Many park homes are vulnerable to temperature fluctuations, damp, and noise due to the way that the homes are constructed. They can be poorly insulated and difficult to heat in winter and to keep cool in summer.

External wall insulation

Often, park homes are made from thin plywood without much insulation. So they lose a lot of heat through the walls, and can also get hot in summer. Adding better insulation to the outside of the home will help.

There are a variety of insulation products are available, but expanded polystyrene (EPS) boards are among the most common.

If you go ahead with an installation, the first step for most systems will be to remove any external fixings. This is things like lights, aerials and guttering. The new insulation layer will add 2-4 inches to the width of your walls. This means that in some cases the roofline needs extending to ensure it covers the new insulation.

The insulation boards are supported by a rail which is fixed to the bottom of the wall. They’re joined together and reinforced at corners to make sure they are protected against weather and damage.

Render is then applied to the insulation board and a glass fibre mesh is set into the surface to strengthen the system. An additional layer of render is added, followed by a durable top coat which can be painted.

Whatever insulation system you choose, ensure that the installer fits a consistent layer of insulation around the entire home; gaps and breaks in the insulation layer can cause condensation issues internally and reduce the performance of the insulation. Ensure that your chosen installer has also done a thorough investigation of the condition of the original walls before starting work. Replace damaged timbers and fix any leaks before work starts.

Insulating wallpaper

Insulating wallpaper products such as Sempatap are occasionally used to internally insulate park home walls and ceilings. This is often a cheaper method, but the reductions in heat loss are less than with traditional wall and roof insulation methods. Installation should be carried out by a professional to ensure there are no gaps in the insulation layer where condensation could occur.

Under-floor insulation

Park homes with suspended timber floors are susceptible to high levels of heat loss and cold draughts through gaps in the flooring and skirting boards. So insulating underneath the home will make a difference.

Under-floor insulation is relatively easy to install because of the ease of access. One common method for insulating the floor is to fix sheets of quilted multifoil insulation to the underside of the floor joists. Spray foam insulation can also be used but this is difficult to remove from the floor joists and wires and pipework so it can present a problem if maintenance work is needed in this area in future. Before insulating the floor, ensure the skirting, chassis and jacks are in good condition. If the chassis and jacks are heavily corroded it is advisable to restore these prior to insulating.

Skirtings made of brick, wood or plastic cladding run along the entire length of the home between the floor and the ground. These conceal the chassis, jacks, cables and pipes underneath the home and protect the underside from the elements, so it’s important that these are in good condition. After insulating the walls and floors, the skirtings can also be insulated too if needed.

Roof and loft insulation

Not all park homes have easy access to the loft, so insulating the roof can be complicated. It is definitely not DIY job. An ideal time to install insulation is when the roof is being replaced or repaired.

Any contractor insulating the roof should check the condition of the joists and rafters before starting, and ensure adequate ventilation is installed – for example vents in the ridge, soffits or gable ends – to reduce risk of condensation in the loft space. Sections of the roof will likely need to be removed to lay mineral wool batts between and over the joists. There are less disruptive methods of insulating the roof, such as spraying in cellulose or foam insulation, but this method carries a higher risk because it is harder to ensure adequate ventilation for the loft space.

Windows and doors

Because of the way park homes are constructed, there are often issues with poor quality glazing and blown panels. Replacing all windows with double glazing can be expensive, so it may be more cost effective to repair rather than replace the windows. An alternative for single glazed windows is secondary glazing. This comes in multiple forms from permanent hinged panels to sliding panels on a track, and removable perspex panels. You can also use a thin film that is taped to the window frame and shrink-wrapped to create a seal.

If you’re having external wall insulation fitted, consider at the same time replacing windows and doors which are old or in poor condition. Once the external wall insulation is done, it’ll be harder to replace windows and doors without damaging the insulation in the process.

Draught proofing

As well as installing as much insulation as possible, it is also worth draughtproofing to prevent heat loss and to make the home feel more comfortable. There are several popular options:

Doors and windows

These can be made more airtight using letterbox draught excluders and key hole covers. Rubber or foam strips can be inserted along the inside door and window frames, and sealant can be used on the outside of the frames. Consider also using thermal curtains for the windows and doors.

Floors

Cut out the cold air entering the home through gaps between the floorboards and around the skirting boards with sealant, self adhesive strips, foam strips and wooden trim. Adding carpet or extra rugs are great options too.

Ventilation, damp and mould

If you have any work done to your park home to improve the insulation, install new windows or cut down on draughts, it’s absolutely vital that you also upgrade the ventilation. This might mean installing new extractor fans and background ventilation.

Damp and mould are common in park homes, and ventilation is key to reducing condensation and moisture build up. It’s also important to check that any work completed on the home does not block up ventilation and additional vents and extractor fans may be required.

• Turn the heating on regularly. It doesn’t have to be on all day, every day, but often enough for the home to be warm.
• Install extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom. And when steam is being produced, turn them on. Check existing extractor fans are clean and are working correctly.
• If you don’t have an extractor fan and can’t install one, make sure you open the kitchen and bathroom windows during or after creating steam.
• If your windows don’t have built-in trickle vents, consider installing them. And make sure you keep them open.
• Don’t block or cover up vents and air-bricks. If a vent has a cover, move it to the open position.
• Never dry laundry inside. Every time you do this, a bucket full of water evaporates into the home.
• Treat the visible mould and an area at least 1m wider than the mould patch with a spray containing bleach. Allow to dry, then repeat.

Heating options

Many park homes have no mains gas so residents are likely to use oil or LPG boilers to heat their homes. These work in a similar way to mains gas boilers, and will need to be installed by a regulated heating engineer.

Some park homes have log burners that may have a back boiler to run hot water to radiators. These will need to be installed by a HETAS registered installer and permission from the site owner may be needed.
Buying logs or oil for park homes can be difficult to budget for as it needs to be bought in bulk, supplies can be difficult to find, and prices can vary. Read more about buying heating oil here.

As we move away from fossil fuels and heat our homes with electricity instead, the options for park homes can be slightly different to other types of properties. Some park homes already have electric heating – usually either an electric boiler which heats water in radiators (like a gas, oil or LPG boiler) or panel heaters. Both of these options can be expensive.

Better options include night storage heaters, which use cheaper night time electricity, and heat pumps. Night storage heaters are only an option for park homes with their own electricity supply, as otherwise you can’t take advantage of the cheaper night time electricity (see below). Heat pumps are not currently very common in park homes. This is because they work best in homes which are insulated, and many park homes aren’t insulated at all. However, a heat pump could be great option if the home is insulated. This could be an air to water heat pump, which heats water in radiators. Air to air heat pumps are also ideal for park homes as they provide both heating in winter and cooling in summer. This helps with overheating, which can be a problem in some park homes. You can read more about heat pumps here.

Meters

Some park homes have a direct energy supply from the electricity or gas network. These will have their own meter and are billed for their energy usage from an energy supplier.

Other homes are sub metered. This is where there is one main meter for the entire park and one bill is sent to the park owner. Each home on the park has a smaller sub-meter that measures how much each home has used and how much of the total they need to pay. Residents on sub meters can’t chose their energy supplier or tariff, or their payment method.

Park Home Warm Home Discount

Park home residents that don’t have their own meter may be eligible for the Park Home Warm Home Discount payment. It needs to be applied for each year and applications usually open in September. For details, see https://charisgrants.com/partners/park-homes.

Renewable energy

It may be possible to put solar PV panels on the roof of your park home, but only if the roof is strong enough. Your installer will need to check. Homes will need to have a direct connection to the electricity network and their own meter. The site owner may need to be contacted for permission.

Choosing an installer

If you live in park home and are planning to make improvements, it’s very important to choose the right installer. We strongly recommend that you consider only Trustmark approved contractors who are also members of an insulation accreditation body. This will mean that they will use approved installation methods and the work will meet the accreditation standards set by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service. It is also important to check that the company offers guarantees.

Grants

There are many grants available to help improve homes and make them more energy efficient and cheaper to heat. Some of these grants are provided by central government and others from your local council. And they can be paid directly to the householder or to a chosen contractor.

The types of grants and the amount of money available changes all the time. So does what it can be used for and the eligibility criteria. So, even if you applied before and were turned down, try again as things may have changed.