It’s going to be an expensive winter in terms of heating your home. Even in moderate climates, residents are going to feel pinched in the wallet when it comes to natural gas and home heating oil. The reason is that natural gas is being used for other things besides heating homes. It’s used in factories and power plants, as well. So, the cost of natural gas at wholesale is about three times what it was a few years ago. So, that carries over to your bills. Gas is now at about 70 cents per therm, which can really add up if you heat your water, home and stove with natural gas. Home heating oil, which is based on the price of crude oil, is also moving up. But you don’t have to just sit there and take it. First of all, caulking can save a ton of money. Windows that let hot air out or cold air in are wasting a ton of money. Adding insulation to the attic is also important. If you see a lot of rafters in the attic, it probably means you don’t have enough insulation. And the payback is fast. If you feel a draft around your door in the winter, you may need to replace the threshold around the door. A new, energy efficient water heater could also help if you plan to stay in the home for a while. But the other things are little and they’re easy to do, if you want to avoid sticker shock this winter.