How Bad Is It Not to Have Insulation Under Your Mobile Home?
Updated on Feb 16, 2023
9 Minute Read

How Bad Is It Not to Have Insulation Under Your Mobile Home?

What to insulate your mobile home with and what you should expect if not doing that. All information in one place

Living in a mobile home is a convenient alternative to apartments since you have your own piece of land to dwell on. But also, these compact houses are perfect for those who don’t want to waste time on big gardens or maintain the land around their house.

However, even mobile homes have one weak point, and that is their insulation. If you are living in a mobile home that has no insulation, your electricity bills will be huge! But except for this nuance, there are a few more that are good to know about if you have not installed proper insulation underneath your home.

Want to know what you shall expect if your mobile home is not properly insulated or it is not insulated at all? Then keep on reading! We prepared a lot of useful information for you today.

How Important Is Insulating Under a Mobile Home?

Having proper insulation under your mobile home is an essential requirement if you want to live in a comfortable place. Why is that? Well, simply check out the most important reasons you should install it immediately:

6 reasons to install insulation in your home

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  1. It will reduce your energy bills
  2. It will result in less heat loss
  3. It gives your home even more protection
  4. It will make your house better protected against sound pollution
  5. It prevents pests from getting inside of your house
  6. It adds value to the property (in case you decide to sell it one day)

With all these benefits, it is obvious that installing decent insulation is a must. Since such houses are typically made of fiberglass and metal, they lack that important protection between the house and its surrounding.

As a result, your HVAC system is actually pumping heat into a space that is not able to hold it! And things are not getting better with the windows either. On sunny or windy days, you may bypass the heating and cooling systems.

And now let’s take a closer look at each of the benefits you will get if you insulate under your mobile home.

How Important Is Insulating Under a Mobile Home

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Reducing Energy Bills

Well, this is obvious. Without insulating your mobile home, your energy bills will be cosmic since the house will not be able to hold the heat from the HVAC system in and thus it will be working in vain.

However, if you do install proper insulation underneath your mobile house, it will be keeping the furnace or air conditioning from working too hard which obviously saves your money. According to the official EPA data, an average mobile home owner is able to save up to fifteen percent on energy costs by simply installing insulation!

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Decrease Of Heat Loss

When your mobile house is not insulated at all, it is losing heat that leaks away through the floor. This is why insulating your mobile home floor will allow you to ensure that you will not have to face harsh winters in future.

Better Home Protection

When using certain materials for insulating mobile home floors, it is even possible to make your living space better protected and increase its structure support! For instance, if you insulate your mobile house with the closed-cell spray foam, it will be blocking air way more effectively. As a result, your entire home will increase its sturdiness during the windy time.

In addition, such type of insulation is more durable in comparison to, let’s say, fiberglass one. A closed-cell foam will last approximately three to four times longer!

No Sound Pollution

If you like listening to very loud music or you have very noisy kids or pets, think of insulation for your mobile home that has a sound-dampening effect. Any insulating materials that have NRC rating of 0.75 or higher will do well for this purpose (for instance, fiberglass).

Like this, you will be sure that your neighbors will not be disturbed by the sounds and noises from your home, and vice versa.

No sound pollution

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Better Pest Control

Pests are a huge problem for those who live in a house. Especially if it is a mobile home and it is not insulated! Luckily, you can relatively easily cope with this issue by insulating your mobile home walls and floor.

As an example, closed-cell spray will be able to create a physical barrier that will easily stop minor pests, such as bugs or vermin, from getting inside your house using its floor as a door. And let’s be honest, when we don’t have to deal with pest control, our life becomes only better!

Higher Property Value

If one day you decide to sell your mobile home, be ready that the one with insulation will cost more than its uninsulated counterpart. So if you want to get the most out of your investment, consider insulating your mobile house as soon as you can.

Now you understand why it is so essential to install underneath insulation on mobile homes, and what its absence can result in.

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Types Of Insulation For Under the Mobile Homes. Which One to Pick?

So you have decided to install insulation for under a mobile home. Great! But which one of them to choose? Don’t worry, you are not the only one who is asking this question. Lots of mobile house owners have it as well when the time comes to adjust their house.

Types of insulation for mobile homes

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Generally speaking, the best insulation for a mobile home floor is what we call a closed-cell foam spray. This material lasts much longer than other types of insulation, and besides, spray foam under your mobile home blocks any air leakage completely turning your mobile house into a warm and cozy space.

In addition, the closed-cell variant of such a mobile home spray insulation has perfect water-repelling abilities, it takes up very little space, and it also serves as a great sound-proofing material.

But except for this universal insulating material, there are a few more. Check them out to see whether some of them will be more suitable for your home in particular.

Types Of Insulation For Under the Mobile Homes. Which One to Pick

Elgol, via Canva.com

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Roll Insulation

Installing a roll insulation under a mobile home can be a good choice since this material is easy to install and remove. Besides, it is affordable and you can find it in almost any hardware store.

As for its characteristics, roll insulation possesses very energy-efficient abilities and it does well at keeping your energy bills low. It often comes in fiberglass, however, which may be a kind of hazard. But if you follow the safety instructions, it’s fine.

Foam Boards

Using these boards for insulating under a mobile home can save your budget significantly since this material is even cheaper than the roll insulation. It can also be used for any part of the house since foam boards are good against damp, cold, or warm areas.

Nevertheless, installing them is somewhat more complicated so not everyone will find this method and material suitable.

Blow-In Insulation

This type of material is also rather popular for mobile home insulating. However, unlike those described above, installing it requires certain experience and skills. In addition, the installation process may often require making a hole in a wall or a floor for blowing the insulating material into it.

As for the materials the blow-in insulation is made of, the most common ones are fiberglass and cellulose. But also, rock-wool is used quite often. However, since this particular material is very fire-resistant, the “mineral wool” is rather expensive.

Now that you know what insulating materials exist and what characteristics they possess, we hope it will be simpler for you to decide which kind of insulation to apply to your mobile home floor and underneath part.

Consider all the requirements and nuances carefully before buying and installing insulation since the quality of your life depends on it.

Things Will You Need For Insulating a Mobile Home Underneath

Installing insulation for mobile homes is a very simple thing to do, so no wonder many mobile house owners prefer doing it themselves rather than asking for professional help. But of course, if you need to insulate your home with the material that requires experienced attitude (for instance, mineral wool), we would recommend you opt for professional assistance!

What do you need to insulate the mobile home from below

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Nevertheless, in case you are going to insulate your house on your own, you need to make sure you have all the additional tools before you can start your project.

  1. Caulking
  2. Drywall anchor points
  3. Old carpet or flooring removal

So first of all, you may need caulking since it is an essential part of any insulation procedure. It helps to seal the gaps and cracks, and besides, it keeps the insulation in place preventing drafts. So with caulking, you can be sure your insulation is working as it should be, and you will have no issues with cold air coming through walls and ceiling.

Things Will You Need For Insulating a Mobile Home Underneath

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Drywall is known to be very strong, but if you are using insulation, it may cause the drywall to bow and bulge – all because of the added weight! To avoid it, secure some anchor points into the walls. They are designed for being used in conjunction with insulating material and thus they will allow the drywall to keep its shape.

And lastly, make sure that you got rid of all the old carpeting or flooring to be able to properly install the insulation.

Now you will be able to easily insulate your mobile home with the least effort and very cheaply!

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Frequently Asked Questions

⭐What’s the price for a mobile home insulation?

To foam-insulate a single home, you will need approximately 5000-7000 dollars.

⭐What is the best way to insulate a mobile home?

The best material is a closed-cell foam spray.

⭐What type of insulation is used under a mobile home?

It can be roll insulation, foam boards, or blow-in insulation.

27 thoughts on “How Bad Is It Not to Have Insulation Under Your Mobile Home?

Leave a Reply

  1. Isabella says:

    Could you recommend me the stores where I can buy a belly wrap for the mobile home?

    1. Hillary says:

      I guess you can buy it in any large store like Walmart, Home Depot, or Lowes building suppliers.

  2. Jasmin says:

    Did anyone try using spray foam insulation under a mobile home? How did it work? See, I’m trying to figure out which insulation type is best for my mobile, but I’d like to base on real people experience. Thanks!

    1. Dan Woods says:

      I would not recommend spray foam insulation. This article is pro spray foam…. however I have to fix terrible jobs every day. One of the worst things I see is spray foam under a trailer, trapping moisture and rotting floors out, off gassing is a hazard if you have a sub par contractor… make sure you have a Vapor barrier if you are sitting on dirt. Spray foam, once installed, is a nightmare to work around. If you ever have a leak it will catch the moisture a d you will be living a mold nightmare. Rolled unfaced fiberglass insulation (R19) is great. After installing you will need to install plastic and cut slits for moisture release. I hope this helps.

    2. Billy says:

      I insulated my mobile home two years ago with the spray foam insulation and it works great! There is only one nuance I want to warn you about! If you decide to use a foam spray insulation, use a closed-cell foam spray! This material lasts much longer.

  3. Ronald says:

    Hey everyone! I have faced an issue recently with my mobile home. I’ve discovered that there’s wet insulation under the mobile home. Does anyone know why it could happen and how to fix that?

    1. Ben says:

      Well…maybe you have AC problems and the drain got clogged, allowing some water to collect in the under belly in that area? The only thing I can recommend is to get it dried out to prevent mold! You may need to replace the insulation in that area as well.

  4. Debra says:

    Could you recommend me a cheap way to insulate mobile home skirting? 

    1. Valery says:

      I’d recommend you use either concrete or cementitious skirting products since they offer the best thermal shielding. In particular, concrete offers heat and cold transfer resistance.

  5. Larry says:

    I guess it won’t take you more than a day. Ok, if there are any problems with insulation replacement, take two days at most! 

  6. Tommy says:

    How much does it cost to replace insulation under a mobile home?

    1. Tina says:

      Well, I assume it will cost you way less than $5.000, which is the minimum for insulation the whole mobile home from bottom to the top.

  7. Tommy says:

    Hi everyone! Are there mobile home owners here? If you’re here, guys, I need your help. What’s the best insulation for under mobile home? Any suggestions?

    1. Rita says:

      Well, as a mobilehome owners with ovr a decade of experience, I can tell you that spray foam insulation may be the best option. You might choose fiberglass or cellulose since both are quick and cheap options. But they are highly susceptible to absorbing moisture, which will result in mold, mildew and rot. 

      1. Dan Woods says:

        Whoa there…. Spray foam under a mobile home is not only a bad idea… it’s one of the worst options. You see…. once you apply spray foam insulation it will be almost waterproof… it will trap any moisture from above into the floors. When it rains, or the snow melts your rim joists will be saturated with no way to breath. I have been through dozens of trailers with spray foam problems. Save yourself the stress. Get fiberglass insulation, install a Vapor barrier, and to all of you people on the spray foam train; thank you. You are the reason why my business is thriving…. but shame on you for not understanding the consequences.

  8. James Barker says:

    What if the double wide is under pinned with blocks that does not let cold nor hot air under like in a framed house.

    plus I know from experience a frame house if you put insulation underneath it will hold moisture and provides a living area for roaches and rats

    1. Megan Torika says:

      Hi! Sounds like you need to ask a professional carpenter (or whoever is installing insulation) for help!

  9. Jack says:

    Can you tell if spray foam insulation for mobile homes is good? I’m currently looking to buy a mobile home in California. According to the inspection report, there is insufficient insulation beneath the house. How necessary is it to have this insulation because of the hot and dry climate there?

    1. Oreo says:

      An amazing and easy to apply method. The foam will provide insulation, and if you add plastic sheeting, it will prevent condensation from forming on the ground, among other things.

  10. Eloise says:

    Fiberglass insulation under mobile home – yes or no? I have read a lot of articles about it and different experts have different opinions. What do you guys think? Can fiberglass insulation for a mobile home be trusted?

    1. Samantha says:

      Definitely a yes, but it can be complicated to install it. Because of its stiffness, this type of insulation should be done by a professional. Fiberglass insulation is the most widely used insulation in manufactured homes and is an excellent choice for insulating them. It does not decay or burn. Fiberglass is a glass-based substance that resembles fibers.

  11. Genevieve says:

    What is the best insulation for a mobile home? Me and my wife are looking to buy one in Texas and any advice on how to choose a proper insulation for such a home is greatly appreciated.

    1. Anika says:

      There are different options and everyone can choose what suits them best. If you’re wanting to insulate a new mobile home or upgrade the insulation in an existing one, ask professionals to inspect it first. During this inspection, your mobile home will be thoroughly examined to determine the current state of your insulation (if any) and which types of insulation will best suit your needs.

  12. Mya says:

    Hey all! I decided to do a mobile home insulation replacement but since my current insulation is made of mineral wool, I’m not sure that I’ll be able to do the job myself. Is it possible to replace such insulation without calling a professional?

    1. Zaria says:

      Hello! Judging from my own experience (and I’m not a professional insulator!), I can tell you that you’d better call a professional for dealing with the material you described. I know that installing it requires certain skills already, so I guess that replacement will also ask you for at least some experience. If you lack it, better delegate this job to those who know what they’re doing.

  13. Maxine says:

    How to re-insulate a mobile home? My old insulation needs improvement and certain adjustments in several places. Shall I remove it all or it’s possible to do it only partially?

    1. Elisa says:

      Hi! I’d say you should re-insulate it all. If now you fix only the places that require it, later, other areas will need the same adjustments! Like that, re-insulation will become an endless process.

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