Are Park Homes Warm in the Winter Months?

Are you thinking of purchasing a park home? You’ll first need to check whether the residence is suitable to live in throughout the year.

The winter months bring longer nights, colder temperatures and, for many, the dread of an increase in energy bills. But staying in a park home doesn’t necessarily mean having to pull on an extra jumper to keep costs down.

In the following article, we discuss how Willerby park homes stay toasty even when the elements change.

Can you live in a Park Home all year round?

The UK Mobile Homes Act states that you can only spend the winter months in a residential park. This is a dedicated park with a permanent residential licence. This differs from holiday parks which are non-residential. Holiday parks limit the number of days you can spend there and may close seasonally. Even if they are open all year-round, they cannot be considered a permanent residence. This is due to restrictions on voting and registering with a GP. To find your dedicated residential park try our residential park finder tool!

A good tip before agreeing to buy a park home and rent a pitch, is to check a site’s status with the local authority. If a site’s licence states, “for holiday use only”, you will have to look elsewhere for your permanent address — however desirable the location.

When you do find a site that allows you to stay over the winter months, it’s important to choose a park home that keeps you warm. Willerby park homes are built in accordance with BS 3632, the current British Standard covering residential park homes. Our park homes are even built to the same insulation standard as a new bungalow!

What is BS 3632?

This legislation ensures that energy efficiency is at the heart of everything we design. Whether it’s your windows, doors, or the insulation used in the walls, we only ever build park homes that meet the exacting British standards. What’s more, all this extra protection means saving money on energy bills!

Our homes are tested for airtightness too. The running costs of Willerby’s park homes and lodges have been calculated using the domestic EPC/SAP method and, using mains gas, show estimated running costs of £1.37 a day. That’s considerably less than a 1960’s bungalow, which runs at around £2.65 a day — saving you nearly £450 each year.

How are park homes heated?

We know how important having a safe, reliable, energy efficient boiler is to our owners. That’s why we’ve introduced the 2019 Which? Best Buy boiler from Vaillant into our homes. The ecoTec pro combi 28kW is a smart combi boiler that’s simple, easy to use and one of the quietest in its class. ErP 'A' rated for both hot water and central heating, it is a truly reliable and energy efficient boiler.

Want the look and feel of an open fire but without the mess? Cosy up in the lounge area with an electric feature fireplace. We use The Simply Better Build range to install stylish fires in your park home — some even include additional features, such as programmable timers.

Just how energy efficient is my holiday home?

Park homes built to the BS 3632 standard by NCC members are given an Energy Efficiency Calculation. This document explains how well the property is insulated.

At Willerby, we pride ourselves on our reputation for market-setting innovation. Our Argon-filled, ‘Low E’, double glazing and thermal insulation are a few of the many reasons why more than 20,000 people choose our park homes.

Do I need an energy performance certificate (EPC)?

The answer is no. The government states that park homes and static caravans are exempt from needing an energy performance certificate. So, if you choose to sell your park home at any time, you won’t need to show an EPC.

What else can I do to keep my home warm in winter?

Willerby park homes are already built to keep you warm in the winter months. But should you need to up the temperature, there are a few more things you can do:

• Close your curtains at night-time. Curtains act as another layer of insulation keeping your rooms cosy and warm.
• Move your sofa. Although you might like sitting near the radiator, moving your sofa allows warm air to move, heating the entire of the room.
• Double check for any gaps. Make sure heat isn’t escaping from small gaps, covering these can help reduce condensation.

Want to find out more about heating your static home in winter? Download our latest brochure with even more information to help you choose the perfect park home.