If you have a mobile home or if you live in a manufactured home, you will definitely need to install an air conditioning unit.
In summer, it will be indispensable, and in winter, you will be able to use it for warming the air indoors.
However, when it comes to air conditioning units for mobile homes or manufactured homes, people often start wondering: what type of AC unit would be the best one?
So if you have also faced an issue of choosing a proper mobile home AC unit, we recommend you read this article very attentively.
From this one, you will learn about the best ac units for mobile homes, but this is going to be just the beginning!
In addition, we will tell you more about each type of these air conditioning units, share information on installation process prices, and even share a few tips on how to choose an air conditioning unit of the proper size.
The Best Air Conditioners For Mobile Homes
So, you are the happy owner of a mobile home or a manufactured home. Congrats!
But once summer comes, you might start wondering how you could improve your home by installing an air conditioning unit.
Especially if you live in the area with a warm or even hot climate!
But since both mobile homes and manufactured homes are not very large and their owners appreciate every single inch of space they have, installing an air conditioning system might become an issue for them.
How to choose the most suitable type of unit and save as much space as we can at the same time?
This is one of the most frequent questions, in fact.
Fortunately, there are several options that exist on the market of air conditioners these days that you can choose from. Below, we have prepared a list of the best mobile home air conditioners that you can take into consideration.
Ductless Air Conditioning Systems
This is one of the best air conditioners for mobile homes. Such mini split systems like central systems have two major working components: One of them is an outdoor unit compressor (also called a condenser), and another one is an indoor air handling unit.
And a conduit that houses power, refrigerant, suction and drain that connects the indoor and outdoor units.
The most significant advantages that come with installing these mini split systems are their small size first of all, and then also flexibility in zoning for air conditioning/heating.
And of course, let’s not forget about the ease in air conditioning and heating installation. Moreover, mini split systems have no ducts as in a central forced air system, thus they can avoid up to thirty percent in energy loss which will be saving you quite a significant energy cost.
If you would like to check out their pros and cons briefly, here is the comparison for you:
Pros:
- There is no duct installation
- Each air unit can evenly distribute air through the whole home and every room
- The installation is easy
Cons:
- It can be expensive
- The air is not filtered as well as in a ducted system
- As the unit ages, maintaining it becomes more difficult
- If the unit is placed in every room, it can look aesthetically not very nice
Packaged Air Conditioning Systems
This type of air conditioning unit is another best AC for mobile homes and manufactured homes that have limited space inside for installing air conditioning units and air handlers.
Packaged systems are those that contain both the compressor/condenser and air handler, all in one unit, that is located outdoors.
As a result of such location, this system saves you the space for your living area comfort which is so much valued by all the mobile home owners.
Packaged air conditioners typically come with electric heating coils or a natural gas furnace.
As a result, such a combination of air conditioner and central heater excludes the need for a separate furnace inside.
Packaged air systems combine all the units of a mini split system into one outdoor unit positioned generally on a slab.
As for the brief check out of its pros and cons, here they come for you:
Pros:
- Great choice for those who have limited space
- It can heat or cool the entire house/building
- It is rather cheap
Cons:
- Not energy efficient
Central Air Conditioning System
One more option to consider if you are looking for a proper and suitable air conditioning to install in your mobile or manufactured home.
These are the most popular air conditioning systems that are available on the market today.
Central air systems use an indoor evaporator in order to absorb heat and a separate unit located outside to disburse the heat.
This type of air conditioning unit is generally cost efficient, nevertheless, it still requires a furnace inside the mobile or manufactured home.
As you probably know, the majority of mobile homes and manufactured homes already come with a furnace unit installed inside the home.
So in case you are considering adding central air conditioning to your mobile or manufactured home, the crucial factor that may influence your final decision might be the need for duct work.
To be brief on its pros and cons< here they are.
Pros:
- It is energy efficient
- Most homes already have a network of air ducts so the installation is not difficult
- It can be found at affordable price
Cons:
- It can be expensive to install if your home does not have a network of air ducts
- It can look bad or feel cramped in small homes
Window Air Conditioning System
Finally, here is another, very popular AC system that is often used for mobile and manufactured homes.
The mobile home window air conditioner is also often called a wall shaker because it is one of the AC units that is the easiest to install and besides, it is one of the most affordable ones.
This type of AC unit is still so popular because a window air conditioner does not have to meet the energy efficient standards or even to provide heat!
It means that it lowers its cost.
However, if you decide to opt for this one, take into consideration that they tend to create quite a lot of noise while working (this is another reason why they are called wall shakers!).
This is why we would recommend using them for a small space and for a limited period of time.
If we speak of this option’s pros and cons, we would point out the following ones.
Pros:
- Cheap
- Affordable
- Comes in handy in limited spaces
As for the cons, they may become quite essential for some homeowners:
- The unit is very noisy
- Most models do not provide heat
- Not very energy efficient
- It draws a lot of amperage so it needs its own separate wiring
So now you know what types of air conditioners are considered to be the best for being installed in both mobile homes and manufactured homes.
And now, let’s figure out how big they should be to take the minimum amount of space that is so much valued in this type of household.
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What Is the Right Size Of the AC Unit For Mobile Homes?
When choosing what mobile home AC unit to buy, you might definitely want to know what size it should be.
Since mobile homes and manufactured homes have limited amounts of space, their owners will value each inch and won’t buy an AC unit that might take up half of their home!
So when it comes to manufactured and/or mobile homes, you can see that most of them will have the package air conditioner system for both heating and cooling.
That is quite easy to explain, in fact.
People choose this type of air conditioner simply because it is easier to install a large box near their homes rather than doing it inside.
However, it does not mean that mobile homes cannot also have other AC units! If the size of the home allows that, larger units can also be installed.
In order to figure out what the right size for your mobile home might be, you will need to take a look at the manufacturer’s data plate first of all.
This plate should have the information regarding the recommended maximum BTU’s of capacity that should be installed in your mobile or manufactured home.
We know that many of you may ask how to convert the BTU into tons.
Well, here is the key: just divide the numbers by 12,000.
That means, for example, if your data plate says that you should not exceed 37,500 BTU, then you should not install an AC system that is larger than three ton.
Also, we would like to remind you of one important factor. It is not recommended to buy an air conditioner that is larger than your mobile home can allow!
The reason for that is pretty simple – if the air conditioner system is more powerful than it is recommended, then your home can be cooled way too fast. As a result, it can prevent the cooling coils from removing the moisture from the air and bring it to the comfortable level!
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How Much Does Air Conditioning Cost For Mobile Homes?
Naturally, when you decide to get an air conditioner for your mobile home, you would like to know how much a mobile home ac installation might cost you.
At this point, we would suggest you always hire an air conditioner contractor for installation!
Like that, you can be sure that the procedure will be done correctly, fast and properly, according to all the prescribed rules and recommendations.
So you better pay somewhat more for hiring a professional but having a safe air conditioner later, than doing everything yourself and facing issues afterwards.
As for the price for installing a mobile home ac unit, we would suggest you make use of one of the many online unit load calculators. They will help you to figure out the price range for your home more or less precisely.
However, if you just want at least some general numbers, it is a common rule that every 500 or 600 square feet need one ton of cooling.
So when you install an air conditioner in your mobile home, consider the following: window air conditioners are always the cheapest option. As a result, their price approximately varies from 300 dollars to 1200 dollars.
As for the central units, their prices may range between 3000 bucks and 7000 bucks respectively.
The exact amount will depend on the air conditioner brand you choose, as well as on the cost of assistants who would install it.
So, ladies and gentlemen, now you know a lot about mobile home air conditioners!
We hope that this information will help you to choose the AC unit that will be the most fitting and the most suitable for your home and make your living space even cozier and comfier than it is now.
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