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Years on the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour: New this year!
The Graly’s Green Home Features
In a stroke of serendipitous good luck, Donna Mandel and Ken Jacobs’ next-door-neighbor Tom Graly, who has fully electrified his nearly 100-year-old home while maintaining its look and charm, is happy to show his electrified home’s green features and will be on hand to answer any questions you have about electrification.
Stop by to see the HVAC heat pump air handler, heat pump water heater, laundry to landscape system, and the electric vehicle charging station. After viewing the HVAC compressor from the ground, step inside the kitchen to check out the induction stove, see how fast it boils water, and talk to a knowledgeable and happy induction stove cook.
In the garden there will be a table with photos of the electrified systems, and literature from The Switch Is On, where you can learn what rebates are available.
Solar panels: This home has a 5 Kw, 19 panel system, which was installed by SunWork, a non-profit that specializes in installing solar on homes with low electricity bills. (Sunwork also installs heat pump water heaters at a highly discounted price: you can read more about that here.)
Electric dryer: In 2015 the Graly’s purchased a Samsung electric dryer.
Electric car: In 2016 Tom and Jane leased their first electric car, and Tom installed a GE 30 Amp Level 2 ECCS charging station himself. They later purchased VW eGolf which is, Tom says, “a wonderful city/commuter car which easily gets around the Bay Area.” The couple recently purchased a Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV, which they expect to be a great trip car—with the 305 mile range relieving any range anxiety.
Ducted heat pump system for heating and cooling the house: The ducted heat pump system that both heats and cools the house was added in late 2019. The system is a Carrier and includes a Carrier HEPA air filter. The work was done by a neighbor who had experience installing heat pumps. Unusually, the compressor is located on the roof of the house.
Heat pump for heating water: In 2016 Tom and Jane purchased a GE GeoSpring 55-gallon heat pump water heater, which Tom installed himself. (At that time, GE had decided to get out of the home electrification business and the heat pump water heater was heavily discounted. (Please note that Sunwork installs heat pump water heaters at a highly discounted price: you can get a price quote here.)
Electrical Service: Has been upgraded to 200 amps.
Induction stove: In 2020 the Graly’s bought a one ‘burner’ Duxtop 8100MC induction hob to see if they liked cooking with it. They did, and in 2021 they purchased an LG induction stove.
Insulation: Tom and Jane have had the old insulation removed, the last of the knob and tube wiring replaced, and insulation blown in to meet an R-44 standard. Blue Rock Home did the insulation work; Tom and Jane received a rebate from BayRen.
Laundry to landscape system: In 2022 Tom installed a laundry to landscape system to water their mostly-edible garden.
Light-colored roof: Reflects heat rays from the sun, keeping the attic and house below it cool during warm weather.
Marvin dual pane windows: Improve energy efficiency, and reduce noise.
East Bay Green Home Tour video
Tom and Jane’s home was featured on the 2021 East Bay Green Home Tour.
Tom’s heat pump was featured in this webinar
You can learn more about their heat pump in this heat pump webinar (at 27 minutes in).
At least partially wheelchair accessible?
