Home Electrification: Appliances (2/4)
Second Step: Ditching all the gas appliances. (Updated 5.10.24)
The gas powered appliances I had were the water heater, kitchen stove/oven, dryer, and furnace. The water heater was first to go, I replaced it with a heat pump hot water heater. Heat pumps work like refrigerators, moving heat from one place to another rather than creating new heat. In this case they consolidate hot air from my basement and transfer it into the water. Because the heat pump is so energy efficient, I’m already saving on the utility bill.
My 15+ year old water heater was 75 gallons and on it’s last legs, so I chose a Rheem heat pump replacement. I recommend making this change first because it should be straight forward.
In removing the gas line for the water heater I accidentally had them remove the gas line for the dryer. I wrongly assumed the “Electrolux” brand of my dryer meant it was obviously electric. Now dryer-less, I had to rush out to buy the same dryer model but electric, so it could stack on my washer. Electrolux would not be my first choice based on energy star rating, I may have gone with a heat pump dryer. Do some research here, I’m sure there is a better way.
It’s at this juncture I’ll mention if you will eventually go solar you should upgrade your main and sub panels to 200amp (if they aren’t already). Having the electricians do this when they wire up your new appliances makes sense so rework isn’t needed. I detail my panel upgrade in STEP 4 of this series.
Products:
- 50 Gal Rheem Heat Pump Water Heater with WiFi: $1.5k (BUY) Install Cost: $380 electrician, $1.6k plumber
- Electrolux Electric Dryer: $1k (BUY) (I had to get this one, I might have got a heat pump dryer if I could have). Install Cost: $300 electrician and $75 setup
- 36" Bosch Induction CookTop: $2.5k (BUY). Install Cost: $450 electrician, $4k for new counters.
- 30" Maile Wall Oven: $3.5k (BUY). Install Cost: $450 electrician, $500 cabinet modification.
- Updated: HVAC heat pump: Bosch 4–5 Ton 20.5 SEER outdoor unit, ADP Air handler, all new R8 duct work and removal of 2 asbestos boots. All In Cost: $20.5k
Total Spent: $42.5k
Total Cost Offsets: $37.5k over 25 years ($1,200 in annual gas spending eliminated)
Updated: Cutting the gas line at the meter is the proof:
Financial acknowledgement: With maintenance and equipment replacements I realize this bucket will become a net loss over 25 years, but far less than owning gas appliances. 100% energy being made on site massively offsets the install savings of natural gas equipment.
Time Saver: I got mixed reviews about piecing together an induction top with a wall oven to replace a standard stove. I concluded you CAN and here is how it looks. As long as you can get 4" to 6" spacing underneath the cooktop it should work.
Let’s go to STEP 3
Guide Index
Home Electrification: Create a Baseline (1/4)
