British Columbia · 16 local services · checked September 28, 2026

Home energy audits and home testing in Kamloops

Kamloops gets about 3,365 heating degree-days a year (a moderate heating season), 11% of its houses were built before 1961, and 20 NRCan-licensed service organizations list its postal codes. Pick a service for the local details.

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A two-storey Vancouver Special house on a rainy street above a mossy retaining wall

How Kamloops is built

Kamloops's houses by when they were built Ten house shapes, one for each tenth of Kamloops's 32,450 houses. Before 1961: 11%, 1961–1990: 51%, 1991–2000: 15%, 2001 or later: 24%. Older houses glow hotter.
  • Before 1961 11%
  • 1961–1990 51%
  • 1991–2000 15%
  • 2001 or later 24%
Each house stands for one in ten of Kamloops's 32,450 houses (single-detached, semi-detached, row and duplex), drawn by when it was built. The glow shows the usual pattern: older houses tend to be leakier and less insulated. More snow in the drawing means more heating degree-days: a longer, colder heating season. Sources: Statistics Canada 2021 Census (table 98-10-0233-01), NRCan HOT2000 climate data.

Kamloops at a glance

Climate

Kamloops gets about 3,365 heating degree-days a year, a measure of how much heating its climate needs, and its winter design temperature, the cold day heating systems are sized for, is −17.8°C. Those figures come from the climate data for Kamloops in HOT2000, the home-energy software Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) gives energy advisors. A moderate heating season with warm summers: fixes should cut heating bills and keep the house cool.

Housing

Of Kamloops's 32,450 houses (single-detached, semi-detached, row houses and duplexes), 11% were built before 1961 and 62% before 1991, according to the 2021 Census. The typical house dates from 1971–1980.

Heating

In the Kamloops area, 83% of households heat mainly with a forced-air furnace; natural gas is the main heating energy for 90% of households (Statistics Canada, 2023).

Radon

Health Canada's 2012 survey found 6.4% of 109 homes tested in the Thompson/Cariboo Health Service Delivery Area health region above the guideline. The larger 2024 Cross-Canada survey reports 9.5% (1 in 11) of houses at or above the guideline for the Kamloops, BC (Kamloops CMA) metro area.

BC Southern Interior Okanagan and Thompson valleys

What homes in Kamloops need

Hot, smoky summers and cold winters: plan cooling, filtration and heating together.

The Okanagan and Thompson valleys have cold winters and the hottest summer afternoons and driest air of any region we cover. Wildfire smoke often keeps windows shut in summer, and radon levels are among the highest in Canada. An EnerGuide evaluation here should cover heating, cooling, smoke filtration and a radon test together.

In Kamloops: Kamloops gets more days above 30°C than any city we cover, about 36 a year, and winters that reach −23°C. About 9 in 10 local homes heat with gas, so a cold-climate heat pump paired with the furnace is a natural fit.

What drives bills and comfort here

  • Two real seasons: winter cold snaps reach about −17°C to −23°C, and July afternoons average about 29°C.
  • Heat can be extreme: Kamloops had 62 days above 30°C in 2023, against a historical average of 33.
  • Wildfire smoke keeps windows closed for long stretches, so cooling and filtration run more; Kamloops logged a record 478 smoky hours in 2021.
  • Natural gas heats about 9 in 10 homes in the Kamloops area and 6 in 10 around Kelowna (2023).

Local risks to plan for

  • Record 478 hours of wildfire smoke and haze in 2021.
  • Wildfires burned west of the city in 2017, when about 50,000 British Columbians were displaced.
  • Radon: about 1 in 3 BC Interior homes were at or above the guideline in 2024.

What to check first, and why

  1. Keep smoke out: seal leaks, filter well

    When smoke rolls in, windows stay shut. A tighter house with a good filter keeps indoor air cleaner; Health Canada advises the highest-rated filter your system can handle.

    Ask your energy advisor: Ask the advisor where outside air leaks in, and whether your furnace or air handler can take a MERV 13 filter.

    Blower door testDuct leakage test

  2. Size cooling and heating together

    Long hot spells mean a heat pump has to handle summer cooling as well as winter heat. Equipment sized for only one season can leave you uncomfortable in the other.

    Ask your energy advisor: Ask for a room-by-room heat-loss calculation that also covers cooling, before you collect heat pump quotes.

    Heat-loss calculationDuct leakage test

  3. Test for radon

    About 1 in 3 homes across the BC Interior tested at or above Health Canada's 200 Bq/m³ guideline in the 2024 national survey, and Kelowna was among the highest municipalities.

    Ask your energy advisor: Start a 3-month radon test in the heating season, and retest after air sealing or basement work.

    Radon test

  4. Seal and insulate the attic

    Attic air sealing and insulation cut winter heat loss and summer heat gain. Today's new-home minimum here is about R-49, a useful target for older attics.

    Ask your energy advisor: Ask for an attic inspection that checks insulation depth and air leaks around light fixtures, the hatch and plumbing stacks.

    Attic inspectionInfrared (thermal) scan

  5. Check your home's wildfire exposure

    In August 2023, nearly 200 structures were destroyed or damaged in West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation and Kelowna. An energy audit doesn't cover wildfire risk, so ask separately.

    Ask your energy advisor: Ask your local fire department or FireSmart program about a home wildfire assessment.

Tests that matter most here

  • Blower door test Measures leakage (ACH50), the paths that let smoke and hot air in. Best timing: Any season, on a calm day.
  • Infrared (thermal) scan Finds missing insulation and air leaks. Best timing: December to February, on cold mornings with little sun and wind; summer scans with air conditioning running are less reliable.
  • Duct leakage test Many comfort complaints are duct or airflow problems rather than undersized equipment, and the filter slot limits how well you can filter smoke. Best timing: Before choosing a heat pump.
  • Radon test Regional radon is high, and air sealing can change indoor levels. Best timing: At least 91 days, mostly in the heating season; retest the next heating season after upgrades.
  • Combustion safety test Most homes here burn natural gas, and tightening the house can cause backdrafting of furnaces and water heaters. Best timing: With the blower door test, and again after air sealing.

Upgrades that usually pay off here

  1. Cold-climate heat pump paired with the furnace. It gives efficient cooling and handles most winter heating, while the gas furnace covers the coldest nights. Hybrid controls switch fuels by outdoor temperature and energy price. Ask how the switchover is set; factory settings may not suit your rates.
  2. Air sealing plus attic insulation. Cuts heating, cooling and smoke infiltration in one job. Aim for at least today's new-home attic level here, about R-49. Seal first, then insulate.
  3. MERV 13 filtration and a portable air cleaner. Long fire seasons make good filtration important. A MERV 13 filter in the air handler plus a certified portable air cleaner helps you keep one room's air cleaner. Your system may need a fan check or wider filter slot first.
  4. Radon mitigation if your test is high. If a long-term test is above 200 Bq/m³, Health Canada advises reducing it. A C-NRPP certified professional can install a sub-slab system. Retest after mitigation and after major air sealing.
  5. ERV for balanced ventilation. Once the house is tighter, an ERV brings in fresh air while recovering heat, and it helps keep dry winter air from getting drier.

Heating and cooling equipment

  • Choose a cold-climate heat pump with published capacity at your local design temperature (−17°C to −23°C), and keep backup heat. Many newer units stop running between −15°C and −25°C.
  • Keeping the gas furnace for the coldest weather (a hybrid system) is practical here, since most homes already have gas.
  • Cooling is a real load here: ask for sizing that covers both seasons, and avoid oversized equipment that short-cycles.
  • Summer air here is dry, so dehumidification is rarely the concern; an ERV is a sensible ventilation choice.

Health and comfort

  • Smoky days: keep windows and doors closed, limit exhaust fans and run filtration. If it's too hot indoors with the windows shut, go to a cooler, cleaner-air space.
  • Radon: about 1 in 3 homes across the BC Interior and Yukon tested at or above 200 Bq/m³ in the 2024 survey, one of Canada's two highest regions.
  • Dry winter air: humidify modestly. Too much moisture causes window condensation and can dampen the attic.
  • Heat safety: summers bring long hot spells, so make sure at least one room can be kept cool.

Common mistakes in this climate

  • Relying on open windows to cool the house. In smoke season, open windows let smoke in. Plan for mechanical cooling instead.
  • A standard heat pump with no backup heat. Cold snaps of −20°C and below can exceed what standard units deliver. Keep the furnace or another backup.
  • Skipping the radon retest after air sealing. Tightening a house can change radon levels. Retest in the next heating season.
  • Oversizing cooling equipment. Oversized units short-cycle, waste energy and leave rooms less comfortable.

When to book: Book the evaluation in winter (December to February suits thermal scans), and start a 3-month radon test in fall. Get cooling and filtration in place before summer smoke season.

Sources for this climate guide · checked October 26, 2026

Communities around Kamloops

Area guide for the surrounding region, with every town and hamlet listed: Okanagan area guide (West Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, Summerland and more).

Local service guides for Kamloops

Energy audits and tests

An energy advisor’s kit on a front-hall bench: infrared camera, pressure gauge with tubing, tape measure, headlamp and a floor sketch

Home energy audit

20 licensed organizations Companies NRCan licenses to do EnerGuide evaluations
A red blower-door panel with a large fan fitted into the front doorway of a brick bungalow, a pressure gauge on a stool inside

Blower door test

3,365 degree-days A moderate heating season
Hands holding an infrared camera aimed at a ceiling corner beside a frosty window; the screen shows a cold streak

Thermal imaging inspection

3,365 degree-days A moderate heating season
A kitchen table with a house floor plan, a laser measure, a tape measure and a laptop showing the plan

Heat loss calculation

Design temp −17.8°C The cold day heating is sized for
A duct-testing fan on a basement floor connected by flexible duct to a furnace, a pressure gauge hanging from a joist

Duct leakage testing

83% forced-air Share of homes with ducts that can leak
A gloved hand inserting a combustion analyzer probe into a furnace flue pipe in a basement

Combustion safety test

90% heat with gas Gas appliances need a venting check
A heat recovery ventilator on a basement wall with four insulated ducts running up between the joists

Ventilation and humidity assessment

24% built since 2001 Newer, tighter homes rely on fans or an HRV
Loose-fill insulation between attic joists, a yellow ruler showing its depth and frost on the roofing nails above

Attic insulation inspection

62% built before 1991 Older attics usually need more insulation
Utility bills and a phone showing a monthly energy-use chart on a kitchen table

Energy bill analysis

BC Hydro Download 12 months of usage from your account

Home health tests

A small digital radon monitor on a bookshelf in a finished basement family room

Radon testing

9.5% at or above guideline (2024) Neighbours' results don't predict yours: test
A carbon monoxide alarm on an upstairs hallway wall outside the bedrooms at night

Carbon monoxide testing

Not required (recommended) Install alarms anyway
A moisture meter pressed into water-stained basement drywall, an air-sampling pump on a tripod nearby

Mould and indoor air quality testing

62% built before 1991 Older homes have more damp spots
A gloved hand holding a sealed sample bag above vermiculite insulation between attic joists

Asbestos and vermiculite testing

62% built before 1991 Common in materials until about 1990
A gloved hand swabbing layers of cracked old paint on a wooden window sill

Lead paint testing

11% built before 1961 Pre-1960 paint probably contains lead
Filling a water-sample bottle at a farmhouse kitchen tap with the aerator removed, snowy fields and a barn outside

Well water testing

Wells in some areas Only homes on private wells need it

For businesses and buildings

An auditor walking between rooftop heating and cooling units on a snowy commercial roof

Commercial energy audit

6 incentive programs

Who does energy evaluations in Kamloops

20 NRCan-licensed service organizations list Kamloops postal codes. See the list with phone numbers and coverage →

City programs in Kamloops

Retrofit Assist (City of Kamloops with Community Energy Association)

Free City-sponsored retrofit concierge: personalized guidance, help maximizing rebates, connections to energy advisors and trained contractors, and financing options.

Retrofit Assist discounted EnerGuide evaluation

For a limited time, Retrofit Assist participants in Kamloops can book an EnerGuide evaluation for $99 + tax ('a savings of $500 or more'), while subsidies last. Kamloops page updated Jan 2026.

City of Kamloops heat pump rebate top-up

The Retrofit Assist Kamloops page says the City 'presently offers rebate top-ups for Kamloops households that install a heat pump' (also EV chargers and fireplace upgrades). The City's own Rebates & Incentives page lists no top-up amount or terms, so the amount and current availability are unconfirmed.

Rebates and financing for Kamloops homes

Provincial · needs an evaluation BC Home Energy Improvement Bonus $20 for every percentage-point your home improves — $750 minimum, $2,000 maximum — or $300 for any two upgrades Open Provincial CleanBC Energy Savings Program Income-tiered CleanBC rebates paid through registered contractors: up to $13,000 toward a heat pump and up to $3,500 for a heat pump water heater — rebates, not free installs Open · deadline Federal National Heat Pump Rebate Announced October 8, 2026 and opening early 2027: up to $10,000 below the median income, $2,000 for other eligible homeowners Announced · opens 2027 Federal CMHC Eco Improvement premium refund A 25% energy-efficiency rebate on your CMHC mortgage insurance premium after $20,000 of energy renovations Open Federal Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program Free retrofits for low-to-median-income households through provincial partners in BC, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, PEI and Quebec (Quebec's 2026–27 intake has closed) — not available in Ontario Open · deadline

Cities near Kamloops

Kelowna110 kmAbbotsford226 kmLangley235 kmCoquitlam237 kmBurnaby244 kmSurrey245 km All 70 cities →

Sources

Checked September 28, 2026.

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