Be prepared to pay more to heat your home this winter.
“It’s clear that energy is becoming more expensive,” said Zoltan Nagy, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin and a building energy expert.
Inflation and other factors are impacting fuel price forecasts for the upcoming season.
“One of the points is it's getting more expensive to buy the primary fuel. The other one is maybe it will be colder than we expect,” Nagy said.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration October forecast predicts the following average U.S. household expenditure compared to last winter:
- Natural gas - 28%
- Heating oil - 27%
- Electricity - 10%
- Propane - 5%
Experts say there are some things you can do to keep your bill down.
“You can shut off the vents in some of the rooms. That's a cheap one. Also maintaining, if you have a furnace, maintaining the furnace. Make sure you change the filters regularly so they don't build up,” Nagy said. Long term, he also recommends making sure your home is insulated well.
