By Emma Edwards
As winter approaches many residents of Massachusetts have to turn on their heating. The price of keeping their homes warm this winter could be about to skyrocket. Many people need to choose between food, medicine, and heating as fuel prices are going up.
Coming into the heating season in the U.S. The Energy and Information Administration (EIA) predicted customers nationwide would pay 43% more for heating and oil than they did in 2020. In Massachusetts, heating oil is up 60% compared to last year and the season just started.
The government recently raised the home heating subsidy to $1,030 for the heating season up from $600. Last Year, a non profit organization ABCD connected people in need with heating assistance. LAst year uit received 2,000 new applications. It’s too early in the season to know how many applicants they will get this year, but it’s predicted they will have a lot. Although people can qualify for the aid in heating their homes the nerdy director of ABCD fears these people won’t be warm enough.
TO save on home heating ABCD recommends weatherizing your home, sealing, and insulating it.