SAGINAW, Mich. -- Temperatures are dropping and home heating costs are expected to rise slightly for the 2008-2009 winter season.

Homes that heat with oil are not the only ones feeling the pinch as natural gas prices are also up, albeit slightly. As people dial up the thermostat, some are struggling to pay the bill.

While some in the state can expect to pay as much as 21 percent more to heat there home this winter, here in Mid-Michigan the percentage will be much lower, around 6 percent.

“Right now the prices are about 6 percent higher,” said Mary Gust, a spokesperson for Consumers Energy. “We’re still finalizing those numbers but we really don’t anticipate them to be anywhere near the 21 percent projection rate we’ve seen for our area.”

Gust recommended customers of Consumers Energy consider getting their home heating system inspected and cleaned, and sealing windows and doors with caulking and weather stripping.

A programmable thermostat is also recommended.

At the beginning of October, the natural gas industry said there should be plenty of the fuel for heating this winter and prices are likely to be about the same as last winter.

Although nearly half of natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico remains shut down because of recent hurricanes, the industry expects gas inventories at the start of winter to be well above the five-year average.

The Natural Gas Supply Association said last Thursday gas production is expected to be about 8 percent higher than last winter, with more wells operating.

The group expects the slowing economy to reduce industry demand for gas.

And it said an expected milder-than-normal winter also should put downward pressure on prices.