03/17/2026
Eco-Logical® built the OMNI™ for all home types and in fact it works great if things like noise, condensate, venting, and space are a concern for you when installing a Heat Pump Water Heater.
But the OMNI is particularly excellent when it comes to small spaces like multi-family, ADUs, and Manufactured Homes. We built the OMNI to not only be one of the most efficient HPWHs on the market, but care was taken to address health and safety as well. From making sure we use a non-flammable refrigerant to the utility design of eliminating the issues associated with integrated tower heat pump, water heaters in manufactured homes.
In our field work with one of our great partners Halco Energy, they showed us the potential risks with replacing gas water heaters in manufactured homes.
In manufactured homes, furnace blowers often create negative pressure (typically 2–5 Pa or more) in the utility space. This depressurization pulls combustion byproducts—including carbon monoxide (CO)—from atmospherically vented gas or propane water heaters into living areas and duct returns, distributing them house-wide.
Common causes include:
• Regional design mismatches: Homes built for Southern climates (with louvered exterior doors and sealed water heater compartments venting outdoors) are relocated North, where solid doors replace louvers, allowing exhaust to spill indoors. Furnace operation then exacerbates backdrafting.
• Improper replacements: Installers often install "mobile home-rated" atmospheric-vented units without required fresh air kits or roof jacks, leading to inadequate combustion air and spillage.
• This happens in a lot of cases because nationwide big box stores will carry “mobile home rated” models but they mix the North and South models and the installers aren’t aware that there is a difference. Meaning they are installing units without the proper ventilation kits.
• Even sealed-combustion gas water heaters require ventilation upgrades, which are frequently omitted.
Gas/propane water heaters introduce inherent risks due to on-site combustion and fuel lines in compact, often tightly built structures.
Recognized Hazard This issue is well-documented in:
• Energy audits and HVAC inspections (e.g., InspectAPedia, Structure Tech).
• EPA guidance on depressurization causing backdrafting in combustion appliances, increasing indoor CO and NO₂ levels.
• Yale Climate Connections and Energy Vanguard reports on gas appliance risks in tighter or weatherized homes.
• CPSC recalls and warnings for CO hazards in mobile/manufactured home furnaces and some water heaters.
Low-level CO exposure often goes undetected by standard alarms and can cause chronic health effects.
Impacts on Residents Manufactured-home residents—many with higher asthma rates, limited ventilation, and reliance on these systems—face elevated risks. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, and long-term respiratory issues. Vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected.
Recommended Solution: Replace with Electric Heat Pump Water Heaters (HPWHs), Preferably Split Systems
• Eliminates all on-site combustion and CO risks immediately.
• 2–4× more efficient than standard electric resistance units (ENERGY STAR-rated models); annual savings of ~$550–$750 vs. standard electric, $250-$350 vs. gas depending on local rates.
• Lifetime savings of ~$5,000–$7,000+ per household (DOE estimates).
• Qualifies for state, utility, federal (e.g., IRA), and low-income rebates/programs.
Alignment with Utility Programs Electric utilities already fund health & safety measures addressing CO hazards, weatherization, and indoor air quality (IAQ) in manufactured homes. Extending eligibility to gas-to-electric water heater replacements:
• Prevents CO-related injuries and deaths.
• Delivers direct health and IAQ benefits.
• Supports increased safe electric load growth.
• Aligns with existing low-income upgrade models (e.g., ComEd, Ameren).
Call to Action Incorporate gas/propane water heater electrification as an eligible health & safety upgrade for manufactured homes. Launch pilots to test implementation, measure outcomes, and scale successful approaches. This targeted intervention addresses a clear, preventable risk while advancing energy efficiency and equity goals.
