FAQs

Affordability of home electrification is a major concern for every homeowner.  The key is to develop a plan for replacing aging systems as they need replacement.  A plan allows you to phase in new electric systems over time, do advance research on the most affordable options and avoid costly emergency replacement situations.  Government and utility incentives can also help with upfront costs.  Federal tax credits are expiring at the end of 2025, but rebates remain available in many states.  There are also a wide range of local and utility incentives for making energy-efficient electric choices on systems like heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, induction cooktops and ranges, electrical service upgrades, and weatherization improvements.  In many cases, these incentives make choosing an electric system less costly than a gas replacement—in addition to offering future savings from efficient operation.  Check how much you could save here.

Most of our home conveniences are already powered by electricity.  For the few that are still powered by fossil fuels like natural gas, modern electric replacements offer improved comfort, convenience, performance, and energy efficiency.  Heat pumps provide more consistent heating in the winter and will provide more effective air conditioning than an aging air conditioner in the summer.  Improved weatherization—typically recommended when installing a heat pump—will also improve comfort by eliminating drafts.  Ensuring that duct systems are well sealed and insulated can dramatically improve air flow and comfort.  A properly sized heat pump water heater will provide plenty of hot water while eliminating a potential source of dangerous pollutants from a gas water heater.  Induction ranges also eliminate dangerous pollutants from burning fuels inside the home, while providing safer, faster, and more responsive cooking with easy cleanup.  For more information on heat pump comfort:  https://homes.rewiringamerica.org/articles/heating-and-cooling/heat-pumps-pros-and-cons

For most homes, a good first step is improving the energy efficiency of your home—saving money on your utility bills in the process.  Energy audits are a great way to do that.  Like a check-up with your doctor, an energy audit—performed by a certifier auditor with a blower door test—will help identify air leakage and poor insulation, and potential health and safety problems as well.  Improved weatherization, especially in the attic, makes a home more energy efficient, healthier, and more comfortable.  It also makes the transition to an electric heat pump more effective and affordable by reducing heating and cooling loads.  Along with an energy audit, working with a trained electric coach to develop a phased plan for electrifying your home, step by step, can make the whole process more effective and affordable and less overwhelming.  For more information on energy audits:  https://homes.rewiringamerica.org/projects/energy-audit-homeowner

Successful home electrification depends on good local businesses to properly install modern electric systems like heat pumps.  Good installers promote electric solutions and have extensive experience installing them.  For many systems, such as heat pumps, top installers can be identified through manufacturer websites and the training certifications they maintain.  Electrify DC, in partnership with Civic Tech DC, is building a Contractor Finder Tool to help you identify good companies. You can find it here. In its 2.0 version, this Tool will integrate the feedback on successful outcomes gathered from the homeowners like you that Electrify DC and the Go Electric DMV coaches assist.

Electric systems, such as heat pumps, induction cooktops, and EVs, offer significant gains in energy efficiency—typically by a factor three.  How that efficiency gain translates into costs to a homeowner depends on local prices for electricity and gas service, as well as the efficiency of the systems being replaced and purchased.  Electrifying a home will reduce or eliminate bills for gas or heating oil, but they will increase electricity use and costs.  The net effect varies.  The best combination for saving money on utility bills is transitioning to an all-electric home powered by rooftop solar panels.  A solar system supplies electricity at rates lower than the utility, and best of all, it is an inflation-beater—providing power at a steady cost, in contrast to utility rates, which are projected to increase significantly in coming years.  Some electric systems are clear winners on operating costs.  High-efficiency heat pumps replacing older air conditioners will save money on cooling in the summer.  A heat pump water heater will save significant electricity when replacing a conventional electric unit, with smaller savings when replacing a gas water heater.  Electric vehicles save significant money relative to filling up at the gas station, and they have much lower maintenance costs.  For more information on save on utility bills:   https://homes.rewiringamerica.org/savers

The ideal situation for home electrification is 200-amp electric service with a few empty spaces in the panel for added circuits to power new systems like hybrid heat pump water heaters, induction ranges, and EV chargers. The number on the main shutoff switch can usually identify the amps supplied by your electrical service.  It is also possible to electrify with 150-amp service, common in many older homes, with smart choices on systems like heat pumps and heat pump water heaters.  More tradeoffs are necessary for homes with 100-amp service, and those homeowners may wish to consider a panel upgrade by consulting one or more licensed electricians.  For more information on electrical service: https://homes.rewiringamerica.org/articles/electrical-panel/electrical-panel-upgrade-pros-cons

Decades ago, heat pumps had a reputable for poor performance in cold weather.  But advances in technology have changed that situation dramatically.  Heat pumps are being successfully installed and operated by the tens of thousands in cold regions like New England.  Here in the DMV, winter temperatures rarely drop into the teens.  A good heat pump, properly designed and installed by a professional HVAC company, can handle the vast majority of winter conditions.  For heat pumps that need a little supplemental heat in rare frigid conditions, electric auxiliary heating packs can provide an effective all-electric heating solution.  In either case, a heat pump is a good choice for replacing an aging air conditioner-furnace system.  For more information on heat pumps in cold weather:  https://homes.rewiringamerica.org/articles/heating-and-cooling/what-is-a-heat-pumpand  https://homes.rewiringamerica.org/articles/heating-and-cooling/heat-pumps-cold-weather

Conventional electric water heaters have been available for decades.  They work well, are inexpensive to install, and don’t burn fuels inside the home.  But they use a lot of electricity.  Today, heat pump water heaters can do the job while using one-third the electricity.  Rather than using electricity to generate heat, they use a heat pump to borrow a little heat from the surrounding indoor air and transfer it into the water tank.  Heat pump water heaters are the most energy-efficient option available today, and are a good choice for many homeowners looking to replace a gas unit.  Because they heat water less quickly than gas, installing a larger tank size is usually recommended to ensure adequate hot water supply.  Electric hybrids with faster hot water recovery are available that combine a heat pump with the heating elements in a conventional electric water heater.  They require a 240-volt circuit, but models that operate on a standard 120-volt outlet are available for homes with electrical constraints.  Heat pump water heaters also require a room with adequate physical space and air flow and a drain for the condensate they generate while dehumidifying the surrounding air.  For more information on heat pump water heaters:  https://homes.rewiringamerica.org/projects/heat-pump-water-heater-homeowner

Many homeowners have preferred gas cooktops over conventional electric ranges because of the fast responsiveness of gas cooking.  But modern electric induction ranges have changed that equation.  They are just as responsive as gas, with precise temperature control.  And they are also much faster to bring water to a boil.  In addition, induction cooktops are safer because the heat is created in the cookware, and not on the cooking surface itself.  For the same reason, and because they have a smooth glass top, they are much easier to clean.  Induction cooktops do require cookware that is magnetic—which includes most stainless steel and cast iron pots and pans.  A great way to try induction cooking before replacing an older gas range is to purchase a portable cooktop unit that runs on a standard outlet—available for about $60 online or at shops like IKEA.  For more information on induction cooking:  https://homes.rewiringamerica.org/articles/induction/how-induction-stoves-work