Replacing the furnace in a mobile home (or trailer, as a lot of people call them) isn't the same job as replacing one in a house. Only certain furnaces are approved for manufactured homes, the install has its own rules, and the gas work needs a licensed gasfitter and a permit. Here's what mobile home owners in Lethbridge and area should know before they start calling around.
Why mobile home furnaces are different
Manufactured and mobile homes are built to their own standards. In Canada that's the CSA Z240 MH series, which also covers how gas appliances like furnaces are installed in them. The homes are compact, the furnace usually sits in a small closet, and the air it burns and the exhaust it vents have to be handled carefully in a tight space.
That's why you can't simply drop a regular house furnace into a mobile home. The replacement has to be approved for manufactured home use, fit the space you have, connect to your existing ductwork, and vent exactly the way the manufacturer's instructions call for.
Fewer furnaces qualify
Most furnaces on the market are built for standard houses, so mobile home owners have far fewer options. That makes a good replacement harder to find, and it's a big part of why it pays to work with a team that knows which equipment is approved.
Trane approves select high-efficiency furnaces from its S-Series line for manufactured homes when they're installed with Trane's manufactured housing kit. These are sealed combustion (direct vent) furnaces: they pull their combustion air from outside and vent back outside, instead of drawing air from inside your home.
What a proper mobile home furnace install involves
- Confirming the new furnace is approved for manufactured homes, with the right kit and labelling
- Sizing the furnace for your home and fitting it to your closet and existing ductwork
- Securing the furnace to the structure and keeping the required clearances
- Running the venting and combustion air through the roof, wall, or floor to the manufacturer's specs
- Connecting the gas line, pulling the permits, and booking the inspections
Permits and licensed installers
In Lethbridge, a furnace replacement has to be done by a licensed contractor under a gas permit, and a homeowner can't get a gas permit unless they're a certified gasfitter. Replacing heating equipment also needs its own HVAC permit and inspection. Our team handles the permits and inspections as part of the job, so there's nothing for you to chase down.
Signs it's time to look at a replacement
If your furnace is getting up there in age, needs repairs more often, has trouble keeping the far end of the home warm, or your gas bills keep creeping up, it's worth getting a quote. Planning it in the fall is a lot easier than shopping for a furnace during a January cold snap. If yours just needs a repair or tune-up, see our furnace repair and heating service, and for a standard house, see furnace replacement.
Lethbridge's Trane Specialists for Mobile Homes
Reid Pro is a local team of Trane Comfort Specialists, and mobile home furnace replacement is a specialty service for us. We know which Trane furnaces are approved for manufactured homes, how to install them to spec, and how to get the permits and inspections done properly across Lethbridge, Coaldale, Coalhurst, Picture Butte, Raymond, Magrath, Nobleford, Stirling, Fort Macleod, and the rest of our service area.
Free ecobee smart thermostat with every Trane furnace, AC, or heat pump we install, including mobile home furnace replacements.
Mobile home furnace FAQs
Can I put a regular furnace in my mobile home?
Usually not. Mobile homes have their own installation standards, and most furnaces aren't approved for them. We'll look at your home and recommend a furnace that is.
Does Trane make furnaces for mobile homes?
Yes. Select Trane S-Series high-efficiency furnaces are approved for manufactured homes when installed with Trane's manufactured housing kit.
Do I need a permit to replace a mobile home furnace?
Yes. In Lethbridge, a furnace replacement needs a gas permit and has to be done by a licensed contractor, and replacing heating equipment also needs an HVAC permit and inspection. We take care of the permits for you.
Does the free ecobee thermostat offer apply to mobile homes?
Yes. Any Trane furnace, AC, or heat pump installed by Reid Pro comes with a free ecobee smart thermostat.
Thinking about replacing the furnace in your mobile home? See the Trane x Reid Pro offer, request a quote, or call or text 403-915-4328.