Frequently Asked Questions

It is much less expensive to heat your home using natural gas than oil, propane, or electricity. Customers can expect to save thousands on their annual heating bills by converting to natural gas. Natural gas service could also have a positive effect on the value of your home. Check with your real estate agent. In addition, natural gas is much more environmentally friendly than oil, propane, or electricity.  

More than 50% of homes in Pennsylvania do not have access to natural gas service. The Gas Pipeline Expansion Program was created to provide residents with an opportunity to convert and take advantage of the abundance of natural gas we have here in Pennsylvania.  Peoples is proud to have some of the lowest natural gas rates in Pennsylvania. This program allows us to extend those low costs to more Pennsylvania towns and communities.  

In communities that qualify and meet the necessary criteria, Peoples will install the mainline at no charge to the customer.  The only financial responsibility of the homeowner will be to prepare the home to convert to natural gas.  This conversion will be different for each home, so please consult with your local contractor.  These changes could include the following: the customer owned service line, the house line inside the home, furnace, hot water tank, range, dryer, and gas fireplace.  Financing opportunities are available.  To see if your community qualifies or to inquire about financing please contact us.

Construction timeframes vary from community to community.  Peoples will work closely with your community planning department and local leaders.  We'll establish a timeframe that identifies when construction will start and continue regular updates throughout the process until gas service is available for each homeowner. 

Yes. You may decide to participate in Peoples’ Go with Gas program at any time after gas is available in your community.

The construction timeframe varies from community to community. Peoples' representatives will work closely with you to communicate our progress during construction.  You can also check back on the Project section of the site for specific updates on the status of your community.

No. You are under no obligation to enroll or use natural gas. However, we encourage you to explore the numerous benefits natural gas has to offer. Even if you decide at first not to enroll, you can still join us as a customer at any time. Please contact us if you would like additional information or check out our savings calculator.

There are four parts to the conversion process.

• The first step is extending Peoples mainline to your community from our existing lines.  In many cases, the distance could be a mile or more away.  Once the mainline is extended to reach your community we will then install our pipelines street by street. 
• The second step is installing house lines and converting existing appliances or connecting new appliances. 
• The third step is to connect each home or business that is converting to natural gas.  This involves installing a customer owned service line that extends from our nearest mainline to the gas meter at your home or business. 
• The fourth, and final, step is restoring any disrupted streets, sidewalks and yards to their original condition.

In some cases, your existing appliances can be converted to natural gas. In other cases, your appliances – furnace, water heater, range and dryer – may have to be replaced. Peoples can help you coordinate the conversion, replacement, installation and financing of your appliances.  Many residents find that the savings they receive from lower natural gas costs justify the cost to convert their appliances.  In certain scenarios, the payback period for this investment can be as short as a few years.  

Some newer furnaces and appliances can be easily converted to natural gas, especially those currently using propane. Other furnaces and appliances may have to be replaced.  

We are happy to learn more about your specific appliances and provide more detailed informaiton. Contact us to find out more about solutions for your appliance conversion. 

Yes. Peoples offers the ability to pay the same each month by choosing the budget option. This is a nice benefit to our natural gas customers. Many oil and propane providers require upfront payment, requiring customers to come up with large sums of money at once.

Learn more about Peoples Budget Billing Program here. 

Yes.

If your rental property has multiple units, please contact us for more information.

Peoples will work with the community to design the project in the most economical and least intrusive way possible.  For example, we will make every effort to place the mainline in the berm of the road and not have to excavate/restore the hard surface in the street. In addition, we will also assess which side of the street to choose to lay the mainline. Again, this decision will be based on making the construction phase go as smoothly as possible for Peoples and the residents in the community. 

Our goal in construction is to minimize the inconvenience to the community as much as possible.

Peoples crews will make every effort to minimize the disruption to your property. However, crews will need to dig trenches in order to lay our pipeline. Throughout this process we will work closely with residents to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. And in every case our promise is to restore your street and property to the same, or better, condition than they were in prior to construction.

You own the service line that runs from the property line (which often is the curb stop/valve) to your meter. If your line needs service, the contractor must be qualified under DOT regulations and be part of a DOT approved drug and alcohol program. You also own the house line that runs from the meter to your appliances. The cost of repair or replacement of both the service and house lines are the responsibility of you or the property owner.

We own the main line that runs down your street. We also own a short service line (located near the street) that connects our line to the meter and customer’s service line. Repair or replacement of the main line and our service line is our responsibility. 

No. Peoples is responsible for mainline maintenance and associated costs.  We do not expect significant maintenance costs for these modern pipeline facilities which are built to last for decades.

Yes. The homeowner is responsible for service pipeline maintenance and associated costs.  The service pipeline is the line that connects your home to our pipeline in the street. We do not expect significant maintenance costs for these modern pipeline facilities which are built to last for decades.

For your safety, we make regular leakage evaluations on your service line. We check from our main line to the meter or to the wall of your house (whichever is further). We also check the meter. You are responsible to maintain (which includes periodic inspection for leakage and corrosion) your piping, internal and external, buried, or exposed. If you do maintain the buried piping, it may be subject to potential hazards and leakage.

Peoples will be installing the most modern pipeline technology in your community. We will monitor and maintain these pipelines and expect them to last for decades.

Yes. You should call Peoples for all service and emergency related calls. We have staff available during normal business hours for service-related calls and a 24-hour emergency operations center.  The emergency phone number is 1-800-400-4271.