Smart thermostats let you tailor heating room by room, improving comfort while reducing unnecessary energy use. Better yet, eligible customers can receive up to five smart thermostats for free.
Want free smart thermostats? Start here
Forgot to turn down the heat before leaving home? A smart thermostat lets you adjust your home's temperature from anywhere using your phone. Better yet, you can set a schedule and let it automatically keep your home comfortable while avoiding unnecessary energy use.
If you're a BC Hydro customer with electric baseboard heating, you may be eligible to get up to five smart thermostats for free.
Did you know? Whether you heat your home with baseboards, a heat pump, or portable heaters, we have plenty of tips and tools to help you stay comfortable while using energy wisely. Explore our guides on smart thermostats, electric baseboards, heat pumps, portable space heaters, draftproofing, insulation, windows and window coverings.
Ready to get more from your thermostat? Here are five smart ways to put it to work.
- Comfort on your schedule
Start by choosing a thermostat that's compatible with your home's heating system and wiring. If you have electric baseboard heat, you'll typically need a line-voltage thermostat, such as those offered by Canadian companies Sinopé and Mysa.
Once it's installed, let your schedule do the heavy lifting. For baseboard heating, consider setting your thermostat to 21°C when you're relaxing, 18°C when you're active around the house, and 16°C while you're sleeping. Create separate weekday and weekend schedules, and adjust them as your routine changes. Want to wake up to a warm home or return to a comfortable space after work? Simply schedule the heat to come on before you get up or arrive home. Heading out of town? You can adjust your settings from your smartphone, wherever you are.
Smart thermostats can also help prevent common energy-wasting mistakes. We've heard from customers who traced surprisingly high summer bills to a baseboard heater quietly running in a basement or spare room for months. With a smart thermostat, you can check in on every room and adjust temperatures from your phone, whether you're upstairs, at work, or away on vacation.
Have a heat pump? A different strategy works best. Instead of making large daily temperature adjustments, maintain a consistent setting and let the system do its job. When it comes to heat pumps, a "set it and forget it" mantra is most effective.
- More heat doesn't mean faster heat
Stop using the temperature setting as an accelerator. It can be tempting to crank the thermostat up to 25°C when you're feeling chilly, but it won't warm your home any faster than setting it to the 21°C you actually want. Most heating systems warm at the same rate regardless of the temperature setting. Turning the thermostat higher can simply keep the heat running longer than necessary. Set your desired temperature and let the thermostat do the work.
- Check for rewards before you shop
Before you buy a smart thermostat, check whether you qualify for one free of charge. Through our free smart thermostat offer, eligible customers with electric baseboard heating can receive up to five Mysa or Sinopé smart thermostats, a value of up to $600. Peak Saver enrollment is required, and renters will need their landlord's permission to participate.
Already own qualifying thermostats? Enroll them in Peak Saver and you could earn a one-time $100 enrollment bonus per household, plus a $50 seasonal reward. Customers who receive free thermostats aren't eligible for the enrollment bonus, but they can still earn the seasonal reward. (These rewards are provided as bill credits and are separate from purchase rebates.)
During occasional winter peak events, BC Hydro will make small, temporary adjustments to enrolled thermostats to help manage electricity demand across the province. Events last no more than four hours and are designed to be seamless, with most customers noticing little or no impact to their comfort. You'll always remain in control and can override settings or opt out at any time, though opting out of more than half of a season's events may affect reward eligibility.
Looking for another way to save? For a limited time, Team Power Smart is offering a $100 reward, double the usual amount, to customers who reduce their electricity use by at least 10% over 12 months. Income-qualified customers may be eligible to earn up to $150, triple the standard reward.
Did you know The new BC Hydro app is your hub for Peak Saver rewards, Team Power Smart challenges, and energy insights. Better yet, every day you open the app through the end of the year is another chance to win. Check your usage, explore offers, and tap in daily for a chance at prizes.
- Plans changed? So can your heating.
One of the biggest benefits of a smart thermostat is flexibility. Heading out for dinner? Delay your home's scheduled warm-up. Coming home early from a winter getaway? Restore your regular temperature before you arrive so your home is comfortable when you walk through the door.
With a few taps in the app, you can adjust your heating schedule from anywhere, helping you stay comfortable while avoiding heating an empty home.
- Challenge your comfort zone
Think you could lower the temperature without noticing? Try reducing your thermostat setting by just 0.5°C for a week and see how it feels. You may be surprised at how little difference you notice in comfort. To see the impact, compare your heating use during periods with similar outdoor temperatures using the new BC Hydro app. A small adjustment could reveal an easy opportunity to save energy without sacrificing comfort.
A few more reasons to warm up to smart thermostats
- The savings can add up.
Upgrading to a smart thermostat to control electric space heating can reduce space-heating electricity use by an average of 9%, helping lower energy costs without sacrificing comfort. - Heat the rooms you're using.
Separate thermostats for different rooms or floors offer the greatest potential for both energy savings and comfort. Why heat the guest bedroom when no one's staying in it? - Cooler climates mean bigger opportunities to save.
The colder it is outside, the more you can benefit from lowering the temperature while you're away or asleep and letting your thermostat handle the rest. - They're ideal for cabins, cottages, and vacation homes.
A smart thermostat can help ensure you're not wasting energy heating an empty property. Warm things up before you arrive, or check in remotely to make sure guests remembered to turn down the heat after they've left. - Pair it with the BC Hydro app for even more insights.
Download the new BC Hydro app to track your electricity use by the month, week, day, or even hour. You'll be able to spot patterns, identify opportunities to save, and fine-tune your thermostat schedule to get the most from your smart heating setup.