Getting Started with Home Electrification

How would you like to reduce your home energy costs, improve your health and comfort, and at the same time do your part to improve the environment? If your answer is “yes,” then listen to this week’s Energy Show episode. If your answer is “no,” then maybe you don’t need your share of the $10,000-$40,000 incentives that are available for your home. The concept of Home Electrification is simple: you replace gas appliances with electric appliances — either all at once, or as the old gas appliances stop working. But the whole-home electrification process can be daunting. You will need to evaluate the costs and incentives for each electrification measure, hire several different types of contractors, and then sort through their varying recommendations. The biggest barrier to Home Electrification is that people just don’t know where to start. So here is my recommended Three Step Electrification Process: * First, attack what I call the Low Hanging Fruit — mostly simple DIY changes like installing LED lighting, weatherstripping and home controls. * Second, get quotes from contractors for each major project: electrical upgrades, solar and storage, heat pumps for HVAC and water heating, EV charger, induction cooktop, etc. Remember, there is no cost to just getting quotes — so don’t delay this step. * Third, evaluate the costs and incentives for these electrification measures, define contractor schedules and get started. In six to twelve months you’ll be delighted with much lower energy costs, a more comfortable and healthier home, and a much lower carbon footprint.