Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 56F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 56F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.

A burner on a stove emits blue flames from natural gas in Des Plaines, Illinois.

A burner on a stove emits blue flames from natural gas in Des Plaines, Illinois.

Living on a warming planet requires protecting your home from threats exacerbated by climate change. But protection doesn’t only mean playing defense: In addition to anticipating extreme weather or wildfire threats, for example, homeowners can make proactive upgrades to save themselves headaches and money, and to avoid unnecessary emissions.

Here are five ways you can think about climate-proofing your house.

Electrifying your home promises to lock in long-term environmental and economic benefits, although the upfront costs can be high and the process complicated. As many as 48 million U.S. homes may also need electrical upgrades to handle the increased power demands of solar panels, heat pumps and electric car chargers, according to a 2021 paper by Pecan Street, a nonprofit that promotes building electrification.

How it works: For homeowners, it’s a matter of assessing what a house’s current system can handle, deciding which new technologies you want to invest in and planning your upgrades accordingly.

• Claire McKenna, a senior associate at the nonprofit Rocky Mountain Institute, recommends starting with heating and hot water; that’s “where the bulk of the energy use is in a home and where you’re going to see the most savings.” If your home has wall-mounted gas heaters, the best option is probably what’s called a ductless mini-split heat pump.

• Electrify your laundry room. Heat pump clothes dryers are relatively new to the U.S., but they’re 50% more efficient than conventional electric dryers, the usual alternative to gas dryers.

• Get rid of your gas stove. High-efficiency electric induction ranges are 40% more energy-efficient than gas ranges, which are also a substantial source of indoor air pollution.

• Consider solar panels. The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act restored a 30% tax credit for residential solar systems, and extended the program to 2034. Depending on local utility rates, electric cars and home electrification can also significantly reduce the payback period for solar panels, thanks to savings on electricity costs.

Why do it: Over time, electrification upgrades are mutually reinforcing. Electrifying a house with solar energy that’s also used to charge an EV, for instance, eliminates fossil fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Battery systems likewise let homeowners store excess solar energy generated during the day and tap it at night to avoid high utility electricity rates.

Possible complications: Installing a new electrical panel can cost thousands of dollars — more if a utility needs to run a higher-capacity electric supply wire to the house. The Inflation Reduction Act offers a $4,000 rebate to help pay for electrical system improvements, but a growing number of technologies are also available to help homeowners sidestep the hurdles or reduce the price tag.

Nearly every home has a water heater, but people tend not to think about it until it breaks. This ubiquitous household appliance is increasingly top of mind, though, for the role it could play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The focus is on heat pump water heaters, which transfer warmth from the atmosphere to a tank.

How it works: When renewable energy production peaks in the afternoon, a signal is sent that activates heat pump water heaters. After heating water, the devices shut down and store the hot water for use in the evening when demand spikes. That puts to use excess renewable energy generated during the day that would otherwise be wasted. It’s estimated that heat pump water heaters can store hot water for 12 hours or more, depending on the size of the tank.

Why do it: Heat pump water heaters are up to four times as efficient as conventional gas or electric water heaters.

In California, for example, swapping them in could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from water heating by as much as 77%, according to a paper by the nonprofit New Buildings Institute. Another paper from the nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy found that using a network of heat pump water heaters for energy storage would lower utility bills, boost renewable energy consumption, and strengthen the reliability of the power grid.

Possible complications: Heat pump water heaters are about twice as expensive as conventional water heaters and installation costs can add thousands of dollars. The Inflation Reduction Act acknowledges this obstacle with a rebate up to $1,750 for the purchase of one.

Blizzards, hurricanes and wildfires are all reasons you might find yourself without power, but suffering through a blackout doesn’t have to mean switching on a highly polluting generator.

How it works: As with home electrification, you can reverse-engineer a backup-power solution by thinking first about potential use cases.

• Keep it simple. If you just want to keep your phones, tablets and laptops charged, there are a plethora of small solar-powered devices available for around $100.

• Go medium. Portable solar-powered lithium-ion generators used to be geared at outdoor enthusiasts. No longer. Wildfires, hurricanes and the Covid-19 pandemic have boosted sales of power stations with capacities of 1,500 to 6,000 watts-hours, including models from Goal Zero that run $2,200 to $8,200.

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