Retrofitting mobile home for passive solar???
coyotefred
I have the opportunity to buy a nice piece of property in an open
location with a new 16'x60' Champion 'manufactured' (mobile) home on
it. I'm no fan of mobile homes, but the location is great and I can't
afford to build. So I'd like to work with what I have and think about
what I might be able to do with this mobile to renovate/retrofit it
into something more "substantial" and energy-efficient. The home is
oriented more-or-less east-west with its front oriented due south.
The previous owner put in a nice wood-frame overhang/deck on the south
side of the house, running almost its entire length. The overhang
extends out about 10' where is begins near the door at the east end of
the south side, and then gradually increases until it is extending out
about 15' out from the southwest corner of the house. Apparently the
mobile is standard construction with R38 insulated walls and
thermopane windows. Unfortunately there isn't much in the way of
south-facing windows right now: one 2'x2' picture window and a couple
of 18"x2' windows. Existing heat is propane (tank).
This summer I completed a small cabin project using "earthbags"
(polypro sandbags filled with local soil) that turned out quite well I
think. One idea I had was to basically enclose the entire mobile in
earthbags, finishing them in stucco...basically creating an earthen
home exterior with the existing home interior. This would probably
help things somewhat in terms of heat loss, but in terms of passive
solar/solar mass wouldn't do much good since the mass would be on the
outside and would effectively be "insulated" from the inside by the
R38 walls.
The large wood-frame overhang is both a problem and oppurtunity. As
it is now it extends far enough out to block out a fair amount of sun
from the home (although I would imagine it will be a nice shaded area
in summer). So if you were looking to get solar into the south-face
of the home by taking out some of the south wall and adding
significantly more windows, you'd have to cut that overhang back.
Perhaps a better approach would be to think about somehow enclosing
part or all of the overhang and making it "greenhouse" or "collector"
area, collecting heat in that portion and then figuring out a way of
getting that into the house?
In any case, if anyone has any ideas on some creative 'retrofit' or
renovating ideas for my situation, I'd sure appreciate hearing from
you.
Thanks so much for your time.
Coyotefred
FYI: The location of this mobile the high plains, an area with fairly
high winds, warm/hot summers, cold/dry winters, relatively low
humidity levels and fairly high amounts of sunshine. Latitude is
about 40deg north. 'Average annual temp is 46.4, with average daily
max of 61 and average daily minimum of 31.7. Average heating degree
days is 4200.
AugustaGa
You want to bury your home in earthbags??????
You said.."Apparently the
> mobile is standard construction with R38 insulated walls and
> thermopane windows. "
No way standard...actually NO HOME what so ever has R-38 walls..much less a
Champion single wide..Standard for Champion is R-11 in sidewalls...maybe
optioned with 2x6 walls to R-19..Thermo pane windows standard...naw...they
were options as well..
Take a deep breath..sounds like you have a well equipped manufactured
home...Enjoy it..
"coyotefred" <coyot...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:b8883a35.04030...@posting.google.com...
John Sisker
for a Manufactured Home Compaison Chart. Likewise, for more information,
just check out the Manufactured Home (Owners)
Network at www.mfghomeowners.net.
"coyotefred" <coyot...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:b8883a35.04030...@posting.google.com...
John Sisker
for a Manufactured Home Compaison Chart. Likewise, for more information,
just check out the Manufactured Home (Owners)
Network at www.mfghomeowners.net.
"coyotefred" <coyot...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:b8883a35.04030...@posting.google.com...
AugustaGa
Champion is still the largest home builder in the United States...Clayton
with the purchase of Oakwood might pass them...but..
Champion builds homes from many plants nationwide..all with different
specs...NONE are the cheapest in the market...some are beginning homes..many
are middle range homes..and some are among the best in the industry...
I am not a Champion defender...but...these kind of sweeping statements can
not go unchallenged..
"John Sisker" <jsi...@sprynet.com> wrote in message
news:kwe1c.19207$aT1...@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
John Sisker
messages to the contrary. However, with this reply, I can see that it was.
This sounds like an opinion to me, for your facts are not correct. However,
that's all right. I see your opinions popping up all over this newsgroup. By
the way, Champion is not the largest home builder in the nation, Fleetwood
is. Yet, even Fleetwood is considered just an average built home, but still
exceeds that of Champion. Champion is in no way considered among the best in
the industry, just the contrary. Silvercrest might come close to that
category, even though Silvercrest is owned by Champion. Maybe that's what
you mean. Yet, Hallmark far exceeds even Silvercrest, and Hallmark isn't a
division of a cheaper made home.
Don't want to believe me? That's all right. However, here's my sources to
back up the facts:
~ Manufactured Home Comparison Guide
~ Manufactured Home Owners Network
~ Department of Housing & Urban Development
~ Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards
~ Uniform Building Code
Naturally, there are opinions and there are facts. Yet, how one wishes to
rate a home involves more than just from a sales perspective.
For those who are interested, just e-mail me for a copy of the Manufactured
Home Comparison Guide, so you can see for yourself.
Thanks,
john
jsi...@sprynet.com
www.mfghomeowners.net
AugustaGa
The most current listing of the largest in the industry..
1) Champion Home Builders...year 2001 36495 Homes
2) Fleetwood....year 2001 30410 Homes
3) Clayton...19170 homes
4) Oakwood... 18678 homes ..
As I said with Clayton's purchase of Oakwood assets..they might soon be the
largest..
Next fact..See here for a professional rating..
http://mfdhousing.com/top25/top25.php?who=champion
"
"Reputation: Quite good overall. Product lines generally have a good
reputation, untainted by any substantial consumer resentment."
Now ..1 question...have you gotten Randy Eaton's (the author of
"Manufactured home Comparison Guide") permission to give his book away
free??????????????
His web site.. http://www.buymobilehome.net/
As for your other "fact" sources....
1) The manufactured home owners networks...is your site FULL of uninformed
opinion.
2) Housing and Urban Development..HUD..does not rate manufactured home
builders
3). ALL MANUFACTURED HOMES meet the Federal Manufactured Home Construction
and Safety Standards...from the worse to the best..
4).Uniform Building Code..has absolutely nothing to do with manufactured
homes..
I have gotten caught up with your know it all attitude here before...As I
said..I have no desire to get into a flame war...only make sure you do not
get away bad mouthing a decent company..
"John Sisker" <jsi...@sprynet.com> wrote in message
news:GIo1c.17395$yZ1....@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
John Sisker
note of them, should I wish to someday change my criteria of quality
workmanship and materials, to simple sales volumes. As to your Randy Eaton
question, it is not his guide that is being referenced here. Yet, for your
information, I do have a direct link to his site, if indeed anyone wanted to
purchase his book and reference materials.
To keep the record straight, the Manufactured Home Owners Network is indeed
an on-line information forum, open to all opinions. It was never intended to
be anything else, and it is certainly not just the facts as I see them. As
to HUD, no one said they rate manufactured homes. They do however set the
construction standards. Likewise, the Federal Manufactured Home Construction
and Safety Standards does come into play for such standards, but not
necessary rating the manufacturers from the worse to the best. And the
Uniform Building Code does naturally come into play for conventional housing
standards, of which manufactured home must meet now days.
This leads to the question of how one would actually rate the
manufacturers - from the worse to the best. As I said before, it should
certainly not be done by just sales numbers. Naturally, this may be an easy
way for some of you to keep tract of things, but as I tell my cruise
vacation customers, Carnival Cruise Line may indeed be the most popular
cruise line in the world, but it is far from the best.
"AugustaGa" <wobb...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Po6dnYq8cfh...@comcast.com...
AugustaGa
Your first post said "Champion is one of the cheapest homes made. "
I then pointed out the fallacy of this statement...Simply mentioning that
Champion is the largest US home builder with a full range of homes...some
basic..many middle range..some of the best...You even then mentioned one of
their models Silvercrest as being a fairly good home..Of course they also
own about 25 other brands including Homes of Merit and other top of the
shelf homes...They even own Genisis Homes..a modular builder building homes
in the $250,000 range..
Then you post..."This sounds like an opinion to me, for your facts are not
correct."...
"Don't want to believe me? That's all right. However, here's my sources to
back up the facts:
~ Manufactured Home Comparison Guide
~ Manufactured Home Owners Network
~ Department of Housing & Urban Development
~ Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards
~ Uniform Building Code"
The first item you mention is the copyrighted name of a book (the best
selling book in the industry) that DOES NOT bad mouth Champion like you
have...I have read the book..have you???
Never have you mentioned that you are using some list devised by another
person...Who knows what their qualifications are..Randy Eaton lists his on
his book jacket and web site..
Beside your own web site this is the ONLY "fact" source that could list
anything like a quality listing of manufacturers..since you did not mention
that some unknown author has used the copywrited name of a well know
book...I assumed you were saying you got your facts from that book..I knew
better...but the casual reader would not..
You made it sound that the other 3 listing somehow rated manufacturers...I
had to point out to the casual reader that they did not...You said you got
your info about your "fact"..."Champion is one of the cheapest homes made. "
came from these 5 sources..
Another thing you keep saying..."Uniform Building Code"...has something to
do with the HUD code or manufactured homes...It does NOT...Modular homes in
SOME states (not all) use this code..In the SE where I am..modular homes are
built to the "Southern Standard Building Code"..This is exactly why modular
homes cannot always be transported from state to state..since there are
actually 50 different codes..
You ask.."> This leads to the question of how one would actually rate the
> manufacturers - from the worse to the best."
I am not sure there is a way..since building specs change so often....by the
time one developed a listing it would be out of date..Also..no national
manufacturer builds the same home in every plant..most often they build
different homes in the same plant..By far the best approach would be to
decide what construction features are important to the consumer..then find
manufacturers building that product in the area the consumer is in..then
check with the local states consumer advocates for problems in that
area...Ask for references from the dealer and check with local BBB's..The
fact that a Fleetwood plant in GA does not do a good service job has nothing
to do with Fleetwood in TX..for instance..
You see John...when you are challenged and proved wrong..you change the
subject...that means arguments with you never end..
P.S. I saw your totally erroneous post about the NADA appraisal system as
well..I will not even respond to that one for fear you will find some more
FACTS...
"John Sisker" <jsi...@sprynet.com> wrote in message
news:Jpx1c.20519$aT1....@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
John Sisker
with here, a seemingly self-appointed authority on every aspect in this
business. After all, I've seen your other posts. Hopefully, others can see
through this as well. Yet, let me do this though. I'll voluntary change my
word "fact" to "opinion". Then maybe you won't argue a useless point just to
get a new spin on it as you see it. As for me, I have better things to do
that exchange useless quips with you. Conservation ended!
Dek...@webtv.net
>I'll voluntary change my word "fact" to
> "opinion". Then maybe you won't argue
> a useless point just to get a new spin on
> it as you see it. As for me, I have better
> things to do that exchange useless
> quips with you. Conservation ended!
In other words you'll concede the fact that you are indeed a troll...