Electrifying your home
Heating and cooling
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A key component to electrifying your home is the upgrading of your home heating system to a heat pump. Heat pumps can come in many shapes and sizes to suit the size, shape, age, and needs of your home. Not only do they replace your heating system for the winter, but heat pumps provide the ability to cool in the summer. Heat pumps draw heat from the environment and move it indoors to heat your home or move it outdoors to cool your home. Click on the links below for details on heat pumps and how they work. |
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Cooking
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Gas stovetops and gas fueled ovens would also be replaced when fully electrifying one’s home. Most think of a traditional coil electric cooktop but there are numerous electric cooktops available. Induction cooktops, for example, provide instantaneous heat adjustment like gas stoves. |
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Water Heating
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Many homes heat their water with natural gas or a boiler. In these situations, you would need to replace your hot water heater with an electric hot water heater. Much like heat pumps used for heating your home, heat pump hot water heaters pull warm air from the surrounding environment to heat your water. |
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Other Household Appliances
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Laundry is another consideration for electrifying your home as many homes have clothes dryers that run on natural gas. If this is your situation traditional electric dyers or a heat pump clothes dryer would be an option for you. |
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Weatherization
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Prior to installing new heating and cooling equipment (such as a heat pump), you may want to investigate weatherization to reduce the building load and allow the building to be heated and cooled with a smaller system. Smaller sized systems are less expensive saving money immediately. |
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Weatherization can include insulation, air sealing, and window improvements. Benefits of weatherization include:
- Reduced Energy Usage and Costs – Weatherization will allow you to run your existing heating and cooling equipment less often
- Improved Comfort – Weatherization reduces drafty areas and temperature variations within your home
- Health and Safety – Installing weatherization measures can reduce the risk of mold, asthma, and allergies, and assist with repairing electrical hazards prior to insulating.
