Getting your home off gas is essential to the energy transition. But one roadblock stands in the way of home electrification—panel upgrades. Upgrading your electrical service is expensive and can add a huge chunk of change to electrification projects like heat pump installation.
But, as it turns out, you don’t always need a panel upgrade for a heat pump and other home electrification upgrades.
100 Amps Is Usually Enough for Home Electrification
Most houses have a 100 or 150-amp service panel. That’s typically enough, even with all-electric appliances, because you rarely use every load in your house at the same time. A study conducted by Peninsula Clean Energy analyzed hourly utility data across hundreds of thousands of single-family homes in California. The results show that 99% of all-electric, single-family homes never use more than 100 amps of power.
Strategies for Electrifying Your Home on 10 Amps
The best way to switch from gas to electric appliances without upgrading your panel is simple—have a plan. If you go in blind, you’re more likely to choose power-hungry appliances that eat away at your watt budget. With a plan in place, you can make smarter choices that reserve power for additional upgrades.
Go on a “Watt Diet”
The term “watt diet” was coined by Redwood Energy to explain its philosophy for home electrification. Going on a watt diet means intentionally installing high-efficiency, low-power appliances that are correctly sized for your home. For example, a 120-volt heat pump water heater is rated at just 15 amps, while 240-volt heat pump water heaters are typically rated at 30 amps. Being mindful of your selections and their ratings can help you stretch your available amperage further.
Use Circuit Controls
Circuit controls can help you manage your home’s amperage use to prevent you from exceeding your load limitations. Circuit splitters and pausers (often called load-sharing devices) can pause one plugged-in appliance while allowing another to run. They’re great for houses with EV wall chargers, which suck up a lot of amperage. With a load-sharing device, your EV charger will pause while other power-hungry appliances like your dryer are running. Circuit controls are simple and relatively affordable to install.
Install a Smart Panel
A smart panel, like the Span electric panel, is a great option for all-electric homes. Installing a smart panel is expensive, but typically less so than upgrading your service from 100 to 200 amps. Smart panels allow you to prioritize certain loads and they also make it easy to optimize your solar power. They are ideal for all-electric houses with solar panels and battery storage.
When You Need a Service Upgrade to Electrify
While 100 amp service is enough for most houses, there are cases where an electrical service upgrade is necessary. Here are a few examples of when 100 amps is not enough:
- Houses with pools and spas often need 200 amps
- Separating your oven and range may require more than 100 amps due to the increased load and wiring needs
- High-capacity EV charging and/or multiple Level 2 EV charging stations will likely require more than 100 amps
Find a Contractor that Makes Electrification Easy
Home electrification on 100 amps is a project that requires a skilled and strategic contractor. The Clean Energy Connection makes it easy to find a contractor that can help you plan for and tackle your home electrification journey without a panel upgrade.
Our free, online directory connects homeowners with the best clean energy contractors in California. Every contractor featured in the directory is passionate about clean energy and committed to providing the highest quality service. They undergo a strict vetting process that includes regular customer satisfaction surveys, and contractors can’t pay to be included.