Posted on 03/16/2023 7:32:44 AM PDT by ChicagoConservative27
Regulators in the San Francisco Bay Area voted Wednesday to eliminate the sale and installation of natural gas-powered furnaces and water heaters over eight years beginning in 2027, ostensibly to limit air pollution.
The vote was the latest step taken by left-wing jurisdictions against natural gas — a convenient and relatively clean-burning source of fuel.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported (original links):
Bay Area regulators voted Wednesday to adopt rules to phase out the sale and installation of natural-gas furnaces and water heaters over the next eight years, one of the most ambitious plans in the country to replace gas appliances with electric alternatives.
The rules, approved by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, are meant to reduce air pollution from some of the worst home-appliance offenders. The main pollutants targeted are nitrogen oxides, or NOx, which can cause acid rain and smog as well as increase risk for asthma and other respiratory diseases.
People will be able to repair their gas appliances if they break — but the rules take effect when existing gas-powered furnaces or water heaters no longer work and need to be replaced. New construction will also be required to have zero-NOx — effectively, electric — furnaces and water heaters.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Roaming bands on the prairie who demanded a toll from cattle drovers who crossed their way.
They already said the gas appliances emit more poison than all the cars on Bay Area roads, combined....
What homes are affected?
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s regulatory jurisdiction comprises Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, southwestern Solano and southern Sonoma counties. Roughly two-thirds of all Bay Area households use natural gas appliances, according to the air district.
"I wonder where all this electric is going to be coming from to run the vehicles, gas powered furnaces et al."
I’m 84 and my bride will be 83 soon.
About 10 years ago, we made the decision to stay in our home that we love and be carried out feet first.
So we did a major retrofit re special dual/triple pane windows, max insulation on the roof and special skylights that can be opened to allow the heat during the summer and early fall to escape with zero power usage.
We had two premium Natural gas furnaces installed. One is used where we spend most of our time and the other is used when we have guests.
Until recently, we have had the lowest PG&E bills on our cul de sac. It went from $100 per month to just under $500 with the new PG&E price increases. Neighbors with smaller homes are just under or over $1,000 per month. Some of their monthly bills are $2,000 and over per month.
I bet someone will be doing a thriving “import” business.
Interestingly, your anal sphincter is a regulator.
Huh.
Guess I’ll be buying TWO water heaters when this present unit gives up.
The State will, doubtless, alter the line of questioning at the several “Agricultural Inspection Stations” at the points of entry.
It was a conspiracy three months ago? Maybe six?
The time between conspiracy theory and reality shrinks every day.
Low Flow toilet II
Well, the heat exchanger would be the bedeviling part that could fail.
Your blower motor isn’t part of the fired unit since it’s also run when cooling is on, so replacing that wouldn’t likely trigger the rules governing your heating unit.
Maybe, instead of planning wholesale replacement, since LowNOx regs are ALREADY in place that might reduce the desireability of a new furnace model, make a phone call to a few repair companies, and build a roster of Lennox parts that “typically” fail.
Keeping spares for your existing unit could extend its life a couple or three decades, until they make repairing these units illegal, which would be the next tyrannical move.
Still, you could DIY and get away with it.
I see dead people...
Thanks. Those are good ideas.
Yes, a cracked heat exchanger is the end of the road for furnaces. I wonder if that is a replaceable part, too?
Of all things today, the exhaust inducer fan would not shut off after the burner cycle ended!
I hear tell feces is an aphrodisiac in SF, so many of the locals don’t mind.
Forbidding the use of natural gas for heating and cooking purposes. What is the rationale?
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Good question. Here in Japan, the people take environmental concerns very seriously. Half of the cars on the road are hybrids. We separate our garbage into individual plastic bags, one for each type: cardboard, paper, combustible garbage, plastic containers, plastic wrapping, milk cartoon paper, bottles/cans.
The cost of apartment heating in the city is high. Single family homes are allowed to use kerosene heaters, which are the lowest cost source of heat, but apartments cannot use those due to the fire/earthquake hazard.
However every apartment building pipes natural gas to every kitchen and “ofuro”, the deep hot tub Japanese love to soak in at night. Using a separate electric/gas hot water storage tank is considered a luxury here.
Bottom line, even in a country where conservation and “do what’s best for the planet” consciousness is high, if you banned natural gas, the citizenry would bring pitchforks to the major’s office the next morning.
Sure it does. Think about it. They (Democrats) have NO intention of ever building infrastructure to support going all electric. That's why they don't talk about it. They will be able to keep electric prices sky high so folks will only be able to afford to use very little electricity. They will have complete control over where you go, what you do and it will be all be done for the cause of "climate change".
Just saw this - a full employment act for HVAC contractors as people rush to replace old furnaces with low cost efficient gas furnaces before the deadline. I wasn’t planning to do mine yet but I guess I will do so now.
And people wonder why I am leaving this communist paradise /sarc
Stoves are next. It’ll kill the restaurant industry they supposedly all live
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