Michigan: It’s Gonna Cost You More to Heat Your Home This Winter

Shut the damn door and put on a sweater. I do well at channeling my dad lately - and you may find yourself saying something similar this winter as heating prices are expected to be on the rise in the Midwest.

New information just released by the National Energy Assistance Directors Association indicates that it will cost more to heat your home this year.

How Much Are Heating Costs Expected to Rise?

Overall, the association expects heating costs to rise 10.5% in the United States on average.

If you heat with electricity, you should expect to take the biggest wallop. Customers who heat with electricity should expect an increase of 13.6% - that's an average of $1,208 per year.

If you heat with propane, expect an increase of 7.3%. That translates to an increase of $1,442 for the average customer.

If you heat with natural gas, expect an increase of 7.2%, meaning an increase of $644 for the average customer.

Why Are Heating Costs Expected to Rise?

Mark Wolfe is the Executive Director of the National Energy Assitance Directors Association. Wolfe attributes the rising costs to colder temperatures expected in the Northeast and Midwest sections of the United States.

“This is a winter that is following a period of extreme heat. So families that were struggling to pay their summer cooling bills are now facing higher winter heating bills,” Wolfe said.

He goes on to say that many utilities have been putting off infrastructure upgrades for a number of years. The implication is that costs are being passed along to heating customers.

There are tips in the video below from KFYR-TV to help lower energy costs this winter.