Installing a 4-Ton AC in a Mobile Home: What to Expect

Mobile and manufactured homes are everywhere between Seguin, New Braunfels and San Marcos, and they cool differently than a slab-built house. The ductwork usually runs under the floor, the air handler sits in a closet, and the equipment has to be approved for manufactured housing. Watch the Rise crew set a 4-ton system on one in the video, then read on for what the process looks like for your home.

Step 1: Sizing, not guessing

“Four ton” describes how much heat the system can move, not how good it is. Bigger is not better: an oversized AC cools the air fast, shuts off before it pulls the humidity out, and leaves the house clammy. We measure the home, look at the insulation, windows and ductwork, and size the replacement from a load calculation rather than the label on the old unit.

Step 2: The ductwork under the floor

Under-floor ducts in manufactured homes are a common source of lost cooling. Crossover ducts can sag, come apart or get chewed, and that sends cold air into the crawlspace. Before we set new equipment we check the ducts, because a new system blowing into leaking ducts is a waste of your money. Where sealing or repair is needed, we tell you up front. More on that on our duct cleaning and sealing page.

Step 3: Equipment that’s rated for the home

Air handlers and furnaces for manufactured homes are built for the closet dimensions and the downflow or upflow configuration those homes use. We match the indoor and outdoor units as a system so the efficiency rating on the box is what you actually get.

Step 4: Install day

• Floors and walkways protected before the old equipment comes out.
• Old unit removed and hauled away.
• New outdoor unit set on a level pad, line set run and sealed, drain routed outside.
• Electrical connections and safety switches checked.
• Thermostat set up, start-up readings recorded, and the system tested in cooling before we leave.

Paying for it

A new system shouldn’t wait on a surprise expense. We work with five lending partners, and you can apply online in a few minutes. Every new system Rise installs also includes a year of Rise VIP: two tune-ups, 10% off repairs and priority scheduling.

Quick questions

How long does a replacement take? Most like-for-like replacements are done in a day. Duct repairs can add time, and we’ll tell you before we start.

Can you give a second opinion on a quote I already have? Yes. We fix first, and we’re glad to look at a system another company said needs replacing. Request a free replacement estimate.