This Article Discusses Areas That Are Currently, Or May Soon, Require Newly-Built Residential Construction Be All Electric.   

Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps.  Additionally we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).

Al’s also provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home.  Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters.  Al’s is near your home in Plano, TX; Allen, TX; and Frisco, TX.  We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no additional travel charge.

Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing.  We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.

Some History Why There Are Many All-Electric, Mid-Century Homes In The U.S.

At the end of World War II, most existing homes were heated with coal or heating-oil.  Many central heating systems were steam radiators and their  boilers was about 60% efficient (40% of the heat went up the chimney flue).  Another common central heating furnace was called an “octopus furnace”.   This furnace did not have a blower motor.  Instead it relied on rising hot air and sinking cold air to move air through the furnace.  The octopus furnace was about 50% efficient (50% of its heat went up the chimney flue).  Also, exiting homes with coal were stigmatized as being dirty and requiring frequent attention in the form of adding coal or removing ashes.

Starting in the late 1940’s, suburbia became the new place to live.  After World War II ended (1945), a tremendous number of new homes were needed for returning GI’s and their families.    In 1947, Levitt Homes broke ground on America’s first suburb.  It was a community located in Long Island, New York, and became known as Levittown”.   These were the first mass-production, tract homes built in America.    Within a few years, the Levitt’s had built a community of 17,400 two-bedroom & one-bath homes.  The homes were available to veterans who bought them with G.I. Mortgages (known today as VA Mortgage).   These Levittown homes had heating-oil boilers and in-floor, hot water, radiant heating.

Image Source: ShutterStock

America’s First Suburb: Levittown — Long Island, NY in 1953

As mid-century America boomed, new power plants were built to meet rising demand.   Additionally, home air conditioning was becoming common with more than 1 million window air conditioners sold in 1953 alone.  During the baby-boomer years (1946–1964) the rapid pace of new homes built, plus adding air conditioning to new and existing homes created a lot of electricity demand during summer.  This forced electric utility companies to build additional power plants to meet summertime electricity demand.  Many of those power plants were shut down during late fall and winter.

If Only There Was A Way To Keep Electricity Demand High During The Winter Months…

Image Source:  Flickr

If You Are A Baby-Boomer Or Older, You May Remember The “Live Better Electrically” Marketing Campaign

Promoting All-Electric Homes — From March 1956 Until The Mid 1970’s.

In 1956, the “Live Better Electrically” (LBE) Campaign was launched.  It was for new, all-electric homes built during the mid 1950’s to early 1970’s.  During that time, electric utility companies rushed to meet the increased demand for electricity in post-WWII America.  The LBE campaign was aimed at creating year-round electricity demand.  LBE encouraged homeowners to consume more electricity using a variety of electricity-powered products.

LBE was a multi-million dollar, nationwide campaign (co-sponsored by the General Electric (GE) and Westinghouse corporations) to promote electric; heat, water heating, & appliances.  It touted the benefits of electric heat as being clean and maintenance free.  LBE was supported nationwide by 900 electricity generating utilities and 180 electric home-products manufacturers.  The LBE campaign was launched through a variety of media outlets.  Entire all-electric neighborhoods were built, with Gold Medallion Homes as the standard.  The medallions (shown above) were affixed near the doorbell, and branded that mid-century home as all-electric.

With the disadvantages of coal and heating-oil, owning an all-electric home allured new many new home buyers.  There were entire communities with all-electric homes built all over the United States.  While a gas furnace would have provided the same convenience, the LBE’s campaign focused on electric sources in order to drive demand for electricity year round.

To earn a LBE Gold Medallion emblem a house had to be all-electric.  The house had electric; heat, water heating, cooking appliances, and perhaps an electric clothes dryer.   To meet the high electricity demand of these homes, 150-ampere electric service was required ( homes with other fuel for heating and water heating typically had 60-Amp electric service.  Also required was specified number of outlets and switches per linear foot of wall space, and built-in lighting throughout the house.  This was uncommon in new homes that used other heating fuels.  A home that met LBE standards could be have a 3-inch brass plaque with the “Live Better Electrically” logo (shown above).

Why Are Some Areas Starting To Mandate All-Electric Homes?

As of December, 2019 — 50+ California cities and counties have adopted, or are considering, regulations for newly-built homes must be all-electric .   Local government leaders in California are responding to; global-warming and other climate concerns, increasing air pollution, explosion risks associated with natural gas in homes.  In July, 2019 — Berkeley, CA voted unanimously to adopt a “first in the nation” ordinance that prohibited gas in all new construction.

 Additional cites in other areas of the U.S. are considering all-electric regulations.   These include; Minneapolis, MN; Seattle,WA; and Cambridge, MA.

Starting in 2020, California law requires all newly-built homes must include Solar Panels. *2    The California Energy Commission has also given new home builders the option of supplying solar power from an solar-power facility in lieu of solar panels on each home.

Homes with a large enough Solar-Panels system can be “Net Zero” .   This means: over the course of one year — the home adds at least as much electricity TO the power grid (during periods of demand) as the home takes FROM the power grid (during periods of low demand).

*2 Source: https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/ZNE/

Is Natural Gas A Safe Fuel For The Environment?   

Efficient Burning Of Natural Gas Has A Small Impact On The Earth. 

But — Natural Gas Leaks Into The Air That Occur During Mining & Distribution Adds Significantly To Global-Warming.

• Proper burning of natural / methane gas creates small amounts of carbon dioxide CO2 (a greenhouse gas).   According to the Union Of Concerned Scientists; when burned under optimal conditions, natural gas emits -55% less CO₂ than burning coal.  So it’s correct that generating electricity with natural gas is cleaner than coal.

• The danger comes from natural / methane gas that is leaked into the air during mining & distribution.

• Recent science shows methane gas is 86 — 105 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at disrupting the climate over a 20-year period.

• The lifetime of atmospheric methane is relatively short, as most of it dissipates after a decade.  But during that time, methane is at least 80 times stronger at trapping the earth’s heat than carbon dioxide. *3

• Though carbon dioxide has small ability to trap heat, CO2 lingers in the atmosphere for hundreds of years. *3

*3 Source: https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/global-warming/issues/natural-gas/

2015 Methane Gas Emissions By Source *4

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Quotes These Sources Of Methane Gas Into The Air”

• 31% Natural Gas & Petroleum Systems — Mining & Distribution
• 28% Fermentation of biologic substances
• 18% Landfills
• 18% Animal manure management
•   9% Coal mining
•   7% Other

Click Here To Read The EPA’s Article: EPA Article On Natural Gas Emissions

A 2018 study published in the journal Science found that U.S. oil and gas operations are leaking +60% more methane into the air than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had previously calculated: about 13 million tons more each year.

*5 Source: https://www.nrdc.org/onearth/natural-gas-industry-has-methane-problem

Conclusions:

Natural / methane gas IS a clean energy source when burned properly.  It produces less CO2 (a green house gas) than any other fossil fuel (see chart below) for the same amount of heat generated.

Natural / methane gas leaked into the atmosphere contributes tremendously to Global Warming.

Source: https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=73&t=11

Click Here To Read Part 2 Of This Article: AlsPlumbing.com All-Electric Homes Coming Soon? Part 2

Click Here To Read About Electricity Generating Wind-Farms & Solar Farms: AlsPlumbing.com Wind Farms & Solar Farms

This article Discussed areas that are requiring newly-build homes be All-Electric.     Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps.  Additionally we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).

Al’s also provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home.  Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters.  Al’s is near your home in Plano, TX; Allen, TX; and Frisco, TX.  We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no additional travel charge.

Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing.  We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.

*6 Source: https://www.solarpowerrocks.com/square-feet-solar-roof/#calculator

*7 Source: https://www.solarreviews.com/solar-panels/solar-panel-cost/cost-of-solar-panels-in-minnesota

*8 Source: https://www.inchcalculator.com/calculate-btus-to-heat-home/

*9 Source: https://www.mnpower.com/ProgramsRebates/AirSourceHeatPumps

*10 Source: https://asm-air.com/airconditioning/what-size-central-air-conditioner-for-my-house/

*11 Source: https://www.acdirect.com/truth-about-seer-ratings

*12 Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=An+average+size+for+a+solar+collector+panel+is&oq=An+average+size+for+a+solar+collector+panel+is&aqs=chrome..69i57.367j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

*13 Source: https://www.eia.gov/state/analysis.php?sid=MN

*14 Source: https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ACYBGNR5367U-RwSe7d6XnFKnNjnuMEZEQ%3A1574104092090&ei=HOzSXbqSBYaYsAX7vYfYAw&q=btu+to+kw+conversion&oq=btu+to+kwn+&gs_l=psy-ab.3.0.0i13l10.23964.27496..29120…0.1..0.98.762.11….2..0….1..gws-wiz…….0i71j35i39j0i273j0j0i131j0i67j0i20i263j0i10.9HCE2Djoz78

*16 Source: https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=105&t=3

*17 Source: http://needtoknow.nas.edu/energy/energy-sources/fossil-fuels/natural-gas/

*18 Source: https://www.nordicghp.com/2017/01/heat-pump-effective-temperature-range/

*19 Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=how+much+natural+gas+is+leaked&oq=how+much+natural+gas+is+leaked+&aqs=chrome..69i57.6392j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8https://www.google.com/search?q=how+much+natural+gas+is+leaked&oq=how+much+natural+gas+is+leaked+&aqs=chrome..69i57.6392j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

*20 Source: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/lraq-2sy19.pdf

*21 Source: http://www.startribune.com/counterpoint-don-t-single-out-natural-gas-as-a-problem/559404502/

*22 Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190529131136.htm