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It’s Here… Elephant Energy Has Officially Launched in Los Angeles!

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We’ve installed over 1,000 heat pumps across Colorado and Boston, and now we’re expanding our electrification expertise to the Golden State – the land of sunshine, palm trees, and homes destined for heat pumps.

Los Angeles summers are getting hotter, utility bills are rising, and gas-powered heating is on its way out. A high-efficiency heat pump is the coolest (and smartest) way to keep your home comfortable year-round.

So… Why LA?

You might be thinking, Wait – Elephant Energy, aren’t you the cold-climate heat pump experts? You’ve tackled Boston’s frigid winters and Colorado’s wild temperature swings, so why expand to sunny Southern California?

A few reasons:

  1. One system, year-round comfort – Most LA homes don’t need a furnace running all year – so why pay for one? A heat pump heats on chilly winter nights and cools on those sweltering summer days, all in one energy-efficient system.
  2. It gets HOT – SoCal summers are no joke. Heat pumps provide more even, efficient cooling than window ACs or swamp coolers, so you’re not stuck in one cool room while the rest of your home stays unbearably hot.
  3. Big rebates are on the table – Between federal, state, and local incentives, switching to a heat pump is more affordable than ever. Many LA homeowners qualify for thousands in rebates to help offset costs. Check out the full breakdown here.
  4. Better air quality – With worsening wildfires and pollution, indoor air quality is a growing concern. The EPA reports that pollutant levels inside homes can be 2-5x higher than outdoors, and gas-burning appliances only make it worse. Heat pumps eliminate indoor combustion, helping to keep your air cleaner, gas-free, and reducing fire hazards.
  5. Climate action starts at home – California’s got some big climate goals and is aiming to install 6 million heat pumps by 2030 to cut carbon emissions. We’re here to help make that happen (hey, maybe we’ll install all of them 😉). Buildings account for almost 40% of our emissions, so if you’re a homeowner, home electrification is the simplest, easiest, most important thing you can do to make an impact.

Next Question: Which Areas of LA Are We Operating In?

We’ll be initially operating from Pasadena to Rancho Cucamonga between the 210 and 60 freeways  (Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Chino, Upland, Montclair, Claremont, La Verne, San Dimas, Pomona, Duarte, Baldwin Park, Monrovia, El Monte, Rosemead, Temple City, Arcadia, San Gabriel, Alhambra, South Pasadena, San Marino, Pasadena, La Puente, Azusa, Glendora Covina, West Covina, Walnut).

If you’re in the greater Los Angeles area, we’re here to help. Not sure if you’re in our service area? Contact us, and we’ll be happy to assist.

What Services Are We Offering in LA?

Why This New Market is Important

“Establishing a presence in Los Angeles was a natural next step for our team,” said Elephant Energy co-Founder, DR Richardson. “This is a city that has seen firsthand the devastating impact of climate change, and we know LA residents are actively looking for ways to make their homes and lives safer and more climate-friendly. There is a clear demand for these technologies here, and want to make the process less complex and more accessible. “Making your home safer, more comfortable, and reducing your carbon footprint shouldn’t be hard.”

The Best Part?

We’re here to make it simple for SoCal. Most HVAC companies sell heat pumps. We specialize in them. From expertly sizing your home to securing every last rebate, we’re with you along the entire electrification journey, so you can sit back and enjoy your newly-electrified home.

Ready to make the switch? Get started to take the first step toward a more comfortable, energy-efficient home.

Get Started Now

Electric Heat vs. Heat Pump – Which Is Best for Your Home?

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Choosing the right heating system is a big decision that impacts your comfort, energy bills, and environmental footprint. If you’re debating between electric heat vs. a heat pump, you’re not alone. Many homeowners are weighing their options as they look for more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable ways to heat (and cool) their homes.

In this guide, we’ll break down the key differences, benefits, and trade-offs between electric heat and heat pumps, helping you make an informed decision. Let’s get started!

Understanding Electric Heat and Heat Pumps

Before diving into the pros and cons, it’s important to understand what these systems are and how they work. Here’s a quick overview of electric heat and heat pumps to set the stage.

What Is Electric Heat?

Baseboard Heater

Electric heating systems use resistance heating to generate warmth. This means they convert electricity directly into heat. Common types include:

  • Baseboard Heaters: Installed along the base of walls, these are relatively inexpensive upfront but can be costly to operate.
  • Electric Furnaces: Central systems that use electric heating elements to warm air, which is then distributed through ducts.
  • Space Heaters: Portable units for localized heating, great for supplemental warmth but inefficient for whole-home use.

Pros of Electric Heat:

  • Lower upfront cost and easier installation.
  • Reliable and consistent heating, regardless of outdoor temperatures.
  • Minimal maintenance compared to more complex systems.

Cons of Electric Heat:

  • Higher operating costs due to lower efficiency.
  • No cooling capability—separate AC units are needed for summer.
  • Higher carbon footprint unless powered by renewable energy sources.

What Is a Heat Pump?

A heat pump is an energy-efficient HVAC system that transfers heat rather than generating it. It works by moving heat from one place to another:

  • In Winter: It extracts heat from the outside air (even in cold temperatures) and transfers it indoors.
  • In Summer: It reverses the process, acting as an air conditioner by moving warm indoor air outside.

There are three main types:

  • Air-Source Heat Pumps: The most common and cost-effective option, extracting heat from the outdoor air. These are ideal for most climates and are the type Elephant Energy specializes in.
  • Ground-Source (Geothermal) Heat Pumps: More efficient but costlier to install, using the earth’s constant temperature as a heat source.
  • Water-Source Heat Pumps: Less common and location-dependent, using a body of water (like a lake or pond) as the heat source or sink.

Pros of Heat Pumps:

  • Highly efficient, using 2-4 times less energy than electric resistance heating.
  • Provides both heating and cooling in one system.
  • Lower operating costs and reduced carbon footprint.

Cons of Heat Pumps:

  • Higher upfront cost, although rebates and incentives can help offset this.
  • Requires outdoor space for the unit.
  • Slight performance dip in extremely cold climates, but Elephant Energy specializes in cold-climate heat pumps, which are designed to handle sub-zero temperatures.

Efficiency and Operating Costs

When it comes to heating your home, efficiency and cost go hand in hand. Let’s compare the efficiency of heat pumps vs electric heat in terms of energy usage and what that means for your monthly bills.

Electric Heat

  • Efficiency: Electric heating has a 1:1 electricity-to-heat output ratio, meaning every unit of electricity produces one unit of heat. This is less efficient compared to heat pumps.
  • Operating Costs: Electric heaters typically cost more to run because they require more electricity to produce the same amount of heat. This can lead to high energy bills, especially in colder climates or regions with high electricity rates.

Heat Pump

  • Efficiency: Heat pumps are more efficient because they transfer heat rather than generate it. With a Coefficient of Performance (COP) ranging from 2 to 4, they produce 2 to 4 units of heat per unit of electricity.
  • Operating Costs: Their high-efficiency results in lower monthly bills, offering significant long-term savings compared to electric heat.

Winner: Heat Pump – Thanks to their superior efficiency, heat pumps are the smarter choice for budget-conscious and eco-minded homeowners.

Comfort and Versatility

Your heating system isn’t just about warmth but comfort and convenience all year round. Here’s how electric heat and heat pumps compare in terms of versatility and maintaining the perfect indoor climate.

Electric Heat

  • Heating Only: Electric systems provide consistent, reliable heat but don’t offer cooling, requiring a separate air conditioning system for summer months.
  • Localized Heating: Electric systems can create uneven temperatures, leading to hot and cold spots in different rooms.

Heat Pump

  • Heating and Cooling: A heat pump provides both heating and cooling, offering year-round comfort in one system.
  • Consistent Indoor Climate: Heat pumps maintain even temperatures throughout the home, eliminating hot and cold spots.

Winner: Heat Pump – With dual functionality and more consistent comfort levels, heat pumps provide a superior indoor climate experience.

Environmental Impact

For many homeowners, sustainability is a top priority. Let’s explore the environmental implications of electric heat vs. heat pumps to see which one aligns with your sustainability goals.

Electric Heat

  • Higher Carbon Footprint: Electric resistance heating consumes more electricity for the same amount of heat than heat pumps. This leads to a larger carbon footprint, especially if the electricity is sourced from fossil fuels.

Heat Pump

  • Energy Efficiency: Heat pumps use significantly less electricity and are designed to pair well with renewable energy sources like solar power, making them a more sustainable option.
  • Home Electrification Benefits: Heat pumps support a fully electric home, reducing dependency on fossil fuels and aligning with long-term sustainability goals.

Winner: Heat Pump – For environmentally-conscious homeowners, heat pumps are the clear choice.

Why Choose Elephant Energy?

Upgrading your home’s heating system is a big decision, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. At Elephant Energy, we make the switch to a heat pump simple and stress-free. Our Electrification Roadmap ensures the perfect system size and setup for maximum efficiency and comfort. Plus, with our Rebate Guarantee, you can maximize your savings while reducing your carbon footprint.

Ready to Make the Switch? Get started or generate your free Electrification Roadmap to take the first step toward a more comfortable, energy-efficient home.

Building a More Equitable Energy Future: Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

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#DiversityWins

At Elephant Energy, we believe that diversity drives innovation and success. This isn’t just a perspective we hold – it’s a fundamental principle that guides how we operate. We’re building a company that reflects the diverse communities we serve, treating all people equally regardless of their background, and creating an inclusive workplace where every voice matters. These commitments aren’t just good business practice; they’re morally imperative.

Our mission is to make electrification and energy efficiency accessible and affordable for all. We can only achieve this if we ensure that the energy transition is equitable and just. Here’s how we’re turning this commitment into action:

Building a Diverse and Inclusive Company

Research consistently demonstrates that diverse teams drive innovation and deliver stronger business performance. By fostering an inclusive work environment where all voices are heard and valued, we’re creating a more resilient organization.

We’re committed to building a team that represents a wide range of backgrounds, with particular focus on reflecting the communities we serve. This includes actively recruiting people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and others from underrepresented communities. While we’re still working toward this vision, we’re strengthening our efforts by:

  • Broadening our recruitment channels
  • Building partnerships with organizations supporting underrepresented talent
  • Refining our hiring processes to ensure greater equity and inclusion
  • Expanding into new markets with inclusivity at the forefront

Ensuring Equitable Access to Electric Air + Water Heating

Affordable electrification is essential for healthy communities, yet many low- and moderate-income (LMI) households face significant barriers to electrification. While some receive discounted utility rates, gas heating often remains the most cost-effective option. 

The health benefits of electrification are particularly crucial for vulnerable communities:

  • Unlike gas appliances, heat pumps and induction stoves eliminate indoor fossil fuel combustion, reducing harmful pollutants
  • Improved heating and cooling systems help prevent health issues related to temperature extremes
  • Better humidity control prevents mold growth and improves indoor air quality
  • Enhanced ventilation systems protect against respiratory illnesses

Taking Action: Our Current Initiatives

Under the leadership of our Environmental Justice Lead, Gurbani Singh, we’re expanding our impact through several key initiatives:

Strategic Partnerships and Innovation

At the core of our mission is a commitment to forging strategic partnerships and pioneering innovative solutions that break down barriers to sustainable energy. By working closely with local and national partners and leveraging breakthrough financing and design strategies, we’re making it easier for low-to-moderate income households to access energy-efficient technologies. Key elements of our strategy include:

  • Collaborating with LMI communities to provide heat pumps at minimal or no cost
  • Streamlining installations through our one-stop-shop approach
  • Implementing innovative financing models to increase accessibility
  • Designing smaller, high-performance systems that reduce both upfront and ongoing costs
Our first multi-family install in October, 2024. 6 units upgraded to cold-climate heat pumps at zero cost to the tenants or property owner.

Milestone Achievements and Future Goals

We recently celebrated installing our 1,000th heat pump for a family facing financial hardship – a significant milestone in our mission to expand energy access. Additionally, our 2024 projects with Energy Outreach Colorado in Denver and Leadville—which included designing heat pump and electrification systems for multifamily LMI units— demonstrate how strategic partnerships can make sustainable energy solutions widely available.

Education and Outreach

We’re broadening our outreach beyond traditional energy-sector audiences to reach communities who may be unfamiliar with electrification benefits. Through comprehensive education initiatives, we’re helping more people understand how energy-efficient solutions can improve their lives and how to access available programs.

Looking Forward

By fostering an inclusive culture and broadening opportunities through our initiatives, we’re working to build a more sustainable and equitable energy future for all. This commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion isn’t just about meeting corporate responsibilities – it’s about creating lasting positive change in the communities we serve.

Heat Pump for the Holidays: Celebrating our 1,000th Install!

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climate-friendly homeelectric home upgradesheat pumphome electrification

We’re officially in the comma club (best Christmas ever). 

DR Richardson, Co-founder of Elephant Energy, shaking hands with Justin Bailey, Lafayette Homeowner, who just received the gift of a cold-climate Mitsubishi Heat Pump. Photo creds: Bri Adair

This week, Elephant Energy celebrated a milestone we’ve dreamt about since day one: our 1,000th heat pump installation. 

It took us 15 months to install our first 100 heat pumps. Today, we’re installing 100 heat pumps every month. Reaching 1,000 installations is a huge milestone – not just for Elephant Energy, but for the climate. Homes contribute 20% of climate-related emissions annually, and heating and cooling are the biggest culprits. Thanks to these 1,000 installations, our homeowners have collectively prevented more than 4,000 tons of carbon emissions that would have come from gas-powered furnaces (that’s equivalent to the emissions from driving more than 17 million miles in a gas-powered car). 

At Elephant, supporting our communities is at the heart of what we do, and it was a no-brainer to celebrate this 1,000th milestone by giving back to our community during the holiday season.

We were thrilled to donate a brand new cold-climate Mitsubishi Heat Pump to a deserving family in Lafayette, Colorado – an upgrade that will bring them year-round comfort, lower energy bills, and a smaller carbon footprint. For us, this wasn’t just about hitting a number. It was about showing what’s possible when we prioritize accessibility and affordability in electrification.

Colorado homeowner Justin Bailey had been living without central cooling, and hoped to switch to a heat pump to reduce his fossil fuel use, but was waiting for the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) rebates to roll out in Colorado. Here at Elephant, we know that electrification has been inaccessible or unaffordable for far too many people for far too long, and we have made it our mission to change that. That’s why we stepped in to make his heat pump dream a reality.

Justin Bailey, Lafayette Homeowner, cutting the ribbon to his holiday gift: a brand new cold-climate Mitsubishi Heat Pump. Photo creds: Claire Duncombe, Boulder County’s Office of Sustainability, Climate Action and Resilience

“I’m a huge believer in electrification – for the climate, for your health, and for the comfort and efficiency it brings. A year ago, I started looking into getting a heat pump, but quickly realized I couldn’t afford it. I explored all the rebate programs out there, and then this amazing surprise opportunity came along from Elephant Energy. My heat pump has only been running since yesterday afternoon, but it’s completely silent, and I couldn’t be happier.” says Justin.

You know we love ribbon cuttings, so in true Elephant fashion we grabbed our Elephant-sized scissors and gathered with our local partners from the City of Lafayette, Xcel Energy, Go Electric Colorado, Rewiring America, Sierra Club, and Boulder County to celebrate this milestone and hear from the leaders on the important role they’re all playing in the home electrification movement.

We’ll continue to shout it from the rooftops: Electrification is a collective movement. This milestone is a testament to what can be achieved when people and organizations come together to make electrification a reality. Big thank you to our valued partners, Treehouse, CD Jones, and Mitsubishi, who generously covered the cost of electrical work and equipment to help make this installation a reality.

“We’re thrilled to be working with our partners at Elephant Energy to make the implementation of clean energy technology, like heat pumps, more accessible. Through our joint efforts, we hope to make the home electrification process simpler and enable homeowners to embrace sustainable technologies with greater ease and affordability.” says Eric Owski, Founder and CEO of Treehouse.

As we look ahead to our next 1,000 installations, we’re inspired by the collaboration and shared vision that got us here. Here’s to a future where every family has access to the benefits of clean, efficient technology – and to building it together.

Happy Heat Pump for the Holidays. ❤️🎀

How Much Should Your Heat Pump Really Cost?

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climate-friendly homeelectric home upgradesheat pumphome electrification

We’ve seen it – and been through it – countless times. You want a heat pump, contact eight different contractors, half of them won’t install heat pumps, and the other half give you quotes that vary by thousands of dollars, likely without the rebates or incentives factored in that can substantially reduce the cost. It’s overwhelming, and leaves you feeling uncertain about what to do next.

We’re here to change that, and make transitioning to a climate-friendly home easy. That’s why we built a new tool: a free calculator that estimates the upfront and operating costs of installing a heat pump or heat pump water heater in minutes. It’s designed to take the guesswork out of the process, giving you clear, straightforward pricing to help you budget for electrifying your home and understand what to expect – no surprises, just transparency.

How It Works

Our calculator simplifies what would otherwise be a long, complicated process. Instead of asking you for tons of technical details, we ask you a few simple questions like your square footage, ductwork, and weather sealing and take over with our expertise in heat pumps from there.

How We Built It

We didn’t just guess at the numbers. Our team drew from the extensive database of heat pump installations we’ve completed in Colorado and Massachusetts over the last two years. We use real data from homes similar to yours – factoring in house size, heating needs, and even local temperature history to provide the most accurate estimate possible without talking to you first.

Let’s break it down:

  1. Sizing Your Home: We’ve built the calculator using our expertise in building science and system sizing. Your home is matched to one of our 1,000+ completed installs, with careful attention paid to square footage and heating needs.
  2. Energy Usage: We use a simplified home heating model to estimate how much energy is needed to keep your home comfortable at last year’s daily temperatures, and then to get accurate costs for energy usage. Our tool integrates with local weather data and adjusts based on specific conditions, like whether you’re at a higher elevation or experiencing extreme temperatures.
  3. Rebates and Incentives: The calculator also pulls in all available rebates and incentives for you – including tax credits and income-based incentives. We make sure to show you the maximum savings you may qualify for, taking the hassle out of finding these benefits yourself.
  4. Assumptions: While we’d love to give you an error-free quote down to the dollar without talking to you, technology isn’t quite there yet. The calculator was built on standard assumptions like your floor height, insulation quality, how many windows you have, and the efficiency rating of your existing furnace.

Let’s be real. Heat pumps aren’t cheap, and neither is your time. That’s why we built this calculator: to save you hours of research and back-and-forth with contractors, so you can have a general understanding of what home electrification should cost you.

Ready to start your home electrification journey?

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