Which one is right for you?
Electrifying Everything
So you've decided you want to electrify your life; how do you go about doing it? There are many different routes you can take to your goal of total electrification. We don't necessarily think there's a right way or a wrong way; ultimately it's personal preference and what works best for you and your individual situation. Here are some of the different ways you can choose to electrify:
You know you want to electrify-- how do we get to the finish line in the shortest amount of time? Cash flow and pacing aren't issues; you just want it to happen as quickly as possible. You're probably going to want to upgrade your electrical panel box first and then your water heater. If it's Spring, Summer, or Fall you might be able to disconnect your gas (methane) service before you get your heat pump heating system installed. A lot of the other upgrades can be done in any order and more or less at the same time. If you can go from conventional gas to all-electric in less than a year you've got it made - also, two years is still getting it done!
First prioritize the high GHG emitters and then swap out devices one at a time from most emitting to least emitting. This order will vary from household to household, but it may look something like getting a plug-in EV car, upgrading to whole-house heat pump heating, heat pump water heater, heat pump clothes dryer, electric yard equipment, and electric cooking stove. If you're conscientious about your emissions and don't have the ability and/or desire to race through it, this may be a good choice for you.
With this method, you choose the appliances/devices that are closest to the end of their normal life cycles and upgrade from combustion to electric as your devices as they naturally come to the end of their usefulness.
Calculate a return on investment for each upgrade you'll be making and start with the one(s) with the shortest payback periods. You may need to start with the panel upgrade out of order, but after that start choosing the investments with the greatest returns.
Maybe you don't have a lot of cash on hand to make huge improvements to your house and lifestyle-- start with what you can afford. A lot of people are purchasing counter-top induction stoves, or maybe an e-bike or electric string trimmer. You don't have to be wealthy to electrify as there are a number of smaller changes you can make without breaking the bank.
Do you have certain combustion appliances/devices that you currently hate? Like maybe an old lawnmower or chainsaw with their stinky gas tanks and messy oil cans. Get rid of those nasty things and start living the good life right away! Start with the appliances you hate and by the time you get halfway through you'll be hating on all your old combustion devices-- it's time for them to go!