The power bill gets really pricey in the summer. HELP!

Question:

I have a double wide manufactured home in which one side of the house cools better than the other. I have had the crossover duct work changed out to regular metal duct work. It is all tight and secure. The crawl space under the house is very cool. This is the reason I had the duct work changed out--to make sure the crossover was secure. The back of the house has plenty of air coming from the vents but there is very little coming from the vents in the front of the house. The AC runs almost constantly in the summer. The power bill gets really pricey in the summer. HELP!

Answer:

It seems that you are air-conditioning the space under the home. If it is cool under there the air is escaping under the home. You replaced the crossover so it appears that it is not where the problem is. You have good air flow on the back side of the home so you can assume that the problem is in the front side where your not getting sufficient flow.You need to start just past the cross over and follow the duct work under the home. With a bit of luck you will be able to feel with your hand where the cold air is escaping. If not you will need to start exposing the duct work... By opening the belly board and inspecting the duct run, 'till you find the leak.

Once the problem is found and resolved be sure to repack the insulation into the floor and reseal the belly wrap. You should take precautions when opening the bottom and handling the insulation and use proper protective methods.

Rolled fiberglass insulation has plenty of air space included in it. I like to use the highest R value, thickest, rolled, insulation I can fit into the space between the bottom of the floor joist and the floor decking, with our crushing it. Once the insulation is in place you can purchase rolled vapor barrier material called Bottom Board by MH repair people and install it from below, stapling it to the bottom of the floor joist so it supports the insulation.

You can find bottom board products at The Mobile Home Parts Store

For details about installing insulation and important safety tips see How to Install Fiberglass Insulation and Crawl Space Insulation, from the U.S. Dept of Energy.

If your looking for a book that covers all facets of manufactured home repair see The Manual for Manufactured Home Repair & Upgrade

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