Heat pumps and solar are the big wins in Kelowna, but they take a few weeks to line up. In the meantime, these small moves start trimming your FortisBC bill right away. We've grouped them by how much they cost.
Cost nothing (do this weekend)
- Turn down the thermostat when away or asleep. Every degree lower in winter cuts heating energy.
- Work your window coverings. Open south-facing blinds on winter days for free solar heat; close them at night to hold it in. In summer, close east-facing coverings before bed and west-facing ones in late afternoon.
- Wash clothes in cold water and run full loads only. Most of a washer's energy goes to heating water.
- Switch off lights and use "heat"/"cool" not "auto" on your heat pump or thermostat — auto mode can fight itself and waste energy.
- Shorten evening showers. Water heating is one of the biggest loads in a Kelowna home.
Under $20 (biggest bang for the buck)
Draftproofing is the classic cheap win — gaps and cracks force your heating to work harder all winter.
| Fix | Cost | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Door sweeps | ~$9 | Blocks cold air sliding under exterior doors |
| Foam outlet gaskets | ~$1 each | Seals the surprising draft behind outlets on exterior walls |
| V-seal / foam weatherstripping | a few dollars | Fills gaps around window and door frames |
| Window insulating film | low | Adds a layer over older single-pane windows |
| Hot-water pipe insulation | low | Keeps water hotter between tank and tap |
Find the leaks first (a hand near frames on a windy day, or an incense stick, will reveal them), then seal strategically.
Smart devices that pay for themselves
These cost more up front but FortisBC estimates real annual savings:
| Device | Estimated savings |
|---|---|
| Smart baseboard controls (turn off heat in empty rooms) | ~$150/year |
| Smart thermostat (auto-lowers to 16°C when you're out) | ~$55/year |
| Smart light switches with timers | ~$10/year |
Even better: Kelowna homes with electric-baseboard heating can get a free smart thermostat (a ~$350 value) starting fall 2026, and enrolling it in Peak Saver adds a $100 bonus plus $50 each season. See our smart thermostat comparison.
Free money move: check your rate
FortisBC offers an optional Time-of-Day rate. Power is cheapest overnight (11 p.m.–7 a.m.), regular through the day, and most expensive at the 4–9 p.m. peak. If you can shift EV charging, laundry and the dishwasher to overnight, you pay less for the exact same electricity.
Best for EV owners
Charging an EV overnight is the single easiest way to benefit from Time-of-Day pricing — it's a big, flexible load you can schedule with one tap. Apartment dwellers on shared infrastructure may not be eligible.
The bigger wins, when you're ready
These small habits stack nicely with the rebated upgrades that move the needle most in Kelowna:
- Insulation first — $1,000-$5,000 in rebates and it shrinks every other bill.
- A heat pump — up to 300% more efficient than baseboards, $4,000-$16,000 back.
- Income-qualified? Some Kelowna households get a free heat pump, insulation and energy coaching.
What's different about Kelowna
Kelowna is the outlier on this list: FortisBC, not BC Hydro, delivers the rebates and the electricity here. The dollar amounts are the same as the rest of BC, and Kelowna's roughly 4.5 peak sun hours a day make solar one of the faster-payback upgrades on this list.
Ready to see the bigger rebates? Kelowna has 5 verified installers in our directory, and the full Kelowna rebate breakdown covers every category.
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Estimate my Kelowna rebates →Sources: BC Hydro Power Smart — draftproofing, smart home devices, Time-of-Day, window coverings.