Heating bills are up 9% this winter. Here is what you can actually do about it

September 2, 2026

The Journal · Living · September 2026

The winter heating forecasts are out: about $1,030 per household, up roughly 9 percent. You can't do much about the rate. You can do a lot about how much of the heat you actually feel.

The industry estimate reported by The Hill this month puts the average American household at about $1,030 to heat the home this winter, up roughly 9 percent on last year, with electricity and natural gas both rising. The EIA's own outlook lands in October and is expected to say something similar.

+9%

Projected rise in average US home heating costs this winter, to about $1,030 per household.

The Hill, September 2026

Windows first

A single-glazed or older double-glazed window is the coldest surface in the room, and the air next to it sinks and runs across the floor. That's the draught you feel at your ankles on the sofa. A curtain that's dense enough, and long enough to reach the sill or the floor, traps a layer of still air against the glass and stops the flow. Sheers don't do this. Thin printed cotton barely does it. A dense weave does.

The French Vintage Floral Tapestry Curtain hangs with weight, which is why it works for this. Measure from the rod to the sill or the floor, order two panels for a standard window, and close them at dusk; a curtain left open all evening does nothing.

Heat the person, not the house

Turning the thermostat down two degrees and putting a proper throw on the sofa saves more than it sounds like. The Sherpa Fleece Throw is fleece one side and deep sherpa the other, heavier than you'd expect, and comes in three sizes. It earns a place on the sofa and another on the bed. It's machine washable, which is the thing that separates a throw you use every night from one that goes back in the cupboard.

The sofa itself

Leather and cold-room sofas pull heat out of you. A woven cover over the seat changes how the sofa feels to sit on, and it takes the winter wear from dogs, kids and blankets. The Herringbone Sofa Cover drapes over the whole thing; the Plush Pleated Sofa Cover is seat-only with an anti-slip back. Both go in the wash.

Floors

Tile in the kitchen is the other cold surface you stand on for an hour a day. A cushioned mat in front of the sink is warmer underfoot and easier on your back; the Anti-Fatigue Comfort Kitchen Mat comes in three lengths so it covers the run you actually stand on.