[movingvanmorrison]

So I bought a "new" (1981) mobile home in Central FL about 6 months ago.
We finally just finished with many repairs and updates: tearing out carpet, new LVP in its place, painting pretty much ALL the interior walls and cabinets, new dishwasher, new kitchen sink and faucet, new ceiling fans, and some other stuff.

There are still things I don't know and have questions about however so if you can/will answer any of the following questions that would be great!

*Have noticed there is a lot of dust in the home all the time, even though it's closed up all the time.
I am guessing the dust is IN the air conditioning/heating ducts. Is that the case? If so, is there a cost effective way to clean them? I have allergies to dust and they're bad since living here. Could be something else... but nevertheless I do want to minimize the dust.
Yes I have HEPA filters and use them constantly. One in the living room/kitchen/dining area and one in the bedroom.

*We have an electric hot water system. A couple of people have told us that to save money on electricity we should turn the water heater off at night and run it all day. Is that the best way? Or should it be run it at night and turn it off all day? Especially on cold nights is it best to run the heater in the daytime then or ? Is there a way of calculating how many hours a day the water heater needs to be on or is it just by "trial and error"?

*Heat. Someone told us the heat costs a lot more than the ac even though the heat is on less. Something about a "back up" heater mechanism going into operation if the water in the tank is not maintained at the right temp. I have noted that the heat IS indeed more expensive.
So here is my question: Is it cheaper to run 2-3 portable efficient room heaters off and on all day, or about the same as using the Central heating system for heat? (we have a 2 ton watchacallit(?)ac/heat system)

*Floor/ Sub-floor issues. We had LVP ("Luxury Vinyl Planks" - good quality ones - installed when we moved in. However we notice that parts of the floor in every room are a bit soft. We don't think the sub floor is soft (as in water damage) but maybe the subfloor is just "uneven" thus creating parts that go from lower to higher and vice versa thus causing a "soft" feel in parts as there is air under the planks. in some parts (i.e. "floating" planks where maybe the ends of the planks are higher and the middle lower.
Is that possible or likely?
We did find a couple spots where the particle board sub floor was indeed rotted and we did fix those, but didn't notice any other rotted water damaged parts after the carpet was removed and before the vinyl was installed.

I know, lots of words... LOL. Hope someone can answer one or two of the above or give us feedback. Thanks for playing.

[Ghaati]

1. As mentioned in previous posts - most manufactured homes are built with particle board in the floors, and NOT plywood. That means if they get wet, they will absorb the water, swell, then dry out and become soft over time. That is damage, whether they're rotted or not. Often the damage is minimal, and there's no point in spending a fortune unless/until it starts to get worse.

2. Electricity is cheap in Florida, compared to many other states. Moreso in Central Florida, compared to many other parts of Florida. Heat costs less in Florida than AC, because you'll only be running the heat for a few weeks. You'll be running the AC for many months.

3. It takes more energy and more cost to heat up a hot water tank that hasn't been turned on in several hours, than it does to just let it stay hot. It also wastes water, because you have to let it run longer, before the hot water comes out of your faucet.

You shouldn't ever turn your hot water heater off. It is designed to run 24/7.

4. If you're getting a lot of dust in the house, you might need duct cleaning. People will try and scam you into yearly duct cleaning. If your ducts are in good condition, they won't need yearly cleaning. But an initial check and clean from a reputable HVAC company (not just some duct cleaning service you found on facebook and NEVER someone who rings your bell offering it) might be of use, especially to pinpoint any actual damage or need for repair.

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by Ghaati

3. It takes more energy and more cost to heat up a hot water tank that hasn't been turned on in several hours, than it does to just let it stay hot. It also wastes water, because you have to let it run longer, before the hot water comes out of your faucet.

You shouldn't ever turn your hot water heater off. It is designed to run 24/7.

It's been explained ad nauseum in discussions here and elsewhere that the better way to save money heating water is NOT to turn a water heater off/on but to install a more efficient water heater, lower the temperature setting, insulate the tank with a jacket, and to be more efficient in how you use the hot water that does come out of your faucets:

https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/r...5%20Faucets%20

As for the dust, if the home isn't very tight, dust, pollens and other particulates may be coming indoors or getting into the HVAC ductwork. Consider how much renovation work you've done; ripping out carpets, prepping for painting, etc. That can generate a lot of particulates that can end up in your HVAC ductwork too. It gets re-deposited in the rooms over and over. So, you're breathing it all. If the building materials the home was built with (particle board etc) are older and more friable, they may be contributing to the dust too. I don't live in FL, but have lived in older mobile homes other places and found them extremely dusty.

[movingvanmorrison]

Thanks for the feedback.
How does one make sure one gets a reputable air duct cleaner? I used to rely on reviews, but the vinyl guy I used had 35 good reviews and yet I'm pretty sure he did a lousy job.
How do they clean the air ducts?

As to the cost of heat, I know that over the course of a year it is cheaper than air conditioning. But over the course of a cold week, it is much more expensive than a hot week of air conditioning, it seems...
So that's why I'm wondering about maybe running portable heaters is cheaper.