Jan 11, 2026 By Jon Andreassi 4 min read

This winter has seen more people seeking assistance with home heating as energy costs continue to climb.

The Dollar Energy Fund was founded in Western Pennsylvania and provides grants to those experiencing hardship. Jody Robertson, the director of communications for the nonprofit, said requests have steadily increased over the years, but last year even more so.

“We’re seeing definitely a more significant increase than normal,” Robertson said.

The program runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. In 2025, Robertson said the organization helped 20,000 Pennsylvania households compared to 15,000 the year prior.

From October to December, 250 Washington County homes received grants, a jump from 77 during the same time frame in 2024. In Fayette County, the number jumped from 50 to 200. The Dollar Energy Fund does not typically assist as many Greene County homes, but has given out 29 grants this year compared to four in 2024.

“We’ve provided grants to over 6,000 households already. We’re on track to maintain the higher grant amount, if not exceed that,” Robertson said.

The National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association, which represents state governments in securing federal funding, published a report last month that states heating costs are expected to rise 9.2% this winter.

According to NEADA, on average households will spend $995 this year to heat their homes, an increase of $84 over 2024.

Robertson says Dollar Energy Fund does not ask grant recipients about their specific situation. She could only speculate as to why there was such a sharp increase in grants this year, but did note that due to the government shutdown, money for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP) was delayed.

“That could be a contributing factor,” Robertson said.

Christine Bell, the director of the Salvation Army in Uniontown, said the LIHEAP delay “definitely” affected how many people were reaching out to their organization for help.

“The increase in cost of energy, absolutely. We’ve also seen the LIHEAP delay in funding. That definitely had an effect on things,” Bell said.

Bell could not provide exact figures, but said the increase in assistance requests was significant.

“There was definitely three or four times as many as we saw last year,” Bell said.

The Salvation Army provides help through both Dollar Energy Fund grants and its own funds.

Tips to lower costs

For those concerned about rising costs, HVAC specialists point to a number of things you can do to make sure your home is heated efficiently.

Greg Roberts, owner of Pro Comfort Heating and Cooling in Waynesburg, said there is one part of the furnace commonly overlooked by customers.

“I tell everyone, the cheapest maintenance on a furnace is a filter. That’s something a lot of people overlook,” Roberts said.

According to Roberts, if your furnace’s filter is not regularly replaced, “your furnace is going to run much longer.”

Roberts suggests when buying a filter, buy them in bulk.

“It’s a little pricey to start. Instead of going out and buying one filter … go out and buy six or a dozen. Have that box of filters sitting there. If it’s on site, you’re thinking about it,” Roberts said.

Brady Benedetti, vice president of Controlled Climate Systems in Canonsburg, says though it can be costly, it is important to make sure your furnace receives routine maintenance.

“If you get routine maintenance done, you can get small things before they become big things,” Benedetti said.

Phil Piggott is a consultant for Heirloom Mechanical, which has a location in Mt. Pleasant and provides services in Fayette County. Piggott says there are several do-it-yourself projects you can take on around the house for efficient heating.

Those include checking around the windows, doors and attic for any spaces that could use caulking, weather stripping or spray foam to keep out cold air.

“You got to look and seal up any air leaks you’ve got. Especially in older homes that were built prior to the building codes that are now in place,” Piggott said.

Piggott also suggests being “really smart and deliberate” about setting the temperature on the thermostat.

“You can save a lot of money by lowering the temperature when you’re away or when you’re sleeping,” he said, cautioning not to set it so low that your pipes freeze.

Though much more expensive upfront, these specialists agree that upgrading an old or outdated furnace is going to save money in the long term.

Roberts said he was at a customer’s home recently with a furnace that was 60 years old.

“Buddy, this thing is running at like 10% efficiency,” Roberts said.

According to Roberts, heat pump units are a “night and day difference” compared to even just 20 years ago.

“On the heat pumps we install, we’re showing a 40% decrease in energy costs,” Roberts said.