Less than 6 months from making up her mind to electrify her family home in Coburg, Katy’s house was all-electric and the gas capped off at the kerb.
Having moved into the house in early 2021, the family had been keen to take the all-electric leap from the outset. “Our house didn’t have all the sustainability features we were after when we bought it,” says Katy, “but it did have a large north-facing roof for solar.”
The family installed solar on that expansive roof shortly after moving in.
They also switched the gas hot water system for an electric heat pump. For space heating, the family was lucky. While many Victorian homes have traditionally been heated with gas, Katy’s home also had reverse cycle ducted heating/cooling, so installing electric heating wasn’t required.
“We’re trialling the system for heating, as the previous owners only used it for cooling,” says Katy.
“It’s certainly not as energy efficient as a reverse cycle split system would be, but we have plans to make improvements to the ducting to reduce energy loss, so we’re seeing how it goes”.
Saving on connection fees
After whittling down to one final gas appliance in the home – the stove top – the family decided to take the final leap.
“Paying $30 every month for a gas connection for the stove top felt crazy,” says Katy.
“Initially we were going to put a butchers block and portable induction cooktop on top of the gas stove top, but in the end we decided to get a full-sized induction stove top that we retrofitted on to our existing electric oven with the help of a joiner. It cost $2500, including the carpentry, electrician and appliance, and we were able to keep our perfectly working electric oven.”
Katy estimates taking her home all-electric and saying goodbye to gas forever cost around $17,500. This was for “higher-end” solar, hot water and induction systems, including installation costs, she adds.
“Because we have solar and are all-electric, we no longer have any energy bills – which is a big bonus!”
3 simple steps
For those without the means to take the leap all at once, Katy breaks the journey down into three simple steps.
“The first thing people can do is turn their air-conditioning on as a heater and see how that goes,” she says. “A lot of people can already heat their home with electricity via their air-conditioning, but they’re not aware of it”.
“The second step is to look at available rebates through Solar Victoria. There is money available for renters, rental providers, businesses and homeowners that can help with upgrading your appliances.”
“Finally, create a succession plan. Do your research on appliances so that when something finally fails you know what you want to replace it with. And keep it up to date so you can act quickly.”
Where to get advice
You can access Moreland’s free energy advice via the Australian Energy Foundation to find out how to electrify your home. Visit the website to book a time or call 1300 236 855.
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