In general, it’s best for the environment to use products as long as possible before replacing them. But appliances that burn fossil fuels are an exception. Mother Nature will appreciate you replacing them as soon as possible with efficient electric alternatives.
Like me, you might spend a lot of time thinking about how to recycle smartly, avoid waste, and be efficient and climate-conscious. When I bought a house three years ago that had a recently installed gas furnace and AC, I had to do some soul searching. I wanted to electrify and make my home comfortable and efficient, but did it make sense to replace appliances that were fairly new and in good working condition?
I found that yes, it did make sense to replace my new gas furnace with an efficient electric heat pump. Here’s why.
For most of the things we purchase, like clothes and furniture, their carbon emissions stem entirely from the energy used to create and ship them. Once they’re in your home, they don’t emit any carbon. So it makes sense to use them fully and for as long as possible.
But things that burn fossil fuels, like furnaces, water heaters, stoves, cars, etc. produce carbon emissions every time they’re used. And the emissions from their everyday use over time far exceed the emissions from their manufacturing. So the sooner a fossil fuel-powered appliance is retired and replaced with a clean electric version, the fewer total emissions will be generated.
It takes fewer than 1.5 years on average for a new heat pump to overcome the energy used to manufacture and ship it and start saving carbon compared to continuing to use a gas furnace. And by switching, you’ll avoid tens of tons of lifetime emissions that your gas furnace would have continued to generate. Hence, from a carbon perspective, it makes sense to replace a gas furnace, whether it’s 20+ years old or was just installed. If you can afford to do so, that’s a huge way to decrease your carbon footprint. Source: Regulatory Assistance Project
Health concerns
Beyond the environmental impact, gas appliances can also pose health risks. Gas stoves burn natural gas (methane), which sends nitrogen dioxide (NO2, associated with asthma), carbon monoxide (CO) and formaldehyde (CH2O) into the air inside your home. Studies have also found that unburned natural gas can leak from stoves—and this gas contains benzene, a known carcinogen. If your gas appliances are no longer serving you, it’s time to consider upgrading them for both your health and the climate.
Responsible Recycling
Finally, if you do make the switch, you should responsibly recycle your old appliances. Many municipalities offer recycling programs specifically for appliances, often at little to no cost. See Metro’s searchable database of local recyclers. Some retailers even provide trade-in programs or discounts for recycling your old units. By recycling your fossil fuel appliances they can be transformed into something new and more useful rather than simply ending up in a landfill.
If you’re contemplating the shift from gas to efficient electric appliances, there’s no better time than now to take action. While it’s generally a good idea to use products for as long as possible, that’s not the case with appliances that produce carbon emissions on a daily basis.