So here we all are, suffering through and trying to wrap our heads around the idea that heating oil is $4 a gallon.

Well, whattaya think about $5-a-gallon oil? That’s where I think we are headed.

“Why?” you ask.

Let’s look at some arithmetic: Crude oil has been rising to new records almost every day. The demand is on from China and India – they all want to live like us.

They want cars and bigger homes. And they are manufacturing so much of what we buy, so they have money.

All that demand makes the price go up. And this is happening while the supply is diminishing. We are experiencing Economics 101. When supply is low and demand is high, prices go up. And commodity speculators don’t help.

It gets worse. Prices for fuel oil and gasoline are not rising as fast as crude oil prices are rising. When our reserves get lower, these prices will increase – and that is happening soon. We have been living in a fool’s paradise for many years, and we are being caught up with.

Dick Hill and I have been supposing this was going to happen for more than 20 years, but it was still a big surprise when it happened. It has caught all of us short.

So what do we do?

Everything. Check your home’s insulation. Now is the time to catch up with that project that you have thought irrelevant since 1989.

Get an energy audit, especially if you are not sure what to do next.

Check into alternative fuels – after you insulate. Regardless of what fuel you use, you should not waste the fuel in a leaky house.

I have been suggesting that when fuel costs were low, perhaps we should be considering energy conservation investments in terms of comfort. As we age, we feel the cold more and a superinsulated house will definitely be more comfortable.

Unfortunately, that concept did not find much traction in the ’90s or early ’00s.

You might have heard of superinsulation. That is a home with R-40 walls, R-40-60 roof and insulated floors and basements. It also includes minimum R-3 windows and-or insulated window covering.

Now, given what fuel costs are doing, I believe we should be looking at R-60 wall and roof insulation, along with higher insulated windows and R-19 minimum basement insulation.

Then we should talk about fuel switching.

I spend a lot of time talking with people about burning wood and wood pellets. We live in one of the most forested states in the union and many of us have our own woodlots.

Since the Ice Storm of 1998, I have really felt the need that we Mainers should have a backup heating alternative to conventional fuels.

It amazes me that fuel switching is the first thing I get asked about these days. Energy conservation should be the first thing we consider.

Energy conservation does not mean turning down the thermostat. I do not consider putting on a sweater an energy conservation plan. It is appropriate, but as an emergency effort only.

It is 2008. We should not be freezing in the dark!

Questions for Tom Gocze should be sent to homefront@bangordailynews.net or mailed to The Home Page, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329. A library of his practical home-improvement videos, reference material and a home-project blog are at bangordailynews.com/thehomepage.