Frequently Asked Questions

Generally, your budget billing monthly payment amount will be reviewed periodically. Adjustments may be needed to prevent you from having a large amount due or credit balance at the end of the program year. If we change your payment amount, we will notify you of the new amount, which will appear on your next bill. Changes to your payment amount are based on several factors such as:

• The price of electricity and/or natural gas changes
• Warmer or colder temperatures mean you will use more or less energy to heat or cool your home
• Your monthly usage has changed compared to the prior usage history that was used for calculating your payment amount

If you or a family member uses electrically operated life support systems, we encourage you to notify us in advance of any outages by submitting our Physician’s Certification Form found here. Once we receive this form, your account will be noted and we will include a notification to you in the event that we anticipate adverse weather or scheduled maintenance which may result in a power outage.

Visit the Unitil Outage Map for up-to-date outage info and estimated restoration times.

Check out our Outages & Emergencies page for information on emergency and storm preparation, storm updates, power restoration, and preparing for extended outages.

We also have dedicated resources and information for municipal contacts in the communities we serve.

You will need to provide us with the following:

• Your name
• The address of the new location
• The gas equipment to be installed with input rating

Natural gas is not available in all locations, although we may serve your community. View our Switch to Gas page to see if gas is available at your address or call us toll-free at 1-888-486-4845 to inquire about availability in your neighborhood.

Although Unitil does not specifically endorse any contractors, we do have a few lists of local plumbing and heating contractors.

You can also check your local yellow pages. Verify that the contractor is licensed and insured before any work is performed.

If you smell, see, or hear a suspected gas leak, evacuate immediately.

Move to a safe environment and THEN call 911.

After that, you can call Unitil at the emergency number for your state:

• Maine gas emergencies: 1-866-900-4460
  • Former Bangor Natural Gas Customers: 1-877-427-7991
• Massachusetts gas emergencies: 1-866-542-3547
• New Hampshire gas emergencies: 1-866-900-4115

DO NOT use a lighter or phone, and DO NOT switch on/off appliances, lights, or even a flashlight in the area where you smell gas. These items can produce sparks that might ignite the gas and cause an explosion.

We do not offer the installation or direct sale of appliances such as heating systems or cooking equipment, but we do offer rental conversion burners and rental water heaters.

Unitil does not specifically endorse any local contractors. Check your local yellow pages for a list and be sure the contractor is licensed and insured before any work is performed.

You can save up to 50% on your annual heating costs by switching from oil to natural gas. We provide current natural gas rates on our Rates page. You can view current fuel/oil prices for your state at one of the following links:

• Maine
• Massachusetts
• New Hampshire

The process depends on which state you live in:

Maine

Before the meter can be set and turned on, Unitil will need access to the equipment that will be using natural gas in order to perform a required safety check. The equipment must be installed, wired and ready, and the contractor will have performed a pressure test on the system. Paperwork is required to be completed by your installer/contractor and made available at the job site for Unitil (most contractors already have a copy of this document and are aware of this requirement). We schedule appointments in four-hour blocks, between 8:00 a.m. and noon, or noon and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please call 207-541-2570 to set up an appointment.

Massachusetts

A gas inspection number must be called in to Unitil by your local gas inspector. This lets us know that they have approved your internal piping and it meets state plumbing code. You must call your local Customer Project Coordinator at 978-353-3221 to have an account and a meter order set up in your name to authorize the meter installation.

Once the inspection number is called in and your meter order is complete, we schedule your meter set. Please note: if new gas equipment has been installed, your plumber must be present to light all the gas equipment or the meter will be set in the locked position. If your meter is set in the locked position, you must call our Customer Service team at 1-888-301-7700 to create a work order to have the meter turned on. Our Meter & Service Department will work with your plumber to coordinate the installation of the meter.

New Hampshire

After the gas service line is installed, the plumbing and heating contractor has performed a pressure test, and your local inspector has approved the installation, please contact us at 603-294-5155 to schedule your meter installation.

Depending on your specific location, it may be possible to extend the gas main. For many potential customers, if your home is located less than 100 feet from a natural gas main and you intend to use natural gas to heat your home, installation of a natural gas service line from the street to your home could be free (some restrictions may apply). Call us directly at 1-888-486-4845 — we can help determine if natural gas is available for you.