Americans who depend on heating oil to keep their homes warm are bracing for rising costs as winter approaches, with households in colder regions facing growing concerns over affordability.
In Maine, where residents experience harsh winter conditions, the rising cost of heating fuel has become a major concern for families struggling to manage household expenses.
Brittney Worden, a mother of one living in Limington, Maine, said the increase in heating oil prices could place significant financial pressure on her family and other residents.
“If you don’t have heat, you will freeze to death,” she said, expressing concern about the impact of higher prices on vulnerable households.
Worden added that the situation was worrying for the wider community, describing the sharp increase in costs as frightening.
According to the Maine Department of Energy Resources, the average statewide price of heating oil stood at $5.97 per gallon as of October 5, 2026, compared with about $4 per gallon paid by Worden last year.
She told ABC News that she expects to spend nearly $5,000 heating her home this winter.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, attributed the increase in heating oil prices to rising diesel costs, explaining that the two fuels are closely related and produced through the same refining process.
De Haan said attacks by Ukraine on Russian oil refineries and Russia’s restrictions on diesel exports had tightened global supplies and pushed prices higher.
He also pointed to the impact of the war in Iran on international diesel markets.
According to De Haan, diesel was averaging $6.29 per gallon, nearly twice its price a year earlier. He warned that heating oil could potentially reach $7 per gallon in the coming months.
Amid the rising costs, US President Donald Trump announced plans to import diesel from Russia following a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump said the proposed arrangement would bring additional fuel supplies to the American and global markets. However, the plan has attracted criticism from a bipartisan group of US senators opposed to easing sanctions on Russia amid its war with Ukraine.
De Haan expressed uncertainty over whether the proposed imports would materialise, noting that Russia was experiencing difficulties producing enough diesel for its domestic needs.
He said developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict would play a significant role in determining diesel prices during the winter.
Meanwhile, the US Energy Information Administration warned that households relying primarily on electricity or heating oil for space heating were expected to spend more this winter.
The agency noted that relatively high natural gas inventories could help cushion heating demand for households using natural gas, while tighter supplies in distillate fuel markets were likely to keep pressure on heating oil prices.
Bill Morrell, president of Atlantic Heating Company in Portland, Maine, also warned that rising prices were affecting both businesses and consumers.
He said heating companies were paying more for fuel without necessarily making additional profits, leaving customers to bear much of the financial burden.
With winter approaching, households dependent on heating oil face continued uncertainty over fuel prices and the cost of keeping their homes warm.
