People have been slowly switching to electrification for about 100 years, and it’s been a slow process since the beginning. Although the light bulb was invented at the end of the 1800s, it took until 1925 for half of all homes to switch from oil lamps to electric incandescent bulbs.
Then, for several decades, people relied on electric lights while using fossil fuels for heating and cooking, but over the last 30 years or so, they’ve slowly been migrating toward electric solutions for those needs as well.
Now, whole home electrification is possible, and it’s growing in popularity. People are replacing their existing fossil fuel appliances with electric alternatives, in hopes of reducing their energy bills, shrinking their carbon footprints, and making their homes more comfortable.
Is whole home electrification right for you? If any of the following apply, you may want to consider it.
1. You want to stop using fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels increase your carbon footprint, and if you want to protect the environment, you need to move away from them and toward renewable energy sources. On average, water heaters and HVAC equipment account for nearly 70% of the average home’s energy consumption, and unfortunately, these two appliances traditionally run on fossil fuels.
A family of four using a gas hot water heater put approximately two tons of carbon dioxide into the environment. The typical gas furnace releases about six tons of carbon dioxide, while an oil furnace is double that number. By switching to electric appliances, you reduce your carbon footprint substantially.
The reduction is particularly prominent when you have electric service through a provider that avoids fossil fuels and focuses on renewables. If you install solar panels at your home along with electric HVAC equipment and water heaters, you can reduce your carbon footprint to zero for those appliances.
Keep in mind, however, that not all electric solutions are created equal. Electric baseboard heaters are notoriously inefficient, while electric heat pumps are one of the most efficient options. Similarly, electric-resistance water heaters are less efficient than heat pump water heaters.
2. You want more consistent utility bills.
Propane, oil, and other fossil fuels tend to have erratic price changes. Electricity rates, in contrast, are much more predictable. Switching to whole home electrification allows you to enjoy much more predictable monthly energy bills, and in most cases, because the electric solutions are more efficient, you get to enjoy significantly lower bills.
3. You want to use solar power.
If you’re interested in using solar power in your home, whole-home electrification is the obvious next step. Solar panels harness the sun’s energy and allow you to easily power all of the electric devices in your home. Additionally, if you’re connected to the grid, the panels send excess energy back to the grid, giving you a credit on your electric bill.
Alternatively, you can add a battery to your solar panels. Then, when your panels generate excess energy, it gets stored in the batteries for when you need power during the middle of the night or even during a power outage.
Everything electric in your home can run off the energy created by your solar panels. If you’re only using your panels to generate electricity for your lights, electronics, and kitchen appliances, you don’t need that much power. Remember, as indicated above, these items only consume about 30% of the power in your home. To optimize the potential of your solar panels, you should just go all in, and switch everything you possibly can to electric in your home.
4. You want to improve the re-sell appeal of your home.
People are taking an increasing interest in green energy for two reasons: the environment and their budget. Everyone prioritizes these two elements differently, but regardless of whether potential buyers are attracted to green solutions for environmental or budgetary reasons, there is likely to be increased interest in electric homes.
The National Association of Realtors says that “energy efficiency will help drive future property values.” The organization also states that homes that don’t take advantage of energy-efficient strategies will be left behind.
5. You want to take advantage of tax and energy incentives.
Switching to whole home electrification is an investment. You have to invest in electric HVAC solutions like electric resistance heat pumps. You have to replace gas water heaters with some type of electric water heaters. In some cases, you may have to upgrade your electrical panel to make this possible. All of this costs money, and if you want to add solar during this process, that will add additional costs.
However, there are incentives to help with the process. In Massachusetts, Mass Save offers rebates for people who upgrade to air-source heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, integrated controls, and smart thermostats. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) also offers tax credits and other incentives to people who invest in heat pumps and other energy-efficient equipment. These incentives help to offset the cost of making the switch to whole home electric. On top of that, there are financing options that can help you spread the cost of the investment over time.
Contact Us and Get on the Way to Whole Home Electrification
At N.E.T.R., Inc., we can help you select and install a heat pump if you’re interested in whole-home electrification. We have extensive experience helping clients select and install heat pumps for their homes and businesses. When you opt for a heat pump, you don’t just reduce your carbon footprint and reduce your utility bills. You also improve the comfort of your home.
To learn more, contact us today. We can answer all of your questions. Then, we’ll send a comfort consultant to your home. They will help you design the ideal heating and cooling set-up based on your unique home, budget, and preferences. We also guide all of our clients through the process of applying for financing andgetting Mass Save and other rebates.
