There’s good news, and then there’s good news! Americans will pay less for heating their homes this year than they did last year (or the year before). While there are some regional differences in the savings on fuel bills, the entire picture looks rosy, according to the U.S. government (http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=23232). The average homeowner, using natural gas for heat, will pay about $578 this winter, $64 less than last year.
Most Americans depend on natural gas, but residents using fuel oil, propane, electric or wood will also spend less to heat their homes. Our choice of heating fuels depends on the region where we live. While overall, Americans use natural gas more than any other fuel, southerners are more apt to have electric heat. As it happens, this is the type of fuel that will show the least savings. Out of an average of $930 to heat their homes, people in the South will save only $30. In New England, about half the people use wood for heat— woodstoves or wood pellet stoves. Propane, which is especially popular in the Midwest, is the most costly type of fuel; Midwesterners will spend about $1,437 to heat their homes.
The other good news is that the winter is forecast to be warmer in all regions except for the West, where the weather is supposed to be cooler than last year. Our heating costs also depend on the size and efficiency of our homes, of course. If you’re heating a ‘heritage’ home of 10,000 square feet, it will naturally cost more than the guy with the 3,000-square-foot, well-insulated Energy Star showpiece.
That brings up the next point: We know that this drop in fuel costs is only a speed bump on the road to higher prices. Because they aren’t making any more fossil fuels, as Will Rogers might have said, the cost will begin to rise again. It’s only a matter of time. So why not take advantage of the bargain heating season to invest in something more efficient? There are a slew of new options now. Heat pumps, high-efficiency mini-splits, geothermal . . . If you want to look over the various choices, here’s a website where they sell such things: http://www.comfortup.com. And happy holidays from your heating fuel supplier!