Heating up your home could be an expensive experience for some Long Islanders.

Homeowners who get an oil delivery to heat up their houses say it changes everything when expenses are unexpectedly increased.

According to New York state, the average price for a gallon of home heating oil is $5.25, a record.

The lower Hudson Valley is one cent less and New York City is $5.20 a gallon on average.

Nick Del Vecchio of Frank Bros. Fuel says they have never seen prices this high before.

"And we have never seen the volatility prices going up and down 50, 60, 70 cents in a day," Del Vecchio says.

He says many have fixed price contracts, but with the way the market is reacting, he's not offering new ones.

If customers see big bills, oil watchdog Michael O'Connor says to ask the fuel company about level or balanced bill options

"That helps spread the cost of home heating out over the year over 12 months," says O'Connor, of NYPRIG Fuel Buyers Group.

Experts say home oil will be used less with warmer weather coming.

"If this had happened in November, we'd really be in bad condition," Del Vecchio says. "People wouldn't be able to pay these bills."

Some Long Islanders say they are already trying to conserve and turn down their thermostats.