Manufactured Homes
Choose energy right and rest comfortably, with money to spare!
Manufactured homes that meet the standards of the energy right Program have one important feature in common—an electric heat pump. Weather conditions in the Tennessee Valley are some of the best in the nation for the efficient operation of an electric heat pump, which can save you 50 percent or more on your heating costs. The heat pump provides uniform heat throughout your home in the winter and cools and dehumidifies your home in the summer. What could be better than having a comfortable home, with money to spare!
New doesn't always mean energy efficient
Most manufactured homes come from the factory with a central electric furnace. The cost of central air conditioning is added to the price of the home unless the purchaser specifically requests a heat pump. TVA works with large-volume heating and cooling equipment contractors to lower the cost of heat pumps, and manufactured-home retailers in the Valley that participate in the energy right Program—and most do—can pass those savings on to you. That means that buying a manufactured home in the energy right Program not only lowers your electricity costs for the long term, but it also saves you money up front when you buy your home.
Q&A on Manufactured Home Heat Pumps
Will I be comfortable with a heat pump?
Yes. Unlike other heating systems, the heat pump does not give off sporadic hot blasts of air that provide only short-term warmth. Instead, it evenly circulates warm air for longer periods of time, keeping the temperature in your home constant and comfortable.
Will the electric furnace that came with my home have to be taken out when the heat pump is installed?
No. The electric furnace provides supplemental or backup heat. When temperatures are extremely cold, the heat pump uses the electric furnace to help warm the air going into your home. This happens about 10 percent of the time.
How does a heat pump work?
With a high-efficiency heat pump, you get heating and cooling in one economical unit. In hot weather, the heat pump takes warmth from the air inside your home and pumps it outside while circulating the cooled, dehumidified air throughout your home. In winter the process is reversed as the heat pump takes heat from the outside air and circulates it inside your home.
How efficient is a new heat pump?
Today’s high-efficiency heat pump is the most efficient way to heat and cool your new manufactured home. For every unit of energy your heat pump uses, it will produce an average of two to three units of heat. Heat pumps are rated by the seasonal energy efficiency ratio, or SEER. The higher the SEER, the higher the efficiency and the lower the cost of operation. The energy right Program requires a 13 SEER unit.
How long will a heat pump last?
Heat pumps last an average of 15 to 20 years.
At what temperature should I set my thermostat?
Set the thermostat at the lowest comfortable setting in the winter and leave it there. In the summer, set the temperature at the highest comfortable level. The key is to set it for your family’s comfort. For the highest efficiency, move the thermostat as little as possible. If the thermostat is turned back, the cost of bringing a home to the preferred comfort level again can outweigh the savings gained.
Interested?
Be sure and tell your manufactured home dealer that you want an energy right home with a heat pump. When you purchase a home through the energy right program, you’re making the right choice for long-term comfort, quality, value, and savings.
