It took a half-dozen years and tens of thousands of dollars, but Connecticut Street resident Lisa Ryers can now boast a fully electric, partially grid-independent home that costs less to heat and cool than sole reliance on Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) power.
“My process took approximately six years and cost over $40,000. Yet my electric bill is now negative $1,202 per month. Much of that credit is due to my electric heat pump water heater and the dozen solar panels I installed on the roof,” said Ryers.
The San Francisco Environment Department (SF Environment), as well as the State of California, wants homeowners to switch-out their gas stoves and water heaters for electric models. Electric stoves can cost between $500 and $2,500. Since they don’t have open flames, they’re less dangerous and polluting than gas cooktops. Bay Area Air Quality Management District regulations prohibit the sale and installation of gas-powered water heaters in 2027.
Last year, Ryers’ home, built in 1953, was featured in SF Environment’s “Life’s Better Electric Home Tours,” which showcased eight residences across the City.
“I was proud to host between 25 and 30 visitors and cover all the steps I took. I started with a home energy audit, which determines how much energy a home consumes,” said Ryers.
A home energy audit identifies room-specific heating and cooling loads and where additional insulation or more efficient windows are merited. Audits are offered free to income-qualified households; otherwise, they can cost up to $900 in the View’s readership area. Audit fees are generally credited toward any work that’s done.
A Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) professional can perform the audit, including thermal imaging to identify leaks and a blower door test, which measures the difference in air pressure between inside and outside air.
A property owner may need to increase their electrical load capacity to optimize use of new energy-efficient appliances.
“While a 100-amp panel is often sufficient for electrifying most San Francisco homes with energy-efficient appliances, older homes may require utility or contractor assistance for electrical upgrades if multiple high-demand devices are added,” said Nik Kaestner, SF Environment senior building decarbonization coordinator.
Ryers said “hacks” to avoid having to increase capacity include installing 15-amp 120-volt heat pump water heaters, buying a circuit share device like a Dryer Buddy, and installing tandem circuit breakers, actions that’re best suited for a homeowner electrifying their property slowly, through multiple steps. Electrifying many appliances simultaneously may trigger the need to add a subpanel or upgrade to a 200-amp panel, potentially requiring permits and PG&E involvement.
“This is because by upgrading to a 200-amp panel, they need to change the electrical drop to your home,” said Ryers.
The electrical service drop consists of the bundle of cables that runs from the pole to the residential connection.
One of the most significant measures to reduce a structure’s carbon footprint is to replace a gas furnace with an electric heat pump. Such a device heats and cools a home by drawing in heat from the environment.
“This is particularly relevant in the southeastern neighborhoods because they get more sun than colder parts of the City. A house with a heat pump will stay cooler in a heat wave and expend less energy to do so,” said Ryers.
Significant upfront investment is needed to reduce dependence on PG&E, which profits principally from distributing and transmitting power, and CleanPowerSF, a San Francisco Public Utilities Commission program that provides energy to most of San Francisco’s businesses and households. Installing photovoltaics and other equipment, like a heat pump’s outdoor unit, puts additional weight on structures. This may trigger the need to repair or replace the roof, particularly if it’s more than 15 years old. Such costs are unlikely to be covered by state rebate programs. Heat pump elements can also be installed below decks.
Ryers spent $7,000 on a roof replacement and close to $20,500 for a 12-panel 4.8 kilowatt (kW) solar installation. She received a 26 percent federal tax rebate for the array.
Ryers purchased a pump for cooling and heating for $15,000. Other expenses included $4,950 for a hybrid water heater, $1,200 for a 125-amp panel; $250 for an electric vehicle fast-charging outlet; $1,800 for a 36-inch induction cooktop, excluding the cost of induction-friendly pots and pans; $1,300 for cooktop wiring; and approximately $1,000 each for an electric washer and dryer. She received a $2,000 federal energy efficient home improvement credit, $900 from Golden State Rebates and a $2,000 refund from Tech Clean California for the hybrid 120-volt water heater.
According to Ryers, a homeowner can identify available rebates and incentives for electric appliances from Golden State Rebates, Bay Area Regional Energy Network, and Tech Clean California.
“I know people like to know the costs of things. But I think it is important to know that just because I paid $X for one item doesn’t mean a similar household would. How old is your house? How many square feet? Has it been remodeled? All of these things play a factor,” said Ryers.
Ryers navigated electrification with the help of Rewiring America, for which she works as an “electric coach.”
Ryers also was assisted by QuitCarbon, a San Francisco-based company that connects homeowners with experts on available incentives and rebates, referrals to local contractors, and money-saving tips. QuitCarbon is paid a commission from contractors when it refers business to them.
“We offer support across California. Right now, we have a few hundred clients in San Francisco. Our expertise is valuable because the world of incentives and rebates is always changing. In addition, we connect property owners with local contractors,” said Cooper Marcus, QuitCarbon’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Ryers worked with David Hamburger, CEO of Building Efficiency, Inc., a San Francisco HVAC business, to install the split heat pump and hybrid heat pump water heater, as well as to remove the old fossil fuel furnace and gas on demand water heater. Building Efficiency also fitted additional ductwork for Ryers.
“In San Francisco, the buildings tend to be more complicated. So do building department regulations. Still, we’ve worked with owners here to electrify thousands of homes. Usually, the hardest part is doing duct work to increase air flow and comfort,” said Hamburger.
It’s challenging to fully electrify a residence that wasn’t wired to support much more than an iron, furnace, and stove. Improperly manufactured panels, such as a faulty one produced by Federal Pacific, can cause problems. It can be difficult to electrify homes wired before the first national electric code was published in 1897.
“I worked as an electrical inspector for the City before working for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 6,” said Osha Ashworth, assistant business manager for IBEW Local 6, who noted that San Francisco residences have quite varied electrical load capacities and wiring ranges
SF Environment offers free heat pump water heater installation for income qualified households, who must earn 80 percent of the average median income or less or participate in public assistance programs like Medi-Cal or SNAP.
“We are still in the early stages of promoting home electrification. However, utilities and state regulators are planning for a future in which most homes and vehicles are powered by electricity. This will require significant infrastructure upgrades,” said Kaestner.
Obstacles for residential electrification include high appliance and labor costs, the longtime it takes to perform jobs, and the discomfort that residents face during construction. Electricity prices have steadily increased. Although PG&E rates declined slightly in 2024, the investor-owned utility’s average prices are 28 percent higher than they were in 2023. And federal tax support for electric vehicles and home electrification are under threat, with proposals to repeal all or some existing green energy credits.
SF Environment is working with the northern California chapter of Emerald Cities Collaborative, a D.C.-based nonprofit that helps develop green infrastructure opportunities for workers.
“Through this partnership, we have been able to identify trained contractors to perform work for the City’s free heat pump water heater installation program,” said Elise Mclane, SF Environment building decarbonization associate.
Alina Ferguson