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Mobile home furnace (C) Daniel FriedmanCombustion Air Requirements for Mobile Homes
Combustion Air Problems in Trailers, Doublewides, Mobile Homes

Combustion air defects & hazards in mobile homes:

This article illustrates a mobile home heating system that was unsafe because of inadequate combustion air. The unsafe conditions were easilyi detectable by visual inspection without requiring special tests or instruments.

This article series explains how to recognize and fix combustion air defects on heating appliances such as boilers, furnaces, and water heaters. These articles answer most questions about central hot water heating system troubleshooting, inspection, diagnosis, and repairs.

Our photo at page top shows a mobile home oil fired furnace installed in a closet with an airtight door; there was no outside combustion air supply. The heating system could not work properly nor safely in this home.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

Combustion Air Defects & Safety Hazards at Mobile Home Heating System

Watch out: inadequate combustion air supply to a gas burner (and less often to an oil burner) is very dangerous and can produce potentially fatal carbon monoxide. If you suspect unsafe heating system operation or a carbon monoxide problem be sure everyone leaves the building immediately and then call your local fire department for assistance.

Mobile home furnace (C) Daniel Friedman

Here our two photographs illustrate several unsafe conditions at a house trailer's heating system. There are no return air flow from the conditioned (occupied) space to the furnace warm air intake, questions about adequate combustion air, and dirt blocked air flow passages.

Mobile home furnace (C) Daniel Friedman Mobile home furnace (C) Daniel Friedman

In addition to the absence of return air to the heating furnace we notice that

Question: is it safe to use an un-vented heater in a mobile home?

2017/06/05 John said:

Can I install a 36000 non vented heater in a Mobil home

Reply: not without safety concerns and IAQ questions

John, for space and clarity we moved your question and our detailed reply to a new article

at UN-VENTED GAS HEATER SAFETY

 




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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

Question: soot problems after oil burner puffback

(Jan 6, 2015) mahgy said:
we had a furnace blow back a while ago, still noticing soot/black build up coming out of the heating vents on the walls.. this is a rental property. is this dangerous to our health? landlord does not seem concerned

Reply:

Mahgy

No one can assess exposure levels of soot nor health risks accurately from a simple e-text, but in general, breathing soot is not healthy. If the heating system is no longer producing soot (which is itself unsafe) then the duct system may need cleaning.

Question: visible clues of adequate combustion air

(June 25, 2015) Anonymous said:
What if there is no visible combustion AIR

Reply:

Anon you'd need to be more specific. Most building codes and standards discussing combustion air supply include a square-foot area size specification. For example if a heater of input BTUh amount X is in an open space of Z square feet then the area is deemed capable of providing adequate combustion air. Those guidelines presume a standard minimum rate of building air leakage or air exchange rate.

In the article above you can read details at the paragraph titled

Cubic Feet of Room Space as a Measure of Adequacy of Combustion Air: Total Input BTUH / 1000 x 50

Question: article correction

(Jan 14, 2016) Joe said:
With your cubic ft volume for adequate combustion air equation, you use 140 MBH for the total input BTU of a 180 MBH boiler and 40 MBH DHW. Should you be using 220 MBH total for that?

Reply:

hanks Joe, we've corrected the math in the article above. I appreciate your careful reading. We can use all the editing help we can get.

Question: combustion air source for water heater in a trailer

(Mar 19, 2016) Anonymous said:
does combustion air for mobile home water heaters enter from under the trailer

Reply:

Anon:

In some installations it might;

Watch Out: if your water heater is gas or oil fired and lacks adequate combustion air the unit is unsafe and could kill the home's occupants.

Question:

21 June 2016 keith preddie said:
can anyone go through the control sequence between louvered openings and the gas fired equipment?

Reply:

Keith please see our detailed answer at

inspectapedia.com/heat/Automatic_Combustion_Air_Inlet.php

COMBUSTION AIR INLET AUTOMATIC LOUVERS


...

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COMBUSTION AIR SAFETY in MOBILE HOMES at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to HEATING SYSTEMS

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