Mobile Home Water Heater: A Buyer’s Guide

If the time has come to replace your old mobile home water heater with a new one, you probably have plenty of questions. This article will help you navigate your way through buying a new water heater for your mobile home. We’ll answer your questions and help you learn the differences between a traditional home heater and one for a mobile home.

It’s not uncommon for people to think of mobile home water heaters as the same as a regular water heater. After all, they serve the same purpose. But there are some key differences that prevent them from being used interchangeably. And since mobile homes are also called manufactured homes, you might find these water heaters labelled either way. 

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (H.U.D.) established the standards that separates mobile home water heaters from regular heaters. It’s important to note that only H.U.D.- approved water heaters can be used in mobile homes. 

Just because a mobile home water heater looks nearly identical to a traditional home water heater doesn’t mean that they can be used interchangeably. There are actually a number of differences that H.U.D. requires:

T&P Valve and Fixed Temperature Setting – All mobile home water heaters need to have a temperature and pressure relief valve (T&P valve), but they also need to have a non-adjustable temperature setting.

Although, T&P valves are standard on all water heaters, traditional home water heaters allow homeowners the ability to adjust their water temperature settings.

Fuel Source Flexibility – If you opt for a gas fueled water heater it’ll be designed to operate on both propane and natural gas. This gives you plenty of flexibility to use whichever fuel source is available. Since mobile homes are often moved from one location to another, more flexibility is necessary because propane (or natural gas) may not be available where you’re at.

They’re able to do this because they have interchangeable natural gas and propane orifices which allows them to be converted from one fuel source to another with minimal effort. However, it’s worth noting that this feature is the primary reason mobile home water heaters are more expensive than traditional home water heaters.

Cold and Hot Water Connections – Mobile home water heaters have their cold water inlet connection located on the side of the water heater, and the hot water connection is on the top of the water heater. Although, it’s not uncommon to find models that have both the hot and cold water connections on the side. Regular water heaters have both the hot and cold water connections on the top of the tank.

Strapping Kit – Since one of the H.U.D. requirements for mobile home water heaters is for them to be securely mounted, a strapping kit is always included. Even though regular water heaters should be strapped in place, a kit is rarely included with the purchase of the heater.

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