Smell gas on day one?

If the previous resident left the home with the gas still on and you smell gas when you arrive, leave the building first, then call 1-800-444-3130 from a safe distance. Do not flip switches, do not use a phone inside, and do not operate the gas valve yourself.

Three steps to start service

National Fuel\'s residential turn-on process in one page, with the timing realities Buffalo and Jamestown movers actually run into.

1

Call to open the account

Phone 1-800-365-3234 (outside Buffalo) or 1-716-686-6123 (Buffalo metro) at least 3 business days before move-in. Give 10 business days lead time November through March.

2

Soft credit check, possible deposit

National Fuel runs a soft credit check. Most established customers pay no deposit. If a deposit applies, it is held with interest and refunded after a clean payment history. HEAP and EAP customers are exempt.

3

Meter-on appointment

A technician reads the meter, opens the gas, relights pilots and runs a leak check. An adult must be present. Visit usually 30 to 60 minutes. Never light a pilot or open the gas valve yourself.

What to have ready when you call

Have these in hand and the call takes about 15 minutes.

  • Government-issued photo ID (driver license or state ID)

    Verifies your identity during account setup.

  • Social Security number (or ITIN)

    Used for the soft credit check that determines whether a deposit applies.

  • New service address with unit number if applicable

    National Fuel checks whether the address already has pipeline service.

  • Move-in date and the date you want gas turned on

    Allow at least 3 business days of lead time, more in winter.

  • Daytime phone number and email

    For appointment confirmation and the welcome bill.

  • Landlord or property manager contact (if renting)

    Useful if National Fuel needs access for the meter-on appointment.

Deposit rules for new accounts

New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) rules govern when a utility can require a deposit and how big it can be. Understanding the rules in advance helps you push back if the front-line rep applies them incorrectly.

When a deposit can be required

  • ·Recent utility delinquency on a prior account (typically within the last 2 years).
  • ·Limited or no credit history at all, and no satisfactory utility history elsewhere.
  • ·Short-term or seasonal service request.

When a deposit cannot be required

  • ✓You are enrolled in HEAP in the current heating season.
  • ✓You are receiving the EAP monthly bill discount.
  • ✓You are 62 or older, can demonstrate clean utility history, and meet the PSC senior-customer rule.
  • ✓You hold a documented disability and meet the corresponding PSC rule.

If you do owe a deposit

The deposit ceiling is set by PSC tariff, typically twice the projected average monthly bill. The utility holds it in an interest-bearing account at a regulated rate. After a clean payment history (usually 12 to 24 months for residential), the deposit is credited back to your account, with interest. If you are uncomfortable with the requested amount, ask the rep to itemize the PSC rule they are applying.

What to expect at the meter-on appointment

  1. 1 The National Fuel technician arrives in branded uniform with photo ID. Ask to see the ID before opening the door, especially if no appointment confirmation arrived.
  2. 2 The technician reads the meter for the opening number on your account (this is the bill cut-off between the previous occupant and you).
  3. 3 The technician opens the gas valve at the meter, performs a leak check at the meter and at appliance connections, and relights pilots on any standing-pilot equipment.
  4. 4 If the technician finds a defect (corroded line, cracked appliance fitting, missing flue), they will lock the meter and write up the issue. You then have to call a licensed plumber or HVAC contractor to fix it before National Fuel returns. This is for your safety, do not try to work around it.
  5. 5 The technician confirms the gas-on, leaves you a job ticket and the call is closed. Your first bill arrives in the next billing cycle.

Never light a pilot yourself

Standing-pilot ignition on older furnaces, boilers and water heaters requires a leak check and a sequence of valve operations. The National Fuel technician is trained, insured and equipped to do this safely. Lighting it yourself can release unburned gas and cause an explosion or asphyxiation. Wait for the appointment.

Moving in with National Fuel, frequently asked questions

National Fuel asks for at least 3 business days notice to schedule a meter-on appointment at an address that already has live pipeline. In practice, give yourself a full week, and 10 business days in November through March when scheduling tightens. If the home has no existing pipeline, allow several weeks because the company has to estimate and bill the installation work first.

Maybe. National Fuel runs a soft credit check during enrollment. If your credit profile is thin or shows recent utility delinquency, the company can require a security deposit, typically twice the average monthly bill for the address (the New York PSC sets the ceiling). The deposit is held with interest and refunded after a clean payment history, usually 12 to 24 months. Customers enrolled in HEAP or the EAP are exempt from the deposit requirement under PSC rules.

A National Fuel technician arrives, reads the meter for the opening number on your account, opens the gas, lights or relights the pilot on any gas appliance that needs it (furnace, boiler, water heater, range), and performs a leak check at the meter and appliance connections. You or another adult must be present, the technician cannot relight pilots without an adult on site. The visit typically takes 30 to 60 minutes. Never light a pilot yourself, that is part of the technician's job.

Yes, but set up the National Fuel account first. Every ESCO needs your National Fuel account number to enroll you. After the December 2023 PSC Reset Order, every gas ESCO mass-market offer must lock the price for the contract term and guarantee savings against the National Fuel default supply rate. HEAP and EAP customers cannot be enrolled in an ESCO under the same rules.

Yes. National Fuel is gas only. Your electric service in Western New York comes from National Grid in the Buffalo metro and NYSEG in the southern tier and outlying counties. Two utilities means two account numbers, two bills and two emergency lines. Set both up before move-in day.

Leave the building first, then call National Fuel's 24/7 gas emergency line at 1-800-444-3130 from a safe distance. Do not flip switches, do not use any phone inside, do not light matches, and do not touch the gas valve yourself. Once outside, call 911 if anyone is unwell. The emergency line is free, 24 hours a day, every day.

Keep reading on National Fuel

Adjacent guides for new Western New York gas customers.

NATIONAL FUEL National Fuel utility page The full National Fuel profile, contacts, HEAP and the vertical-integration story. MOVE OUT Moving out In-person final meter read, gas-off appointment, ESCO termination steps. BILL Understand your bill Therms, CCF, Mcf, supply versus delivery, where the temporary state assessment lands. PAY Pay your bill Five payment channels, fees and the Auto Pay winter advantage. SUPPLIERS NY ESCO directory Compare licensed gas suppliers and the Reset Order rules for fixed-rate offers. MOVING Moving in, all NY gas utilities If you are moving outside National Fuel territory, the state-wide guide covers every NY gas utility.
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