What is the best option from mobile home parts?

Question

I have a 1986 mobile home and I am frustrated with the lack of available parts. I would like to switch out the windows.  Knowing that nothing at Home Depot would fit.  I started shopping online and what I can find isn't what I really want. (not Low-E)  What do you do?  Do you just retrofit the home and use Home Depot windows?  Special order?  What have you done?  Looking for ideas!

Patty K. · Answer

I have replaced single pane aluminum windows in two early 1980’s homes using double pane vinyl framed windows from a mobile home supply store.  I am fortunate there is a store 45 min. from the rentals.   For those homes, so much needed to be done with them that I did not check into low-e or argon gas because at the time I knew that the double pane & vinyl would still be an improvement of energy performance compared to what they had at the time.  The Ufactor = .49 and the SHGC = .65 for these particular windows.

Now on the next house I am wondering if I should replace the aluminum windows again.  This time I asked the store owner for the prices & stats with low-e – didn’t bother asking about the argon gas (not sure if the company even does argon and if they claim they do I would not have a way to confirm that I really got it.)   The company must have to do a special order for the low-e since their standard windows do not have it.  He said the ufactor would be .34 with the low-e but the company did not give him the info on the SHGC yet.  I was surprised the increase in price was not as high as I thought it would be to add low-e, I’m bummed I didn’t ask about this for the previous homes now.  Also, low-e is added to different inside panes depending on whether it is northern climate or southern climate so you can ask which the company will do if you want to make sure they are doing it for your climate.  I did not ask, I am lucky to have gotten this much info from the store owner.  ;-)   Here were the prices for the windows I was checking in case that helps.

width x height

dbl pane vinyl

with low-e

32x60

155

185

32x41

125

155

32x29.5

110

115

32x8

85

Certainly if you anticipate you will want to replace these same windows in 10 years it could be worth your while to have someone change the framing so that you can use typical sizes found at home improvement stores as it’s tbd how many mobile home stores will be available as time goes on.  Another store 15 min. away from my rentals closed last year.   One window store I contacted said all their sizes are special order so they can make any size I want.  But their cost was significantly more than I would pay at the mobile home store.

Also, just in case this is something for consideration with your house – in the case of these windows that this store orders they have the nail fin and they are handy to have the vinyl siding fit into the J-channel?  But one of my houses had aluminum siding.  So fortunately the store owner explained that this meant the window would stick out about 2” away from the aluminum siding and might look funny to me (whereas the aluminum windows had been flush with the siding).  So I got 1”x4” wood and my maintenance guy put that around all 4 sides of the window so that it makes it less obvious how the window sticks out since it’s a gradual “sticking out”.   I think it looks fine.  (I did not know if shutters being on just 2 sides would look the best with these windows sticking out).  Anyway, perhaps this company does a special order for replacement windows (without the nail fin) as well, I did not ask as it would be just one more thing that I’d be waiting three days to get an answer…

I think it’s worth paying the extra for the low-e for the energy savings and I know some people use a film but then that can void a window warranty so getting it on the inside pane seems smarter.  Hopefully you can find a mobile home parts store within driving distance of your home.  Good luck.

Paul Schu · Answer

@Shelli Callan I am in a similar situation as I have a few older homes which also need some rehab. I checked a few resources online (mobile home supply) and found that they seemed a bit expensive for what they are. I have seen several posts where people rave about how economical it was to rehab mobile homes, but I am having trouble finding any solid info.

If you do find something please share.

Thanks,

Paul

Rachel H. · Answer

@Shelli Callan Usually, you've got to go to a mobile home supplier for this which I've done in the past. If you're just replacing the glass, then you can go to a local glass business with the dimensions needed. You may want to check out a few mobile home supply stores in your area. I've found them to be pretty knowledgeable and helpful in the past. If they don't have what you want in stock, they can always special order it. Hope that helps!