SURREY, B.C. – Surrey households can cut winter heating costs with five steps from BC Hydro’s fall energy guide, starting with the simplest: heat only the rooms in use. Thermostats should sit at 18 C while active and 21 C when sitting still, and heat should go down whenever the house is empty or everyone is asleep.
A heat pump is a device that moves heat from outside air into a home rather than generating it, which makes it far more efficient than electric baseboard heaters.
About 45 per cent of a home’s heat escapes through walls, floors and roofs, according to BC Hydro, which is why insulation matters as much as the heating system. The utility offers insulation rebates of up to $1,200.
Heat pumps run about 300 per cent more efficiently than electric baseboards. BC Hydro offers heat pump rebates up to $3,000, which can stack with provincial and federal rebates for combined savings of up to $11,000. Lower-income households can also apply for a free energy saving kit and a home energy evaluation.
One caveat: rebate amounts and eligibility come from BC Hydro’s published materials and can change. Confirm current figures with BC Hydro before planning a purchase.
What happens next: BC Hydro typically refreshes its rebate programs in the new year. Apna News will update this guide when winter program details change.
Apna News publishes practical money-saving guides for Surrey families. Tell us which household costs you want covered next.
(Source: BC Hydro, October 2026)