Your home heating costs could spike 30% this winter

DIX HILLS, N.Y. - No matter how you heat your home, the reality is that this winter it will cost you a lot more. Your bill could jump by 30% or more.

National Grid customers will need to dig a little deeper to pay for the five-month heating season, which starts in November. New York City customers will see a 28% increase on their bill (about $306 more compared to last year) and Long Islanders can expect to see a 29% hike, according to National Grid.

"We forecasted that customers in Long Island $299 more than they did in the previous year," National Grid's Melanie Littlejohn said.

That means, on average, your bill can be about $1,300.

The price increases are due to the higher wholesale gas prices. 

"These are largely driven by the supply side of the bill," Littlejohn said. "Our bill has two components: delivery and supply, and we are seeing an increase on the supply portion of our bill." 

The war between Russia and Ukraine has resulted in economic sanctions on the world's second-largest natural gas producer. Analysts say home heating oil is also higher and the cost of delivering it to the home is also rising. 

National Grid has numerous assistance programs for customers who need help paying their bills as well as energy-saving tips. You can find that information on nationalgridus.com.