Deciding which natural gas provider to select depends on a lot more than just keeping the house warm. There are lots of points to consider before selecting a natural gas provider in Georgia.
Price per Therm
This is probably the biggest factor when selecting a provider. When the natural gas rates are higher, this has more impact on the bottom line for your heating bill. When natural gas rates are lower, this has less impact on your bill and should be considered carefully.
Customer Service Fees
The natural gas providers probably make more money on customer service fees than their price per therm, but that is just a guess. Read the fine print carefully to see what the customer service fees that each provider charges per month.
Fixed or Variable
This is one of the biggest questions each customer will face when choosing a rate plan. When natural gas rates are falling, the variable rate plan is best. When the natural gas rates are steady or rising, the fixed rate plan is recommended. Each customer will have their preference, and you should always choose a rate plan you understand.
Termination Fees
Watch out for the termination fees! There have been reports of some providers charging over $250 for termination fees! The termination fee is normally listed in the rate plan, so pay careful attention to the fine print.
If you know your therm usage per month, you can roughly calculate your new monthly bill by using the per therm rate. For example, if you typically use 100 therms in February, then a new rate of $0.79/therm will come out to $79 + junk fees. Be careful when choosing a provider on per therm rate alone, because sometimes a penny difference in the rate does NOT make up for higher customer service and termination fees. Take all of the above points into account when selecting a natural gas provider and rate plan in Georgia, and stay warm!