As a consumer before you choose a provider it is essential to understand natural gas and the safety precautions that will keep you and your family safe and secure.

• Learn all you can about natural gas. Pay close attention to tips and guides to conserving energy and weatherizing your home, as well as researching tips to maximizing the safety of natural gas appliances in your home.


• Use your nose. If you ever detect even a small amount of the odor from natural gas ( rotten eggs) in the air, don't stay, get away. Contact both your natural gas provider and local emergency services.


• Look for the blue flame. If pilot lights and burners have a steady, blue flame, then they are operating correctly. Decorative gas fire logs are the only exception. Their flame is usually yellow.


• Have all gas appliances, furnaces, vents, flues, chimneys and gas lines in your home or business inspected every year or two by qualified industry professionals.


• Keep the areas around all appliances and equipment clean and unblocked to allow for proper air flow.


• Follow manufacturer instructions for the care and use of gas appliances and equipment.


• Make sure there is at least one multipurpose fire extinguisher in your home or place of business.


• Review these natural gas safety tips regularly with ALL family members and coworkers.

Shopping for natural gas in Georgia shouldn't be a confusing or difficult process. Enjoying the benefits of living in a deregulated natural gas market is almost too easy with the competitive prices and products from major energy companies. The key to saving even more on your monthly energy bill is understanding exactly what makes each service unique. With that being said, Georgia natural gas companies have several fixed and variable rate plans that give people like you a ton of great options for service. So what exactly is the difference between a fixed and variable rate?

Fixed
A fixed rate generally carries a contract term with it, meaning you can lock in your gas price on a monthly basis after signing a contract. Terms generally run either 6 or 12 months. The advantage of a fixed rate plan is that your price doesn't fluctuate when the rest of the natural gas market does. Think of a fixed rate as sort of a security blanket.

Variable
Variable rates do change based on the several factors, most especially demand. During hot summer days or cold winter nights you'll often see price spikes as gas use increases. The advantage to having a variable rate plan is that you can cancel your service at any time, and the monthly and cancellation fees are often very low. Variable rates give the most flexibility,
with companies offering everything from low prices to options for prepaying your natural gas every month.

Regardless of what you choose, living in a state that gives you power to find the service that meets your individual natural gas needs is a wonderful thing.

Recently, a friend of mine relocated and bought a house in the Buckhead section of Atlanta, Georgia. He soon discovered that the city that has Braves, Hawks, Falcons and Yellow Jackets, is also home to natural gas deregulation. Being that he had never lived in a city with deregulation, he got in touch with me to find out how to choose his natural gas company.

Knowing that my job lets me know more about the energy industry than most, he mentioned that he was trying to find not just any energy company, but an energy company that gives back to the community. He struggled with how he was going to save and conserve energy, seeing that he had just bought this "big, beautiful Georgian mansion" that he wanted to enjoy.

With many companies to choose from, it might seem hard to make a natural gas choice. I let my friend know a few tips to help with his decision -- tips that I now want to share with you:

• Shop for the best price. It's your right as a Georgian, so use it.
• Know what each plans means. Not sure what "fixed" or "variable" rates mean? Find out so you can save the most.
• Worried about bruised credit making you pay too much? Check out prepaid options to help get your bill lower.
• Conserve energy by being energy conscience. Quick tips include: Use a humidifier in colder months; check your furnace filter frequently; and, lower the temperature setting on your washing machine.

So we're talking about Georgia—not the one with fuzzy fur hats and caviar—the one with peach pie, Atlanta and the Braves. The namesake of King George II and one of the original thirteen colonies, today's Georgia boasts a rapidly increasing population estimated at nearly 10 million.

We are talking about a lot of people here, and somehow these people need access to a constant and reliable energy source that won't degrade the beautiful environment that so many of us Americans call home.

MXenergy has a viable solution to the problems plaguing Georgians. It's called the MXenergy Earth Friendly Partnership^sm and here's how it works. You pay a few cents more a day than what you might normally spend on your utilities, and those extra pennies will cover the rest to ensure your home is "carbon neutral." The MXenergy Earth Friendly Plan offsets your home's emissions by planting trees on your behalf. A home that offsets 100% of CO2 emissions is considered carbon neutral.

I know most of us think saving the environment is the right thing to do—but we all just love our SUVs and our two-story, air-conditioned "MacMansions." This is your chance to do rather than just say; your way to create a difference without creating an inconvenience

Let's think about this for a second. If we all do our share—carpooling when we can, turning lights off when they're not needed and using an environmentally conscious energy supplier such as MXenergy, together as a community you, I and all energy consumers can impact the world that we leave our children. If that won't help you sleep at night maybe you need a new mattress (which incidentally could take 20-25 years to fully degrade in a landfill).

Everything you ever wanted to know about natural gas in Georgia is just a click away. With the suite of tools provided by Squidoo.com, Georgians now have a great resource for natural gas literacy. Learn about deregulation, natural gas history, ways to save on your gas bill, natural gas and the environment and so much more. Visit, rejoice, dance, click with abandoned constraint and connect to your natural gas Mecca today.

Power Your Georgia Home with Natural Gas

Understanding the history of natural gas deregulation is vastly important for Georgia residents. Did you know that because of deregulation in Georgia you can shop and compare natural gas companies? Regulation meant your service was determined and dependent on your location, where as now you can essentially choose from the best rates and products that are available in your area.

Senate Bill 215 officially landed in Georgia in 1997, with deregulation starting July 1, 1998. Atlanta Gas Light Company (AGLC) is responsible for storing and distributing your natural gas, and marketers such as the companies at GasGeorgia.com are able to sell natural gas to consumers. Only customers in the AGLC service area are able to compare and choose their natural gas provider, but fortunately their coverage area is quite large.

So what exactly does Georgia natural gas deregulation mean for you?

• Lower rates, lower monthly gas bill
• Compare companies and their rates head-to-head.
• Switch or transfer service without interruption
• Enjoy several flexible fixed and variable rate plans from leading natural gas companies

Despite the fact that your eyes are probably squinting from all of the syllables in the title, understanding how deregulation affects your natural gas service is not as complicated as it may seem.

The structure of the natural gas industry has changed dramatically since the 50's. Extremely low selling prices in the early 50's meant a lot of demand from customers, and a severe lack of supply from gas companies. Fast forward to the late 70's.

The Natural Gas Policy Act in 1978 began the landslide that would change the industry forever. For the first time natural gas prices at the source—what is called the wellhead— were gradually shedding their caps or ceiling. The prices were originally regulated to protect you and other consumers from price gouging, but only hurt in the long run by contributing to the supply shortage.

Jan. 1, 1993 marked the beginning of the end for price regulations at the wellhead, and allowed gas to be sold to end users—a.k.a the customers—free of federal price regulations. So what exactly does this mean? Now marketers such as the natural gas companies at GasGeorgia.com are able to offer you choice and savings—something that didn't exist prior to policy changes. Before the move to deregulation, the natural gas companies were unable to offer the kind of unique pricing and products that they can now in fully deregulated states.

How does this impact Georgia natural gas customers? "What is Natural Gas Deregulation - Part Two: What this means for Georgians" will further shed light on your options as a natural gas consumer.