Mobile Home Water Heaters Review and Buying Tips

Review of the gas-powered, mobile home water heaters from Rheem, AO Smith, and Bradford White. Find the differences between reviewed gas water heaters explicitly designed for manufactured homes.

All the gas water heaters for manufactured homes that you will find here are designed and built by the three, largest manufacturers of water heating appliances in North America; Rheem, AO Smith, and Bradford White. They own or build most of the water heaters found in the US and Canada, and that is why I will focus on reviewing them.

All these mobile home water heaters are built according to the standards that are certified for manufactured (HUD) and modular construction and also have to be installed per codes.

Rheem mobile home gas water heaters

Mobile home water heaters from Rheem are coming from the Warrior series, a series that consists of several types and sizes:

• Warrior DV
• Warrior DVX

All these models are featuring a Guardian system, a system that uses the FVIR system for protection provides quality air filtration, easy-to-light pilot and is maintenance free. As most of the gas water heaters for potable water heating, they utilize the anode rod against corrosion, factory installed TPR valve and other quality elements.

Warrior DV

Warrior DV water heaters are direct-vent models, so the air is drawn into the combustion chamber from outside and through the air inlet located at the base, while the adjustable roof jack vent accommodates different roof thickness for the exhaust.

Warrior DV heaters 21VR30DV, 21VR40DV and 21VR50DV are equipped with the 30, 40 and 50-gallon tanks and provide the energy efficiency which ranges from 0.58 to 0.61, recovery rate from 36.4 gallons and first hour delivery from 51 gallons to 67, for the largest 50-gallon model. The warranty is five years on the water tank and one on other parts.

Warrior DVX

Warrior DVX models 22V40FDVX and 22V50FDVX are 40 and 50-gallon water heaters that provide 0.59 EF, recovery rate 36.4 and first hour delivery of 66 and 78 gallons.

DVX models are using vertical co-axial direct venting system with the adjustable roof jack for flexible vent installation.

Another great feature found in DVX models is the EverKleen self-cleaning system that fights the sediment build-up.

AO Smith mobile home gas water heaters

Atmospheric vent

AO Smith mobile home water heaters are known as Energy Saver models.

There are standard atmospheric vent models; FMV-30, FMV-40, and FMV-50, with the capacities from 30 to 50 gallons, energy factor from 0.58 to 0.61, recovery rate from 36 to 41 and first hour delivery from 60 to 88 gallons.

Direct vent

Direct vent models FMD-30, FMD-40 and FMD-50 are designed with the lower recovery rate (31-39 gallons), first-hour delivery (54-70 gallons) and pretty much the same energy efficiency, but have better foam insulation R-value (16 vs. 8). If buying a direct vent model, an approved roof jack kit must be installed (ordered separately). Direct vent models use the bottom intake air vent to draw the combustion air from the outside and the adjustable roof jack kit for running the flue gases out.

One of the most significant advantages is the Green Choice gas burner which is eco-friendly as it reduces the emission of NOx gases by one third when compared to heaters with the standard gas burners.

They come with the 6-year warranty on the metal tank and 2-year on other parts. They comply with the HUD standards for manufactured housing installation and are FVIR compliant.

Bradford White mobile home gas water heaters

Bradford White mobile home water heaters are designed as the atmospheric vent and direct vent models.

Atmospheric vent

Atmospheric vent models, M‑I‑MH30T6FLN and M‑I‑MH40T6FLN, are 30 and 40-gallon gas water heaters that are known as Energy Saver models and they utilize Defender Safety System which includes the FVIR system and Hydrojet system with an innovative dip tube design that fights the sediment build-up.

Direct vent

Direct vent models M‑I‑MS30T6LN and M‑I‑MS40T6LN are coming with the 30 and 40-gal tank sizes, and as opposed to atmospheric vent models, these models take the combustion air from outside and vent the products of combustion back.

Most of the mobile home water heaters are very similar to the standard type, but they are narrower, making them fit in tight spaces easier. All the models from above include the convertible gas control valve for simpler conversion from natural gas to propane.

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