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The
largest
use of residential energy is for home heating. For this
reason, it is vital that manufactured homeowners be able to
heat their homes as efficiently as possible. Propane-fueled
heating systems enable builders to offer the ultimate in
heating comfort and energy efficiency. Homebuyers will reap
many advantages including the following:
- Longer equipment durability: Propane-fueled furnaces
have operating lives of 15-20 years (5-10 years
longer than electric heat pumps).
- "Whole-house comfort": Propane furnaces offer
warmer air than electric heating systems. An electric
heat pump produces heat only as warm as 95°F.
A gas furnace heats air to about 115°F, and operates
in short intervals to minimize operating costs.
- Lower operating costs: In general, heating with
propane entails lower operating costs than heating
with electricity.
Propane-Fueled Central
Furnaces
The most common type of central heating
system is the forced-air furnace. Heated air from a
centrally located furnace is forced through ducts by fans or
blowers to all parts of the home. Three common configurations
can be used to integrate them comfortably into any
manufactured home design: 
- Upflow Furnace: These units have
blowers at the bottom that draw air into the furnace. Heated
air is then blown out at the top.
- Downflow or
Counterflow Furnace: These units have blowers at the top to draw air into
the furnace and heated air is blown out at the bottom.
- Horizontal Furnace: Air travels
horizontally from one side of the heater, across the heat
exchanger, and hot air is blown out the other side. This
type of furnace can be installed in areas with limited head
room, such as attics or crawl spaces. They can also be
installed below floors or suspended below ceilings.
Propane-Fueled Central Furnaces Well Suited to
Manufactured Homes
 Propane-fueled central furnaces are
well suited to manufactured homes because they have
many features that are targeted at:
- Conserving space: They feature low-profile designs,
even in the ultra-high efficiency models, to fit
into tight spaces with height restrictions
or narrow side clearances — even into a closet.
Many models can be installed and vented in a variety
of ways, and some are even certified for zero clearance
on side and back, to sit flush against walls.
- Maximizing safety: Many of today's propane-fueled
gas furnaces are equipped with electronic ignitions
that activate the burners only when fuel is needed.
This enhances safety by eliminating the need for
standing pilot lights.
- Minimizing energy: In addition to conserving energy
with electronic ignition, furnaces are available
with vent dampers. These "flapper" devices, installed
in the flue, close when the heat demand has been
met, trapping residual heat for circulation in the
home. When heat is needed, the damper opens before
the burners are ignited to allow combustion fumes
to escape. Burners can only ignite when the damper
is open so energy is consumed only when heating
is needed.
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