Major Cost Savings When converTing to electric from oil

Thank you to Michael M. for sharing his story about converting to electric from oil and the costs savings.

After attending a Town-sponsored webinar on Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP), we contacted Abode Energy Management to set up a personal Zoom meeting. Abode spoke to us at length about our particular situation: a 100-year-old home with oil heat and radiators, (no ducting or air conditioning), and discussed what solutions might be available to us. 

We did learn that we would need to upgrade our electrical system from a 100 AMP to a 200 AMP service, and we worked with an excavator, an electrician, and the Town to make that happen. This was less complicated than it sounds. 

Abode then directed us to the Town's website for a list of approved vendors for ASHPs, and we contacted two of them. Both came to our home and provided a detailed installation proposal and quote. 

Each vendor proposed unique configurations and different equipment manufacturers. Abode reviewed both proposals to ensure they would be sufficient to heat and cool our home - with no backup system. While Abode deemed both proposals would do the job, they helped us compare them, and even tweaked them, so we felt comfortable moving forward. 

We chose Endless Energy to install an LG system with two heat pumps. Our first floor has ductless floor units, (as we were sensitive to maintaining the character of our home), the second floor is a ducted system with vents in the ceiling and the air handler in the attic. 

Our install was completed in December of 2022. 

We have been very pleased with our conversion to electric from oil. The units are quiet and remote-controllable. Our home maintained a comfortable temperature throughout the past two winters, and it was pure joy to turn on the AC last summer, vs. having to lug heavy, (and noisy and energy-inefficient), window units down from the hot attic. 

Many people had suggested we keep a "back-up" system for cold days, but with our two heat pumps that has not been necessary. After a severe cold spell two winters ago when the temperature dipped below -10 degrees for two nights in a row and we stayed warm, we removed our furnace, oil tank and radiators. (This required us to replace our oil-powered hot water heater with a heat-pump hot water heater. Abode again assisted us, and we decided on a 55-gallon Bradford White model; we've been very pleased with its performance.)

A side benefit of removing the radiators was freeing up lots of floor space in our home. This made a big difference in every room, but especially in our dining room and in a narrow passageway. 

Finally, the cost savings have been even more dramatic than we had planned. Our energy bills are coming in at less than half of what we have been paying, thanks in part to Wellesley's favorable electric rates, and the high cost of oil. We also realized further savings by discontinuing the insurances on the oil tank, the annual furnace maintenance, and annual chimney cleaning. Abode also assisted us in claiming $10,000 in rebates. 

Suffice it to say it was a good installation experience all around thanks to the Town, Abode, and Endless Energy, and it's been a great fossil-free solution for heating and hot water, with the added bonus of air conditioning, for our historic home.