Plug In, Breathe Easier.
Why All-Electric Homes Are the Future of Cambridge Real Estate.
Imagine walking into a home that feels consistently comfortable, smells fresh, and doesn’t come with the hidden costs of oil deliveries or gas leaks. That’s the promise of an all‑electric home. An all-electric house relies exclusively on electrical power for its energy needs, eliminating the dependence on fossil fuels and ushering in a new era of cleaner, greener living.
Electrification isn’t about chasing perfection or doing every upgrade at once. It’s about making smart, step‑by‑step choices that improve your health, lower your bills, and increase your property’s value.
And right now, Massachusetts homeowners — especially in Cambridge — have access to some of the best incentives in the country to make it happen.
Let’s walk through the main systems that shift in an all‑electric Cambridge home, what you gain, and what help is on the table to pay for it.
Air-Source Heat Pump: The Big One.
- Replace: Oil/gas boilers, furnaces, old baseboard electric.
- Install: Cold‑climate heat pumps, ductless or ducted.
An air-source heat pump uses electricity rather than fossil fuels to provide indoor heating and cooling. In warmer months, air-source heat pumps extract heat from inside the home and expel it outside to keep the inside cool. During colder months, the process is reversed. An air-source heat pump in heating mode will extract heat from the outside air and move it inside to warm the home. - Why it matters: Heat pumps give you steady comfort year‑round, cut carbon emissions, and eliminate the hassle of fuel deliveries.
- Incentives: Rebates up to $25,000 through Mass Save® Heat Pump Rebates.
Income‑eligible households may qualify for enhanced rebates. Financing available via the Mass Save® HEAT Loan.
Local Support: Electrify Cambridge helps residents plan upgrades and connect with vetted installers.
Hot Water Heater: Goodbye Gas, Hello Heat Pump
- Replace: Gas/oil water heaters, old electric tanks.
- Install: Heat pump water heater (HPWH).
When most people think of heat pump water heaters, they picture an ‘all in one’ unit that looks like a tall water heater but with the heat pump on top. This a conventional heat pump water heater and works great in homes with wide open basements and with a boiler or furnace running in the winter (they need warm air). If your basement is small, finished, non-existent, or if you want to remove your boiler or furnace someday, then you need a Split Heat Pump Water Heater.
- Why it matters: More efficient, safer, and solar‑ready — you can literally heat water with your own sunshine.
- Incentives: Rebates via Mass Save® Water Heating Incentives and federal credits up to $2,000 under the IRS Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit.
Cooking: The Great Gas Breakup
- Replace: Gas range/cooktop. Gas cooking is no longer recommended due to several health and environmental concerns.
- Install: Induction cooktop + electric oven.
- Why it matters: No more breathing combustion fumes every time you sauté onions. Induction is faster, safer, and keeps your kitchen cooler in summer.
- Incentives: Rebates through Mass Save® Appliance Rebates.
Laundry: Heat Pump Dryers
- Replace: Gas dryer.
- Install: Heat pump dryer. Heat pump dryers are preferred for their energy efficiency, gentle drying process, and ventless operation. They use a closed-loop system to recycle hot air, which reduces energy consumption and lowers utility bills. The lower temperatures and moisture-sensing technology prevent over-drying and preserve the quality of fabrics.
- Why it matters: Lower energy use, gentler on clothes, and one less gas line in your home.
- Incentives: Check offers on the Mass Save® Marketplace.
Solar & Storage
- Add: Rooftop solar + optional battery storage.
- Why it matters: Solar offsets your electricity use, protects against rising rates, and batteries keep the lights on during outages.
- Incentives: Federal Residential Clean Energy Credit, state solar programs, and local support via Sunny Cambridge and EnergySage.
Smart Panels & EV Charging
- Upgrade: Electrical panel or smart load center.
- Add: Level 2 EV charger. Level 2 smart chargers can charge your vehicle up to four times faster than a standard charger and can provide enough charge for an average 50-mile commute overnight.
- Why it matters: Prepares your home for future electric loads and your next car.
- Incentives: Eversource provides rebates to offset the cost of the wiring or panel upgrade needed to install a 240-volt outlet for a Level 2 charger. Income-eligible customers may also qualify for up to 100% off the cost of the charger itself.
Buyer/Seller Checklist: Top Features That Add Value
If you’re buying or selling, these are the electrification upgrades that stand out in today’s market:
- Whole‑home heat pump system → Buyers love modern, efficient heating and cooling.
- Heat pump water heater → Lower bills and safer, combustion‑free hot water.
- Induction cooking → Healthier kitchens with sleek, modern appeal.
- Solar panels + battery storage → Energy independence and resilience during outages.
- EV‑ready garage or driveway → Future‑proof convenience that attracts eco‑conscious buyers.
Benefits of an All-Electric Homes
- Health: Improve indoor air quality by removing fossil fuel-based systems that can release carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, formaldehyde, and other harmful pollutants.
- Climate friendly: Clean heating technologies tied to the MA electric grid produce 40-60% less carbon emissions than traditional fossil fuel-based systems. Be a part of Cambridge’s climate goals to reach net zero emissions by 2050!
- Comfort: Properly sized heat pumps can radically improve your home’s temperature and humidity year-round, keeping you comfortable and your house healthy.
How to Get Started
- Book a free home energy assessment → Mass Save® Assessment
- Work with Electrify Cambridge specialists. Electrify Cambridge is a City of Cambridge program that assists home and building owners with upgrades that make your home more energy efficient, less reliant of fossil fuels, and that can improve comfort and indoor air quality in your home or building → Electrify Cambridge Program
- Sequence upgrades smartly: insulation → heat pumps → hot water → appliances → solar/EV.
- Confirm incentives before signing: check Mass Save® Rebates, Eversource, IRS Credits, and City of Cambridge Programs.
Final Thought
Electrifying your Cambridge home isn’t about doing everything at once — it’s about progress. Each upgrade is one less gas line, one cleaner system, and one step closer to a healthier, future‑ready home. And in today’s real estate market, those upgrades don’t just improve your lifestyle — they boost your property’s value.
Curious what an electrification upgrade would do to your home value? Contact Sandrine Deschaux, top Cambridge MA Real estate REMAX agent, to find out how much this will impact the market value of your home as you sell a Cambridge property.
