Energy Saving Ideas: Trailer Home Edition
When it comes to energy saving ideas, trailer home living is one of the most interesting environments to work toward significant long-term change. Because a trailer home is smaller than a full-size house, it’s easier to have more control over the environment. But at the same time, it presents structural challenges that require smart thinking, intentionality, and a bit of planning, but also some advantages if you go about it the right way. Let’s look at some energy saving ideas for those who live in trailer homes.
Temperature Control
Depending on the design of the trailer home, the walls may not be thick enough to create a solid barrier between outside and inside temperatures; this can create a challenge in the winter. However, the small size of a trailer home makes it relatively easy for a heating or cooling appliance to heat the whole space.
In winter months, do as much as you can to keep cold air from finding its way in. Seal any cracks well, and cover windows with plastic, cloth, a second pane, or some other form of insulation. At night, place a draft blocker at the foot of the door. Some people even line the walls with blankets or wall-hanging tapestries to create an extra layer of insulation.
In the summer, make sure you keep the blinds drawn if you’re gone during the day to keep the sun from warming the home. Placing fans strategically in certain windows can create nice airflow throughout the trailer. If that doesn’t work, consider pointing a single fan directly at your sitting area; this may do an even better job for your purposes and doesn’t require extensive electricity of more intensive cooling systems.
Energy Conservation Tips
When it comes to energy saving ideas, trailer home owners have some advantages in that their spaces are designed to be efficient in almost every regard. Energy is no different.
Energy conservation is mostly about thinking smart. For example, a stove uses a lot of electricity to get up to the set heat, but not as much to stay there; if possible, do your baking on one day a week so you only turn the oven on once.
Another oven-related idea: after baking in the winter, turn off the oven but crack the oven door open; the heat will help warm up the whole trailer home and will cost nothing.
Then there are the other classic forms of energy conservation in the home: compact fluorescent light bulbs, turning off lights and appliances when not in use, and even unplugging those un-used appliances, which drain power just by being plugged in.
If you think smart and keep your eyes and ears open for energy saving ideas, trailer home living can be rewarding, simple, and very energy-efficient.
