of the lines often crack and cause leaks. Replacement will prevent problems down the road.

Replace the Ceiling

One of the first places a mobile home's kitchen begins to show its age is the ceiling. There are numerous ways to upgrade this item. If no leaks are present, it is easy to apply a coat of paint over the area. Many mobile homes have unflattering "popcorn" designs as well. This can be easily removed with some sanding. If it is necessary to replace the ceiling due to water damage, there are some great panel options available. For example, many designs include attractive texturing and code-approved moisture retarder that will not sag.

Consider New Cabinets or Refacing

Many cabinets found in mobile homes are commonly made from pressed boards instead of strong plywood. This can become an eyesore that must be replaced. However, solid wood can be expensive and heavy. To cut the cost, there are numerous discount retailers that provide a wide variety of options. It is essential to hang them correctly and with the right tools, so the cabinets remain on the wall without falling.

If a person is buying new cabinets, it may be smart to purchase a few extra. These will make a wonderful base for a kitchen island. To complete the look, a piece of laminate countertop or wood can be applied to the top.

If the cabinet frames are solid, it may be possible to resurface the existing doors and save a great deal of money. Painting or using a wood laminate covering will definitely boost the appeal in the kitchen. A nice touch would be adding a few glass inserts into the existing cabinet doors as well.

Install New Appliances

Besides improving the overall aesthetics of a mobile home's kitchen, installing new appliances will make it function better as well. There are a wide variety of colors and materials available. Stainless steel is extremely modern and will add a very space-aged feel to the kitchen. Matching the stove and refrigerator will give a great uniform look. It may be wise to install a new sink as well. Sinks are usually inexpensive. A shiny new sink will provide extra appeal to the room. However, it is important to make sure the unit is made for use in a mobile home.

Replace the Floor and Backsplash

Most original mobile home flooring is made of particle board. This breaks down easily and absorbs water, which makes it a poor choice in a kitchen. Often, this material soaks up wetness and begins to rot. Many times, the floor begins to feel like a sponge.

Even if the floor seems like it is in good condition, cheap linoleum is usually used as the floor covering. To update the look, it will be necessary to get rid of the old flooring. This includes the sub-flooring as well. After the particle board is removed, a layer of plywood should be nailed into place. Vinyl tile will be the cheapest and most durable covering choice. It is possible to select a tile for both the floor and a new backsplash. This will tie the design into the whole decor of the room. A great way to finish the room is with a decorative crown molding.

When a person is upgrading a mobile home's kitchen, the above tips should provide some creative ideas. Although space is commonly limited, it is possible to make the most out of every inch and create a functional and modern room.

External Upgrades for Your Mobile Home

Breathe new life into the appearance of your mobile home with external upgrades from MobileHomePartsDepot.com. If you're bored with the way your mobile home looks, there are plenty of quick, easy, affordable fixes. From installing new siding to swapping out that old door for something with a little more flair, you'll find all sorts of solutions in our online store. Before looking for external upgrades for your mobile home, though, get a little inspiration by considering a few prime ideas. We've come up with a handful of exciting ways to spice up the exterior of your mobile home.

Create a Stylish Focal Point with a New Exterior Door

Believe it or not, one of the first things people notice when looking at a mobile home is its door. After all, it's the main entryway into the home, and it is usually positioned front and center. If the main door on your mobile home has seen better days, swapping it out for something new and stylish can work all kinds of wonders. Solid doors offer superior security and can be painted in a countless number of ways. Doors with semicircle windows and cottage windows allow light into the home while dressing up its exterior. Our exterior doors are durable, stylish and easy to install.

Upgrade Your Siding to Transform Your Mobile Home

There are lots of advantages to investing in new siding for a mobile home. From a strictly aesthetic standpoint, new siding is one of the quickest, easiest ways to change a home's appearance. There are lots of top-notch options out there when it comes to siding, and vinyl siding is among the best around. You can take your pick from all kinds of colors, finishes and styles to ensure that your mobile home looks absolutely perfect from top to bottom.

Try a Skirting or Underpinning Kit

Whether your existing skirting is dirty, dingy and dinged up or if your mobile home doesn't have
skirting at all, new skirting is a fantastic way to upgrade your home's appearance. With underpinning and skirting kits from MobileHomePartsDepot.com installing new skirting or underpinning couldn't be easier. We stock a variety of styles, finishes and colors, so you can easily find something that works well with the current design of your home. Whether you choose something that matches perfectly or opt for something that contrasts a little, you'll be blown away by the results.

Install Shutters to Jazz Things Up a Little

It's amazing what something as simple as window shutters can do for the appearance of a mobile home. Perhaps your home currently has shutters, but they are in pretty bad shape. Maybe you're just bored with how they look. It might even be that your mobile home doesn't have shutters at all. Whatever the case may be, new shutters are sure to give your home a much-needed boost in the style department. Take your pick from many colors and finishes, and be sure to consider raised panel and louvered shutters as well.

Invest in New Steps

If your mobile home has stairs or steps leading to its front door, they're sure to put up with a lot of abuse. Over time, they'll start looking pretty unattractive. A great way to bolster the curb appeal of your home is by investing in new steps. MobileHomePartsDepot.com stocks well-designed, attractive steps for mobile homes, and they are very easy to install. By doing away with those unattractive old steps and replacing them with something a little more stylish, you can quickly upgrade the exterior of your home.

Try French or Patio Doors for a Fun New Look

Like many mobile homes, yours may have a very simple back door leading out to the yard. New
French doors or patio doors are the perfect way to enhance the style of a mobile home, and they make it a lot easier to get in and out the back of the home too. French doors are really nice because they allow in plenty of light. This helps to create the illusion of extra space inside the home, so this upgrade works wonders on the interior as well as the exterior.

Upgrade Your Mobile Home Now!

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of upgrading the exterior of your mobile home. However, it's sure to be much easier than you think. The trick to doing it correctly is investing in high-quality parts and accessories, and that's precisely what you'll find at MobileHomePartsDepot.com. We carry everything you need to give your mobile home a much-needed face-lift, and our products are very affordable. Before you know it, you will have what you need to transform the exterior of your home, and its curb appeal will go through the roof!