All-electric homes were thought to be the next big thing in the 1950’s, and then-actor Ronald Reagan promoted them as part of his role of being a spokesman for General Electric. However, they didn’t catch on at the time. The original all-electric homes became too expensive to live in after the early
1970’s when the price of electricity went up.
Today, they appear to be making a comeback. As government officials, developers and homeowners search for alternatives to houses that require natural gas and other fossil fuels, all-electric homes are becoming increasingly marketable – just ask the folks over at This Electric Home. An all-electric home is a zero-emissions home, and that’s an enormous advantage when it comes to fighting climate change.
All-electric communities
In California and elsewhere, developers are now marketing all-electric condominiums in developments that cater to the environmentally conscious, and units are selling easily. Owners can feel good about their all-electric homes because the electricity itself that the homes run on is increasingly coming from wind, solar, and other green sources. Many owners of all-electric homes like that there are no pilot lights to mess with, and they feel safer overall because they don’t fear a natural gas explosion.
But what about the price of running a modern all-electric home? Is it going to cost more to be environmentally friendly? In many parts of the country, it’s still cheaper to go with natural gas than with electricity, but this is rapidly changing. In short, all-electric homes are shaping up to be the best economic choice in the future and not just the choice of environmentalists willing to pay more.
Government assistance
In California and other states that have official policies of trying to be more carbon neutral, government officials are doing as much as they can to promote all-electric homes. They are offering tax breaks and other incentives, and their efforts have been largely successful so far. After all, the color green applies to money as well as to environmentalism. If the Green New Deal ever goes through on the federal level, then all-electric homes are going to become even cheaper and more marketable.
Furthermore, some communities across the nation are considering implementing building codes that encourage electricity over gas. The idea is that as gas-powered furnaces and water heaters break down, they will be replaced by electric components. HVAC installers and maintenance technicians are becoming more knowledgeable about electric appliances, and this means that they are more likely to recommend them to customers and potential customers. Mobile homes in particular are now more likely than ever to be running entirely on electricity.
Making electricity go further
In an all-electric home, there are many ways to cut down on energy bills. For example, homeowners can use spray foam insulation, LED lights, and they can install electric heat pumps. As electric appliances become more efficient, it makes more sense to power an entire home with electricity.
At the end of the day, even if a new all-electric home is more expensive in the short term to build and operate, it’s going to be cheaper in the long term. Overseas, in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere, all-electric homes are becoming more popular as well. Therefore, it does, in fact, seem like all-electric homes are the next big thing, and this time, unlike in the 1950s, they’re going to be here to stay.
