In a nearly unanimous vote, the Air Quality Management District board banned the sale of gas water heaters in the Bay Area after 2026 and new gas furnaces will be banned starting in 2029.
One of the region’s largest locally-owned companies, Service Champions, specializes in this kind of work and has been preparing for the new zero-emission rules for years.
“We’ve been ready,” said Mark Stewart, Pleasanton Service Champions general manager. “We have warehouses now with heat pumps, air handlers, the electrical equipment, so we’re ready. We even did a couple yesterday.”
He said Service Champions has also been educating customers about the new rules and some have decided to switch over while others want to stick with their gas appliances for as long as they can.
“We still want to give the client the choice of what to put in, because they still have a choice today,” said Stewart.
But choice will start running out in 2026.
Beginning in 2027, gas water heaters can no longer be sold and installed in the Bay Area. And gas furnaces in homes will have to be replaced with electric zero-emissions systems starting in 2029. And new large commercial heating systems have to be zero-emissions by 2031.
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There are nearly two million gas furnaces and water heaters in the Bay right now and according to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the pollution rivals the emissions coming from vehicle tailpipes in the region.
“It significantly impacts our air quality, resulting in dozens of early deaths and a wide range of health impacts, particularly in communities of color,” said Kristine Roselius, BAAQMD community manager.
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The district’s communications manager told NBC Bay Area numerous citizens expressed concerns about the expense of replacing gas appliances with new electric ones.
But the rules only apply to new appliances, not existing ones.
“And do not mandate the changeout of existing appliances – nor do they apply to appliances used for cooking such as gas stoves,” said Roselius.
So you can still have your old appliances serviced and repaired by qualified plumbers and companies like Services Champions, and as long as they’re still working, you don’t have to replace them.
A Concord plumber told NBC Bay Area that he thinks the new rules will actually create more work for plumbers – who are also learning new skills and transitioning into solar and electric installations.
