Cooler temperatures are causing upstate homeowners to eye their home-heating supplies to ensure they’re prepared for the fall and winter seasons.
“We’re busy,” said Paul Wells, owner of Newcomb’s Fuel Oil. “You know, you get them cold nights when they go down to 50 degrees, the phone is going to start ringing.”
But Wells says many will be taken aback by the price.
What You Need To Know
- Natural gas prices have climbed more than 180% over the past year, reaching highs not seen February 2014
- Prices have increased by 22 cents in four weeks, and on Monday, there was an unusual midday increase of five cents
- Drivers at Newcomb’s Fuel Oil are making more than 30 deliveries a day as the weather cools
“We’re up 22 cents in the last four weeks,” he said. “We had a five cent increase Monday morning, which we never get, a midday increase.”
Natural gas prices have climbed more than 180% over the past year. Prices haven’t been this high since February 2014.
“Before I was in this business, I never really paid attention to the oil prices,” he said. “I knew I had to pay it, but now I pay attention, a couple times a day.”
If it turns out to be a colder winter, the supply could shrink further and drive prices even higher.
“The demand is coming,” he said. “As soon as it gets cold, the oil starts going.”
Applications for New York’s Home Energy Assistance Program, or HEAP, are being accepted. Wells encourages all his customers to apply on his website.
“We have over 100 HEAP customers now,” he said. “It just doesn’t assist you in heat for oil, it also assists you in your National Grid bill.”
Wells says homeowners should also be more mindful this winter when adjusting their thermostat.
“It’s not always good to turn your heat down during the day and turn it back up at night,” he said. “It makes it work twice as hard to get the temperature back up.”
