Electrification: Removing Natural Gas from the Home

[@buildwithrise]

Which electric change over do you think would be your biggest challenge?

[@mhorgan1515]

I both build and consult on Zero-Energy Homes and Passivhaus projects around California. It's fascinating - and sad - to hear them at the 3:20 mark begin to talk about contractors in CA telling homeowners a home cannot be built without gas, and not just saying that but emphatically believing that idea. Being from New England originally, I've built with heat pumps for over a decade now and believe it or not, the temperatures there are slightly (i.e. a LOT) different than here, both colder in the winter and hotter and more humid in the summers. Still, there is often a 40-50 degree diurnal temp swing in California. Yes, it's beautiful for five or six hours in the middle of the day, but the fog and cold roll in every evening and stay around all night. It's a weird occurrence that California builders forget this (or just don't know or care). Congrats to these homeowners for sticking to their guns and having to tell the contractors that yes, in fact, it can be done and it's beneficial to everyone - people, planet, and even contractor's profits. Imagine that.

[@JennCanada1991]

I'm from Canada so it was really surprising to hear them say that heat pumps are extremely uncommon and even resisted. When the difference between your winter and summer heat bills can be $500+ it's important to look for the most efficient and comfortable heating methods available to you.

[@charlesvaske8132]

I'm currently trying to electrify and get rid of all natural gas usage in my home. About 50% of contractors would quote me a heat pump, but only one would quote me a mini-split system so that I can control each room's temp independently. I think it comes down to the vendors that they are used to using, and if they don't buy equipment from somebody that does mini splits (e.g. Mitsubishi), then of course they aren't going to be able to install and support you. Biggest thing to change this is to try to get quotes, and tell the contractors that you're not going with them because they won't build what you need. People will change! Changing local code to require these more efficient and cost effective systems will force contractors to get out of their comfort zone and adapt to the future. Most people are creatures of habit, and will need a push either from customers or governments in order to change.

[@KoopaKGB]

If you're fortunate enough to be on the natural gas grid KEEP IT. Why do you think folks in rural areas have to pay for propane trucks to deliver their fuel to their home storage tanks to heat their homes? Its because an electric furnace can't match the power and savings of a gas one. People don't realize how nice it is to have natural gas in an area that sees negative 0 F winters. If your home is on the gas grid keep it, if it isn't on the grid than use more expensive electric, the amount of energy used and the carbon cost of manufacturing these solar panels and the very heavy, earth mined minerals used in the batteries has to be considered as well. To convert a home off gas is going backwards in efficiency of the energy plain and simple. Another thing, everybody is so proud to have the latest and greatest electric vehicle, if you're concerned with the environmental impacts than KEEP a small efficient gas sedan in good shape and on the road for as long as you possibly can. This family should be driving a late 2000 model Toyota corolla or something, not a brand new electric car every couple years. Also ask any professional cook if they prefer electric cooking appliances, they will straight up laugh at you because the comparison is in that much more favor of gas just due to the sheer energy in it's combustion. 100,000 btu = 29.31 Kilowatts. Last month my two person home used 12 therms of gas in our water heater and furnace = roughly to 1,200,000 btu of energy, comparision would be 351 kW. The cost was $24 gas, the equal cost at the electric rate would have been well over $60.

[@billybassman21]

I agree 100%. Also gas is more reliable, never had it go down my entire life. I was able to run my 10k generator for two days during the Texas freeze off my gas meter plus heat my home and water with gas. Other I knew still had hot water, were able to cook and were able to use their gas fireplaces. The all electric homes were uninhabitable.

[@mnorma12]

This is a common misconception, but my home and the home owner in this video prove you wrong. I’ve electrified my home and shut off the gas and will never go back. My heat pump keeps my home more comfortable than my gas furnace ever did and my induction cooktop will leave any gas range in the dust. It’s all powered by rooftop solar. The commenter is also misinformed about the production of panels. They generate hundreds of times more energy than it takes to produce them. For the past two years, I’ve paid only the cost of being connected to the grid, which amounts to $120/year.

[@billybassman21]

@@mnorma12 Like I said it's all good till you lose your power and are left in total darkness with no way to cook or heat your home. Going to more efficient electric is fine, but you should have kept your gas service as a backup.

[@LoveToday8]

What about the health impacts of natural gas? That alone would be worth it for me.

[@AntoineGrondin]

People outside the US have been heating and cooking with electricity for a while. I'm from Eastern Canada where winters are violent, and we all cook with electric stoves and heat our homes and water with electricity. It's only when I came to the US that I realized people here, for some weird reason, use gas for everything, despite having much lower power requirements than in a cold place like Montréal. I really think people's strong belief in gas being a necessity... is some weird product of unknown unknown: people just don't realize the madness of using gas for all this stuff.