NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Fall is underway — and you’ll want to start looking ahead to when you’ll stock up on your home heating oil.

Prices skyrocketed last year for suppliers and consumers, reaching a high of an average of $6.37 a gallon for retail heating prices, according to information from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

News 8 analyzed three years of data from DEEP to find the most and least expensive times to buy home heating oil in Connecticut.

The good news? Prices appear to be down so far in 2023, especially compared to last year. January is the outlier, when retail prices jumped to $4.62 a gallon. It’s decreased since then, but has started an upward trend in July. However, last year, the least-expensive gas in the entire year was sold in July.

During the fall months, September has traditionally been the month when gas has been the least expensive. December has been the more pricy of the winter months.

If you need help affording heat this winter, applications for winter energy assistance are now open in Connecticut. Benefits range from $180 to $530, depending on the household’s income, size and need. The program helps households with incomes up to 60% of the state’s median income of approximately $79,910 for a family of four, according to the state.