The average household spends over $2,000 each year on energy bills alone, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).1 For many families, that’s one of the largest ongoing expenses of homeownership. But what if your home was designed from the ground up to keep energy costs low?

That’s where manufactured homes become a game-changer. These houses are built in a controlled factory setting and adhere to strict regulations that make them more energy efficient. In fact, research shows that manufactured homes use 35% less energy than single-family stick-built homes.2

In this blog, we explore why manufactured homes are so energy efficient and how to maximize this advantage for even more long-term cost savings.

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Why Are Manufactured Homes Energy Efficient?

Hillcrest floor plan kitchen

Manufactured homes go beyond offering a faster, more affordable pathway to homeownership. They also use significantly less energy, both during the manufacturing process and long after you move in.

Below, we take a closer look at some of the reasons why manufactured homes are so energy efficient:

Controlled Construction Environment

Unlike traditional, stick-built houses, manufactured homes are constructed off-site in a controlled environment. This ensures strict oversight and precision craftsmanship at every stage of the manufacturing process.

Manufactured home factories follow a standardized process that is closely monitored from start to finish. This ensures every manufactured home adheres to strict quality assurance standards and HUD compliance. Each home is also tested to make sure it is safe to live in and can withstand extreme weather conditions.

Learn More About How Manufactured Homes are Built

Federal Regulations for Energy Efficiency

Manufactured homes are built to standards set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These building codes ensure every home is energy efficient by outlining specific insulation requirements for the building’s envelope, heating and cooling systems, windows, doors, and more.

To determine these requirements, HUD divides the U.S. into 3 different thermal zones based on climate. These thermal zones are used to specify the amount of insulation a manufactured home needs to withstand the specific weather conditions it will be exposed to.

U.S. Thermal Zones

A map of the U.S., showing the different HUD thermal zones for manufactured homes

There are three thermal zones in the U.S., and the higher the zone number, the more thermal resistance is required.

For example, Zone 1 includes warmer states like Texas, Louisiana, and Florida, so less insulation is generally required in these homes. Meanwhile, Zone 3 includes states in colder regions like Montana, Maine, and Alaska, where homes require more insulation to meet the standards.

These strict federal standards ensure every manufactured home is optimized for energy efficiency based on the climate it will be exposed to.

ENERGY STAR® Certification

A family adjusting a smart thermostat inside a home

While federal codes ensure that all manufactured homes are inherently energy efficient, it doesn’t have to end there. Just like appliances and electronic devices, manufactured homes can be ENERGY STAR® certified, allowing homeowners to enjoy even more energy savings.

ENERGY STAR is a U.S. government-backed labeling program that certifies products and buildings as energy efficient. This certification is based on precise standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE). Manufactured homes with ENERGY STAR certification are up to 10% more energy efficient overall than models built to standard HUD codes.3

Homes must meet minimum requirements to achieve certification, but they can also include additional optional efficiency measures for an improved score:

Energy Star Minimum Requirements

Code specifics are updated every few years, but generally, all manufactured homes must include these features 4 to be ENERGY STAR certified:

  • Programmable thermostats
  • Efficient insulation for walls, floors, ceilings, and ductwork
  • Doors, windows, and skylights that minimize heat transfer
  • Efficient marriage line seals (for multi-section homes only)

Each of these features must meet specific requirements for insulation performance and heat resistance, as outlined by ENERGY STAR. 

Energy Star Additional Measures

Manufactured homes can be given an even higher ENERGY STAR score 4 if they include these additional measures:

  • Heat pump for home heating: worth more points than gas or propane options, delivering 2-4 times more heat energy than the electrical energy it consumes.5
  • LED lighting: all permanently installed fixtures must use LED light bulbs.
  • Low-flow water fixtures: bathroom faucets (≤ 1.5 gallons per minute) and shower heads (2.0 gpm) should be designed to minimize water waste.
  • Appliances: includes an ENERGY STAR certified refrigerator, dishwasher, and clothes washer.
  • Heat pump water heater: worth more points than gas or propane water heaters, operating 2-3 times more efficiently.6

How to Make Your Manufactured Home More Energy Efficient

The exterior of a gray manufactured home with a large green lawn against a blue sky

Even if your manufactured home meets all HUD and ENERGY STAR requirements, there are even more ways you can save on utility costs. The Department of Energy recommends the following retrofits 7 for improving energy efficiency in manufactured homes:

  • Install energy-efficient doors and windows
  • Repair air leaks
  • Install insulated skirting
  • Improve wall insulation
  • Install or repair belly wrap (underbelly)

These retrofits specifically can reduce overall energy consumption by up to 31%.7 Below, we take an even closer look at what these modifications entail, along with other ways you can boost the energy efficiency of a manufactured home:

Install Energy-Efficient Doors and Windows

The living room with view of the covered porch in the Cascadia Value 12321T manufactured home. The Cascadia Value 12321T is a 1 bed, 1 bath, 375 sqft floor plan, manufactured by CAVCO Homes.

Windows and exterior doors can be significant sources of energy waste in any home. Without adequate insulation, heat can easily slip through, making your HVAC system work harder to keep your home cooler or warmer.

Installing energy-efficient windows and entry doors can be a great way to minimize this issue. In fact, just replacing old windows with ENERGY STAR options is enough to reduce household energy bills by up to 13%.8

Fortify Air Leak Points

Another simple but effective way to level up your manufactured home’s energy efficiency is to fortify any air leak points. An air leak point is any area of a home where conditioned indoor air can escape, and unconditioned outdoor air can enter. If you’ve ever felt a draft in your home, it was likely caused by an air leak point.

Common areas include plumbing vents, recessed lighting fixtures, wiring holes, and window or door frames. Fortifying these air leak points helps improve your home’s overall insulation and reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 15%.9

Weatherstripping

Weatherstripping is an inexpensive way to seal air leaks around your home. It involves using specialized tape, foam, or felt strips to make windows and doors more airtight. While it’s a small fix, it can have a major impact on the entire home’s insulation.

Seal Ducts and Gaps

Caulk is a flexible sealant made from acrylic latex, silicone, or other polymers. Re-caulking around gaps in ductwork, windows, doors, and anywhere utility lines enter the home will create a tight seal and prevent air leaks.

Check Door Sweeps

Door sweeps are metal, plastic, or rubber strips you can install on the bottom of a door to prevent air loss. However, they can wear down over time and become less effective. Check your door sweeps to make sure they’re in good condition and replace them if necessary.

Install Insulated Skirting

A blue manufactured home with a large front lawn and lots of trees.

Skirting is the material that covers the crawl space beneath your home. It’s not only a barrier against weather and pests, but also an opportunity to improve your home’s insulation.

Adding insulated skirting around the base of your home helps reduce heat loss through the floors. By creating a barrier against wind and outside temperatures, it keeps your floors warmer in winter and cooler in summer for optimal efficiency.

As a licensed general contractor, Len’s Home Center is fully qualified to install skirting for you as an additional service.

Learn More About Our General Contractor Services

Improve Wall Insulation

Wall insulation is critical for keeping any home energy efficient. However, over time, factors like natural settling, moisture exposure, or even pests can reduce insulation performance.

Adding or upgrading insulation is a smart way to restore efficiency, prevent heat loss, and keep your home comfortable through every season.

Install or Repair Belly Wrap

The belly wrap (sometimes called the underbelly or vapor barrier) is a barrier that protects insulation and ductwork beneath a manufactured home. It’s usually made of polyethylene sheeting, sometimes woven with fabric or coated for extra water resistance.

Without an adequate belly wrap, moisture, air, or pests can degrade insulation and reduce efficiency over time. Repairing or installing a new underbelly can restore the thermal barrier and keep your home energy efficient.

Improve Roof Insulation or Add a Roof Cap

The exterior of a light green manufactured home against a blue sky, showing the concept of manufactured homes being a good investment

The roof is a critical area for energy efficiency. Since heat naturally rises, it can either build up in the ceiling area or too much of it can escape. That’s why roofing insulation is important, since it creates a thermal barrier to regulate heat transfer and maintain efficiency.

You can also consider adding a roof cap. This protective layer is installed on the highest point of the roof and facilitates ventilation.

  • In the summer: Hot air naturally rises and gets trapped. An efficient roof cap creates a pathway for this hot air to escape.
  • In the winter: During cold weather, a roof cap helps mitigate moisture and humidity buildup by providing a pathway for it to escape. This not only prevents mold and rot, but also helps maintain the effectiveness of insulation—reducing heat loss and HVAC strain.

Balancing roofing insulation with proper ventilation lowers the load on your HVAC system, which can reduce energy consumption and utility bills.

Upgrade Older Appliances

Outdated tech and daily wear-and-tear can make appliances less effective over time. This means the older they get, the more energy they consume. For example, refrigerators over 10 years old cost nearly twice as much to operate compared to a new ENERGY STAR fridge.10

Replacing older appliances with modern ENERGY STAR-rated options helps improve energy efficiency and reduce ongoing costs.

Maintain HVAC Systems

HVAC systems need regular maintenance to stay functional and efficient. This involves regularly changing the furnace filter and scheduling professional servicing at least once a year. Using a smart thermostat is also a great way to reduce strain on your HVAC system and lower heating and cooling costs. These devices automatically optimize settings based on your schedule and preferences and can help you save up to 8% on your energy bill.11

Upgrade to LED Lighting

LED light bulbs use up to 75% less energy while lasting 25 times longer than traditional incandescent options.12 Upgrading to LED lighting fixtures can reduce both power consumption and energy costs.

Shop Energy Efficient Manufactured Homes in Oregon

An efficient home makes it possible to live comfortably year-round while saving money on energy costs. Manufactured homes are some of the most energy-efficient structures available, thanks to their unique construction process and regulations. It gets better: with the right professionals by your side, buying a manufactured home is a breeze.

At Len’s Home Center, we have over 50 years of experience helping people reach their dream of homeownership in Oregon. As a full-service manufactured home retailer and contractor, we’re here to guide you through the entire process from start to finish.

Ready to find your dream home? Contact us online today or call (541)-269-9326 to take the first step.

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References

  1. Why energy efficiency matters. (n.d.). Energy.gov. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/why-energy-efficiency-matters 
  2. Talbot, J. (n.d.). Mobilizing Energy Efficiency in the Manufactured Housing Sector. American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE). https://www.aceee.org/sites/default/files/publications/researchreports/a124.pdf  
  3. Manufactured Housing | NASEO. (n.d.). https://www.naseo.org/issues/buildings/manufactured  
  4. ENERGY STAR Manufactured New Homes National Program Requirements, Version 3. (n.d.). Energy Star. https://www.energystar.gov/sites/default/files/asset/document.pdf
  5. Air-Source heat pumps. (n.d.). Energy.gov. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/air-source-heat-pumps  
  6. Heat pump water heaters. (n.d.). Energy.gov. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/heat-pump-water-heaters  
  7. Energy-Efficient manufactured homes. (n.d.). Energy.gov. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/energy-efficient-manufactured-homes  
  8. Residential windows, doors, & skylights. (n.d.). ENERGY STAR. https://www.energystar.gov/products/res_windows_doors_skylights 
  9. Methodology for estimated energy savings. (n.d.). ENERGY STAR. https://www.energystar.gov/saveathome/seal_insulate/methodology 
  10. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). (2009). Opportunities for ENERGY STAR retailers and manufacturers. In ENERGY STAR. https://www.energystar.gov/ia/products/recycle/documents/CoolChange_RetailAndMfgOpportunities_FINAL_V2.pdf 
  11. ENERGY STAR Smart Thermostats FAQs for EEPS. (n.d.-d). ENERGY STAR. https://www.energystar.gov/products/heating_cooling/smart_thermostats/smart_thermostat_faq 
  12. LED Lighting. (n.d.-d). Energy.gov. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/led-lighting