A U.K. homebuyer planning a post-purchase renovation had a big-picture question: What is the cheapest, smartest way to go all-electric in a fairly modern house without passive-house levels of insulation?

Here's what to know

In a Reddit thread, the original poster said that they were "contemplating moving house and looking at finances for renovation after buying the place," and they asked what kind of all-electric arrangement made the most sense for a relatively new-build home.

The house would have "decent insulation, double-glazing etc.," and the buyer was also weighing "a suitable solar, battery (with gateway) and EV installation." 

For heating and hot water, they were thinking of an "air-to-air heatpump so we have aircon in the summer, and a thermal battery (eg Sunamp) for hot water."

Fortunately, for this homeowner and others, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, and solar leases in particular can deliver hundreds of dollars in monthly savings without any upfront costs. To compare local pricing and projected savings, you can use EasyHome's free explorer tool to see offers from vetted installers in your area.

Pricing plans were part of the issue, too, with the thread bringing up EV tariffs and other time-of-use options. The buyer was effectively asking how to schedule heating, hot water, and car charging around lower-cost periods.

More background

The user wanted to combine multiple technologies to reduce ongoing bills, such as an air-to-air heat pump, rooftop solar, a home battery, an EV, and hot-water storage. 

How much demand can be moved into cheap-rate hours can change the math of an all-electric renovation. The OP specifically mentioned an EV tariff or another time-of-use plan, suggesting that heating and storage choices may pencil out differently in a newer home that still falls short of passive-house levels.

Infrared wall panels also came up as a consideration. For someone buying a home, efficiency is only one concern alongside day-to-day comfort, summer cooling, and reliable hot water.

That kind of planning can shape monthly utility bills for years. A setup that makes good use of solar generation, stored electricity, and off-peak rates may be far cheaper to run than an electric home put together piece by piece without a larger strategy.

What can be done?

Commenters emphasized storage-first planning and the use of battery-arbitraged tariffs to keep an air-to-air heat pump cheap to run. In other words, the payoff depended as much on battery sizing and when power is stored or drawn from the grid as it does on generation itself.

EasyHome's free explorer tool would be useful here because it can help you compare vetted installers and explore options for backup battery storage. Pairing solar with a battery allows homeowners to maximize savings and power their home with solar when the grid goes down. With EasyHome, you can see what options are available in your area.

One user said, "Great plan! With that amount of storage, your A2A heat pump will be cheap to run. We have an A2W heat pump, but on cold days the battery is drained by 3 pm, and from then we are on peak prices."

Another said, "If you're planning heat pump + EV + solar/battery and generally going all-electric, it's worth checking the existing service before getting too far into the renovation plans."

Where can I learn more?

For anyone thinking through a similar all-electric remodel, it helps to see how heat pumps, batteries, EVs, and solar play out in real household budgets. 

• Across Europe, heat pumps, EVs, and rooftop solar could save European households thousands by cushioning energy shocks.

• For homeowners replacing fuel-based heating, heat pumps can shave thousands off bills while cutting indoor pollution.

• For hot water, a heat pump water heater can be more cost-effective than a gas-powered boiler.

• EnergySage dug into the mystery of solar panel costs as homeowners compared full-system upgrades.

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