-
Oct 10, 2006 10:15 am US/Eastern
-
Digg |
Facebook |
E-mail
|
Print
Heating Homes With Gas May Be Cheaper This Winter
WASHINGTON (CBS4) ―
Heating bills are expected to be lower for some families across America this winter, with natural gas users seeing the highest decrease, the Energy Department said Tuesday.
Natural gas users should expect to pay an average of $119 less than last winter, and propane users should expect a decrease around $15, according to the Energy Department. However, those heating their homes with fuel oil should expect to see their bills increase an average of $91.
Natural gas, the most widely used source of fuel for residential heating, is at an all-time storage high, and prices have dropped recently.
Winter temperatures can also have a major impact in the cost of heating bills, and this year the country is expected to see above-normal temperatures, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration projected Tuesday.
According to the Energy Information Administration, the average winter heating bill for a home using natural gas was $465 in 2001-2002, increasing annually to $944 last winter. Homes using fuel oil saw a bump to $1,429 last winter compared with an average cost of $627 in 2001-02, the EIA reported. Propane users paid $736 in 2001-02, compared with $1,236 last winter.
(© 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)