Heating costs to rise this winter as cold returns
Source: AP-Excite
By JONATHAN FAHEY
NEW YORK (AP) - Americans will pay more to heat their homes this winter as they feel something they didn't feel much of last year: cold.
Prices for natural gas, heating oil and other fuels will be relatively stable. But customers will have to use more energy to keep warm than they did a year ago, according to the annual Winter Fuels Outlook from the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration.
Last winter was the warmest on record. This year temperatures are expected to be close to normal.
Heating bills will rise 20 percent for heating oil customers, 15 percent for natural gas customers, 13 percent for propane customers and 5 percent for electricity customers, the EIA announced Wednesday.
FULL story at link.
Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20121010/DA1QTQ1G0.html
In this Jan. 2, 2008, file photo, Wayne Holland of the Suburban Propane company delivers oil in Barre, Vt. Americans will pay more to heat their homes during the 2012-2013 winter season as they feel something they didn't feel much of last year: cold. Fuel prices will be relatively stable, but customers will have to use more energy to keep warm than they did a year ago, according to the annual Winter Fuels Outlook from the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)
Downwinder
(12,869 posts)Kolesar
(31,182 posts)...because it was warmer?
leftyladyfrommo
(18,869 posts)for the record hot summer we had here in KC>
I don't think I saved a thing in the long run.
Kolesar
(31,182 posts)thatgemguy
(506 posts)$3.89 a gallon for #2 heating oil... 150 gallon minimum delivery, C.O.D. Add state sales tax too...
I use about 350 gallons per year, about $1400 to get through the season, and I'm already using my furnace.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)I remember getting my propane tank in the country filled and it would be a lot. I'augmented the heating by using my woodstove. In order to not get that large bill, I signed up for balanced billing. It spread the pain out the rest of the year. Can you do that?
beac
(9,992 posts)It's been going into the 30's here at night so we too have had the furnace on at night. It's practically an antique and so it drives up our electric bill on top of the oil cost. (We rent, so no option to upgrade.)
We used 300 gallons last year. I'm hoping the extra 50 will be enough.
Lasher
(27,606 posts)That doesn't mean they will.
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)just divert a little of that to help cold families and millions of children with heating bills? There's about 10.ish million families considered "working poor", more who try to keep from drowning while living under twice the "poverty rate". I bet they would appreciate it more than people like Sheldon Adelson.
I mean, I know that whole help the rich thing is supposed to be good for us, (while the homeowners are being foreclosed out of their homes, though. That's seems wrong, doesn't it?) trickle on us or something, but maybe we could try a more direct approach for a year or two, without having to just hope for the magic rain money?
Just thinkin' out loud...
Kolesar
(31,182 posts)There isn't some grand global trend to bring down the fist of privation on the poor folks.
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)while we support Adelson's lifestyle - because that's good for all of us.
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)Kolesar
(31,182 posts)You didn't even read the article.
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)truthisfreedom
(23,149 posts)that it was intended for (drying). $1.25 a gallon right now.