Stories & Features

Income-qualified households can apply to receive a free energy saving kit

Are you looking for an easy way to save on your next BC Hydro bill without the hassle of purchasing new products? If you live in an income-qualified household, you can apply to receive a free Energy Saving Kit that will help make your home more energy efficient without paying retail prices. Purchasing these items individually can be time consuming and can cost upwards of $100. We've taken the leg work out of upgrading your home, for those that qualify; you can receive all the benefits of energy savings delivered right to your door. Our Energy Saving Kit includes a roundup of customized energy saving products that will help increase the efficiency of your home and lower your annual energy costs.

You could save $100 a year with easy-to-install items

When you install the items from our Energy Saving Kit you can start saving up to $100 a year on your energy bill. You won't have to hire an expert either because each product is easy-to-install. The kit comes with a step-by-step guide making installation a breeze. Plus, you can also refer to our DIY videos for help. In the same amount of time it takes to watch your favourite movie, you can install these products throughout your home and start reducing your energy consumption. Each item will help increase the overall comfort and efficiency of your home.

What's in the Energy Saving Kit?

• Four ENERGY STAR® LED bulbs
  • LEDs use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs.
• An LED nightlight
  • The LED nightlight automatically turns on when it detects the room is dark.
• Fridge and freezer thermometer
  • Keep your fridge and freezer within ideal temperatures to conserve energy
• Foam and V-seal weather-stripping
  • Foam tape and V-seal strips are used to insulate the edges of doors, which prevents cold air from seeping into your home and heat escaping.
    
    DIY with Dave: How to install foam and V-seal weather stripping
• Window insulator film
  • Adding this plastic film on your windows helps prevent heat loss through windows – it's particularly helpful if you have older windows.
• Outlet and switch sealers
  • These foam pads will help eliminate cold air from entering through your outlets and light switches.
    
    DIY with Dave: How to install foam insulator pads
    
• Furnace filter
  • Included in your kit is a $25 coupon that can be applied to the purchase of a new furnace filter at participating Home Hardware stores in B.C.
    
    DIY with Dave: How to check for drafts in your home
    
• A high-efficiency showerhead
  • A high-efficiency showerhead can use up to 50% less water than a regular showerhead, saving hot water costs.
• A water-saving tap aerator
  • Aerators can use up to 50% less water and can be installed in both the kitchen and bathroom.
• Step-by-step instruction guide [PDF, 3.4 MB] to help you install each product

Here's how to apply

First, check our income qualification table to see if you're eligible for a free energy saving kit. If you are, you can apply for your free energy saving kit online or by calling 1 800 BCHYDRO (1 800 224 9376) or 604 224 9376 in the Lower Mainland between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, and between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday.

When you apply, you'll be asked to provide:

• Your name and BC Hydro account number (found on the top right corner of your bill)
• The number of people in your household and your total household income

If you've already received an energy saving kit in the past and are looking for further upgrades, or are unable to install products on your own, you may be interested in applying for the Energy Conservation Assistance Program.