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HOW TO DECARBONIZE YOUR ENTIRE HOME  
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Justin Gerdes
September 16, 2024
Sierra Magazine
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_ A guide to electrifying your residence, from heat pumps to solar
panels and more _

, Illustrations by Heather Jones

 

IF YOU WANT TO HELP fight climate change
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saving money in the long run—electrifying your home is a great place
to start. Residential energy use accounts for 20 percent of US
greenhouse gas emissions, which are mostly the result of heating and
cooling. Using electrical appliances for these activities will go a
long way toward eliminating your carbon footprint.

Today’s electrical appliances are more than capable of replacing
fossil-fuel-burning ones, as I learned from my own recent home
electrification project. Best of all, there are numerous state and
federal incentives that make it cheaper than ever to install them.
Here’s a guide to help you get started on your journey
to electrifying your home
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[Energy usage chart]

ROOFTOP SOLAR AND ENERGY STORAGE

[Residential solar cost]

When you invest in rooftop solar
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you’re essentially turning your home into a mini power plant.
That’s great for tackling climate change, but many homeowners want
to know how rooftop solar can help save money. According to the
Department of Energy, you’re most likely to see benefits if you live
in a state with favorable incentives or above-average electricity
rates. If you also live in a state that allows you to sell surplus
electricity back to your utility, called net metering, doing so could
help you recover the cost of installing solar and storage over time.

The installation that works best for you will depend on the size of
your roof, your energy usage, and the amount of sunlight available.
While there are some national firms—like Tesla and SunRun—that
perform installations in multiple states, many firms are local or
state outfits. Your utility may have a list of prescreened
contractors. 

BATTERY STORAGE SYSTEMS that can keep the power running in a blackout
will make economic sense in the future if the cost of batteries
continues to fall. Also, if your local regulators reduce the value of
utility incentives for solar, as recently happened in California, it
is more advantageous to store power from your rooftop solar panels for
use throughout the day. Some utilities, like Green Mountain Power in
Vermont
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will even pay you for power stored in your battery when there is high
demand on the grid.

Federal incentives make it easier to pay for an electrification
retrofit. With tax incentives authorized by the Inflation Reduction
Act
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you can claim up to 30 percent of the cost of a solar PV or battery
storage system; up to $840 toward an electric stove, cooktop, range,
or oven; and up to $2,000 annually toward the cost of heat pumps and
heat pump water heaters, through 2032. Rewiring America’s
online Personal Electrification Planner and Savings Calculator
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with project planning and budgeting.

Contractor Factor

Old-guard contractors are notorious for pushing gas appliances. But as
the demand for home electrification grows, companies that specialize
in such projects, like ELECTRIFY MY HOME in the San Francisco Bay
Area and BAKER HOME ENERGY just outside San Diego, are becoming more
common. 

The transition to an all-electric home may require hiring an
electrician to install the necessary outlets, especially if you are
switching from gas to electric equipment in the kitchen. You may have
to upgrade the main electrical panel to one that can handle rooftop
solar and batteries.

[Home energy consumption graph]

HEAT PUMPS

The key to heat pumps’ remarkable efficiency is the lack of
combustion. Unlike furnaces and boilers that burn gas or propane to
generate heat, a two-way electric heat pump draws heat inside in
winter and expels heat in summer.

[Illustration of the insider of a home]

Which heat pump
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right for you? If you already have central heating or cooling,
you’ll likely want a DUCTED AIR-SOURCE HEAT PUMP. For small spaces
and homes without ductwork, a DUCTLESS MINI-SPLIT HEAT PUMP is a
good choice. They work well for controlling temperatures in different
rooms. Another option is a GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMP (also known as a
ground-source heat pump), which is expensive but can be more
efficient.

No matter where you live, the type, model, and brand you choose will
depend on the size of your home and how it’s insulated as well as
what your local contractors offer, as contractors often have
relationships with specific manufacturers. In a Consumer Reports
survey, American Standard and Trane received top marks for both
predicted reliability and owner satisfaction. If you live in a place
with frigid winters, like Maine or Alaska, check out the Northeast
Energy Efficiency Partnerships’ list of cold-climate air-source
heat pumps [[link removed]].

[Heat pump estimates]

Renters can plug portable MICRO HEAT PUMPS into a standard 120-volt
outlet to heat or cool a space in mild climates. Gradient and Midea
are currently developing heat pumps that work well in temperatures
below zero. In the kitchen, a portable induction cooktop is an
affordable way to get the air quality and health benefits of electric
cooking.

WATER HEATERS

Heat pumps also work for water heaters. Before buying one, you’ll
need to figure out what size you need, based on how much water you
use. These appliances need air circulation from which to pull heat, so
keep space in mind. They’re great for basements, as they function as
low-grade dehumidifiers.

If you’re tight on space or don’t use lots of water in different
parts of your home simultaneously, a TANKLESS ELECTRIC WATER HEATER
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called an on-demand water heater, is another option. These can be
mounted inside or outside the home, and some smaller options can be
affixed to a single sink or showerhead. Be aware that tankless water
heaters draw so much power that you may need to upgrade the electrical
service in your house.

HEAT PUMP WATER HEATERS

Replacing electric: $3,600–$4,800 

Replacing gas: $4,300–$6,500

TANKLESS WATER HEATERS Nine models tested by Consumer Reports ranged
from $525 to $1,150. Installation adds at least $800 to $1,500,
according to HomeAdvisor.

Three highly rated options:

RHEEM Performance Platinum 40-gallon Smart Tank Electric Heat Pump
Water Heater, $1,600

A.O. SMITH Signature 100 50-gallon Electric Water Heater, $530–$570

STIEBEL ELTRON Tempra 24 Trend 240-Volt 4.68-GOM Tankless Electric
Water Heater, $650–$700

ELECTRIC COOKING

It turns out that combusting a fossil fuel in your kitchen isn’t
good for your health. A recent study found that pollution emitted from
gas stoves can linger for hours, even in rooms far from the kitchen.

Electric induction cooktops
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ranges are an excellent alternative, using an electromagnetic field to
transfer heat directly to cookware. These are safer because there’s
no flame or combustion. You just need to make sure you’re using
cookware that’s magnetic.

[illustration of the insider of a kitchen]

While induction is gaining in popularity, if you still have doubts,
you can always buy a noninduction ELECTRIC STOVE, the most common
stove type in the US.

No matter what type of stove you’re in the market for, check which
style your kitchen is already set up for, or you might be in for a
costly retrofit. 

[chart about electric stoves]

Cooktops & Ranges

According to Consumer Reports, here are the models to look for.

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PORTABLE INDUCTION COOKTOPS: Duxtop 9600LS ($112), Avantco IC1800
($120), and Duxtop 9100MC ($83) 

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30-INCH INDUCTION COOKTOPS: Bosch 800 Series NIT8060UC
($2,350–$2,435), WOLF CONTEMPORARY CI304C/B ($2,500), and GE
Profile PHP9030DJBB ($1,552)

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INDUCTION RANGES: LG LSE4617ST ($3,700), GE Profile PHS93XYPFS
($4,000), and Frigidaire Gallery GCRI3058AF ($1,450)

* ELECTRIC STOVES: KitchenAid KFED500EBS ($2,338), LG LDE4413ST
($1,200), and GE JB735SPSS ($630)

* clean energy
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* Climate Change
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* Home decarbonization
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