BOSTON — Nick Wlodychak said it cost him a whopping $450 a month to heat his one-bedroom apartment in Jamaica Plain with electricity last winter.
“Yeah it was outrageous,” Wlodychak said. “But what else are you going to do? Just freeze?”
Unfortunately, prices are expected to get worse. The National Energy Assistance Directors Association predicts families will pay 17.2 percent more for home heating this winter, reaching a level not seen in more than ten years.
According to the NEADA, households that use natural gas will see the biggest percentage increase this winter, a 34.3 percent jump in cost from the 2021-22 winter, followed by oil (+12.8 percent) and electricity (+6.9 percent).
Families will spend an estimated $952 to heat their home with gas, $1,328 using electricity and $2,115 with oil, NEADA said in a September 12 report.
“We always have a harsh winter and we’re going to suffer from higher heating bills regardless,” said Deirdre Cummings, Legislative Director with the consumer watchdog MASSPIRG.
Cummings said homeowners can prepare for higher costs now by visiting the Department of Energy Resources online Energy Rebates and Incentives portal. Cummings said consumers can find a handful of cost saving tools and heating help.
“When you’ve got to fix a hole in your roof, you don’t wait until it rains. You’ve got to get out and try to do things ahead of time,” Cummings said.
Cummings said for every degree you turn down the heat this winter, you can shave off one to three percent from your heating bill. Another key is making sure your home is energy efficient. Jamaica Plain resident Linda Lesyna said she recently renovated her 100-year-old home with new insulation and windows. She’s noticed a difference in her bill.
“We’re very energy conscious but we have the resources to do the renovation,” Lesyna said. “I’m fortunate that I can afford to pay my bills, I feel bad for people who are on a more limited income.”
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW