Why Americans Are Choosing to Electrify Their Homes
Safety, Ease of Use, and Environmental Benefits Are Leading the Charge on Home Electrification
New Yorkers can leverage incentives and financing to jumpstart their home efficiency and electrification journey.
Home design trends often come and go, but the benefits of home electrification – using efficient, all-electric equipment instead of fossil fuels – are everlasting.
More than a quarter of homes in the U.S. are already electrified [1]. And the shift to home electrification is gaining steam: electric heat pumps outsold gas furnaces for a second consecutive year in 2023.
A recent nationwide survey 
by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) analyzed the most common reasons that U.S. homeowners are interested in switching from using fossil fuel-powered equipment to all-electric systems in their homes.
The results show a mix of motivations for wanting to electrify, as the perks of an efficient, all-electric home are multifold. From healthier living to energy savings and reliability to sustainability, more and more Americans are looking into electrifying their home appliances and equipment.
Top Five Reasons for Electrifying Homes
Survey respondents were asked to choose from a list of potential reasons for selecting electric home equipment over models that use fossil fuels. If participants already had electric equipment for any of the three identified end uses (heating, hot water, or cooking), their responses were excluded for that category of equipment.
Here’s a closer look at the leading reasons homeowners across the U.S. are choosing to electrify their homes.
1. Electricity Is a Safer Option
Greater safety was the top reason for choosing electric hot water and home heating equipment (34.9% and 32.2% of respondents, respectively), and the fourth-ranked reason for electrifying home cooking (29.3%).
Furnaces, water heaters, and stoves that run on fossil fuels emit pollutants that exacerbate respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. Swapping out gas- and fossil fuel-powered equipment with all-electric models eliminates these sources of indoor air pollution, creating safer and healthier living spaces.
2. Electric (Induction) Stoves Are Easier to Clean
The ease of cleaning electric induction stoves was cited by 32.4% of respondents as a reason for wanting to ditch their gas stoves.
With induction stoves, the heat is generated inside the pan via an electromagnetic current (a process known as induction), rather than an open flame or electric coils below. This keeps induction cooktops comparatively cooler, keeping spills or splatter from turning into a charred mess. Wiping down the flat, glass-ceramic surface on an induction stove is also much less of a hassle than removing and scrubbing grates on a gas stove.
3. Electricity Is Cleanest/Best for the Environment
Environmental benefits were a leading motivator for electrification across all three categories of home equipment, with 32.1% of respondents selecting it as a reason for electrifying heating, 28.9% for hot water, and 44.1% for cooking.
Burning fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas emits greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to air pollution and climate change. Smog, acid rain, and ocean acidification all stem from fossil fuel combustion. Even smaller fossil fuel-powered equipment can have a large environmental footprint. Running a leaf blower for one hour produces the equivalent air pollution as driving a new passenger vehicle for 1,100 miles [2].
July 22, 2024, broke the record for hottest average global temperature (62.87 degrees Fahrenheit), beating a record set just the day before [3]. Continuing fossil fuel use business-as-usual is expected to bring more frequent heat waves and extreme weather events, posing increasing risks to public health and ecosystems.
4. Electric Appliances Are More Energy Efficient
Air source heat pump outdoor unit
Energy-efficient performance was another high-ranking reason for choosing to switch to electric equipment. It was selected by 26.9% of survey respondents for electrifying heating, 28.9% for hot water, and 32% for cooking. Induction stoves, for example, have nearly triple the efficiency of gas stoves and a 15% edge in efficiency on standard electric models [4]. Additionally, electric heat pump water heaters deliver approximately three times more efficiency when compared to standard electric or gas models.
Heat pumps , which offer a two-in-one home heating and cooling solution, are more efficient than conventional heating systems, such as fossil fuel-powered furnaces and electric resistance heating.
5. Electricity Is More Reliable for My Home
Having a reliable home energy source was the fifth-ranking reason for wanting to electrify. It was cited by 24.1% of survey respondents interested in electrifying heating, 25.6% for hot water electrification, and 18% for electrifying cooking equipment.
Both fossil fuel systems and the electric grid have vulnerabilities to disruptions, especially amid extreme weather. However, electrified homes can source back-up power from on-site solar and battery storage to continue running electric equipment during an outage. These technologies can deliver long-term savings, too, by generating and storing clean power onsite instead of paying for electricity from the grid.
For emergencies, all-electric homes without solar or storage can tap into power from an electric vehicle, or a generator if needed.
| Self- Reported Reasons for Choosing to Electrify Home Equipment | |||
| Reason | Heating | Hot Water | Cooking |
| 1. Electricity Is a Safer Option | 34.9% | 32.2% | 29.3% |
| 2. Electric (Induction) Stoves Are Easier to Clean | - | - | 32.4% |
| 3. Electricity Is Cleanest/Best for the Environment | 32.1% | 28.9% | 44.1% |
| 4. Electric Appliances Are More Energy Efficient | 26.9% | 28.9% | 32% |
| 5. Electricity Is More Reliable | 24.1% | 25.6% | 18% |
How to Make Your Home Electric-Ready
All New York homeowners of one-to-four family homes can get a no-cost energy assessment.
For existing homes, the path to full electrification can vary based on the building envelope, current equipment, and electric panel and wiring.
Beginning with a no-cost home energy assessment, also known as a home energy audit, is a recommended first step to get the full picture of a home’s energy use, comfort, and safety. During the assessment, an energy auditor will complete a walk-through inspection of the home’s interior and exterior to examine existing equipment, identify sources of energy loss, and flag any potential health and safety issues. They’ll also review the home’s utility bills to get an understanding of its energy performance.
With this information, auditors provide homeowners with a report outlining upgrades to make the home more energy efficient and ready for electrification. Air sealing and insulation are often a first step to reduce energy used for heating and cooling. Besides energy savings, these efficiency upgrades could allow a home to be sized for smaller all-electric equipment, including heat pumps.
Wiring and electric panels are another focal point for becoming electrification ready. Swapping an electric vehicle, induction stove, or heat pump in for a fossil fuel-powered model could mean needing new circuits, outlets, or a panel with more amps. But if you are switching from an inefficient electric system, like an electric stove to an induction stove, you can install it with your existing outlet and circuit.
To start, consider which equipment you plan to electrify and make note whether there’s a 240-volt outlet, or if you’ll need to upgrade. Equipment like heat pump dryers and induction stoves typically need at least a 240-volt, 30-amp circuit and outlet [5].
Homes with a 200-amp panel are in good shape for full electrification, while those with 100-150 amps may need to be more strategic about electrifying without a panel upgrade. If you have a panel with less than 100 amps, an upgrade is likely required. Working with an electrician is recommended to pre-wire a home for electrification or handle wiring on a project-by-project basis.
If wiring and a panel upgrades are necessary, New Yorkers can take advantage of tax credits and income-eligible rebates through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). A new electric panel or circuit upgrades are eligible for an IRA tax credit worth 30% of the cost, capped at $600. Meanwhile, IRA rebates for income-eligible New Yorkers through the EmPower+ program can lower the cost of electric panel and wiring upgrades by up to $6,500.
More on Home Electrification
Read on for more insights and tips for switching your home to all-electric equipment.
- Electric Yard Equipment Buyer’s Guide: Cut costs, noise, and emissions when you switch from gas-powered to all-electric outdoor equipment.
- Energy-Saving Home Improvement Ideas: Improve indoor comfort and lower your energy bills with these energy-saving home improvements
- NYS Guide to Inflation Reduction Act Savings: Find out how to combine IRA tax credits and New York State incentives to lower the cost of clean energy equipment and upgrades to your home or business.
Footnotes
- Over one-quarter of U.S. households use electricity as the only source of energy - U.S. energy information administration (EIA). Over one-quarter of U.S. households use electricity as the only source of energy - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (n.d.). https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=52999 Back to content
- California Air Resources Board. SORE - Small Engine Fact Sheet | California Air Resources Board. (n.d.). https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/sore-small-engine-fact-sheet Back to content
- “Climate Pulse.” Copernicus.eu, 2024, pulse.climate.copernicus.eu/. Back to content
- Induction Cooking 101. NYSERDA. (n.d.).Back to content
- “How to Talk to an Electrician about Wiring Your Home for Electrification.” Rewiring America, homes.rewiringamerica.org/articles/electrical-panel/how-to-wire-home-electrification. Back to content