Helen,
It will help if we knew how much heating is usually used in your locale...
There is a website that will calculate
heating degree days, which will assist us in giving you appropriate advice.
The website link is
HERE.
Just put in your zip code, press station search, find the closest weather station to where you live, click on it, and then click the "average" button on the line labeled 'Breakdown'.
Finally, press the button labeled, "Generate Degree Days"
...there will be a whirling thingie at the top of the page, to let you know that it is working...
...when it is through, press the "download" button and then "Open".
...your average degree days will be on the bottom line.
For instance my heating degree days number Total is 4816... which is considered pretty moderate.
That number provides a big clue as to what someone's heating needs are.
-AC_Hacker