Intermountain Gas Home » In the Community » FAQs

 

Frequently Asked Questions

I'M TRYING TO LOGIN TO MY ACCOUNT AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED MY MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION (MFA) CODE. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

We have found that most customers who report they have not received their MFA code in their email when attempting to login to their account are using either Hotmail or Outlook as their email client. Hotmail and Outlook have a “Focused Inbox” feature that is enabled by default and presorts emails. This presort feature will often put the MFA code emails in the users junk folder. You can resolve this by classifying the MFA emails as “Not Junk” or by disabling the “Focused Inbox” feature. You can disable “Focused Inbox” by clicking “View” in the top menu and then clicking “Show Focused Inbox.”

We are working with our email administrators to remedy this issue so presort does not classify MFA emails as Junk. Until we have this resolved, please use the method above.

How do I open a residential or commercial account?

To open an account, complete our online Start Service form or call our Customer Service Center at 800-548-3679. Please allow at least 2 business days before you would like service started. New service connections are completed Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

What rate do I pay?

The price you pay for natural gas depends upon whether you are a residential or commercial customer and how much gas you use. See our Rates & Tariffs page for more information.

What should I do if I smell gas?

For your protection, we add a distinctive-smelling chemical called Mercaptan to our natural gas. This distinctive odor allows you to detect the slightest amount of natural gas in the air and take the appropriate safety precautions. If you would like us to send you a gas odor “scratch and sniff” card, please let us know using our email form and one will be sent to you.

If you smell gas indoors DO:

  • Leave the building.
  • Turn off your gas meter.
  • From another location, call Intermountain Gas at 1-800-548-3679 anytime day or night to report a natural gas odor.

If you smell gas indoors, DO NOT:

  • Open your windows.
  • Turn any electrical switches on or off.
  • Use the telephone.
  • Take any other action that might cause sparks.

When you call to report a gas leak, be ready to tell the Intermountain Gas Company representative where the odor is most noticeable. Is it near an appliance? Near your meter? Or just a general odor?  The representative will also ask how long you have been noticing the odor. We will send a service technician to the location of the reported odor as quickly as possible to determine if there is a problem. There are no charges associated with this type of call.

Is Natural Gas Cooking Safe?

Several organizations and media outlets have recently raised questions about the impacts of residential natural gas cooking on indoor air quality (IAQ). While some of the studies cited have agreed more research is needed before conclusions can be drawn, some experts have raised concerns with the design of these studies. Nonetheless, IAQ claims are being used to drive policy discussions on natural gas. Click here to get the facts.

Do I need to be at home to have my gas service started?

The following answers apply:

  • If your gas service is on, we only need access to your meter to start service for you.
  • If the property is vacant, with no personal belongings in it, all we need is access to the gas equipment and thermostat.
  • If your gas service has been shut off, you will need to be at home or arrange for another adult to be at home when the service technician comes to turn on gas service.

Will I need to pay a deposit?

If you are a residential customer you may need to pay a deposit if any of the following has occurred within the past four years:

  • You have an outstanding bill for prior service with Intermountain Gas Company.
  • Your service was turned off for one of the following reasons:
    1. nonpayment of a bill
    2. misrepresentation of identity
    3. failure to pay for damages
    4. unauthorized use or theft of service
  • You supplied false information at the time of application for service.
  • You are a residential customer and did not have service with Intermountain Gas for a period of 12 consecutive months during the last four years and do not pass an objective credit screen.
  • You request service at a residential address where a former customer who owes a past due balance for service incurred at that location still resides.
  • You received two or more written Final Disconnect Notices in a twelve-month period.
  • You filed for bankruptcy.

The deposit requirement can be waived if another Intermountain Gas Company customer, with good credit and who is of the same rate class, signs a written guarantee of payment. This person called the guarantor, is responsible for an amount equal to the deposit amount. The guarantor will be released from obligation after twelve months of satisfactory payments have been made.

If you are a commercial customer and have not established a satisfactory payment history with Intermountain Gas Company, a deposit will be required.

Deposits are calculated at 1/6 of the estimated annual usage for customers with heating and water heating. For customers who use gas service for space heating purposes only, the deposit will not exceed the total of the two highest months’ bills during the previous twelve months. Deposits can be paid in three installments; one third of the deposit is due at the time of application, with the two remaining installments payable within two months.

The deposit plus interest will be refunded when you leave service or have paid your bills satisfactorily for 12 months.

Is there an initiation fee?

If your service is turned on during regular business hours (8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday), you will be charged a $14 initiation fee with your first regular bill. If your service is turned on after hours, you will be charged $40. (It does not matter what time of day you complete our online Start Service form. The additional charge only applies if you request that the service technician come to your home outside of normal business hours.)

What do I need to do when I move?

You can take care of everything via our Stop Service/Transfer Service page. Or contact our Customer Service Center at 800-548-3679. Please contact us at least 2 business days before you move to schedule your final meter reading. This will allow us to provide an accurate final bill.

How do I get my gas service disconnected?

If you wish to disconnect your service, go to our Stop Service/Transfer Service page or contact our Customer Service Center at 800-548-3679. If you are moving to another home within the Intermountain Gas Company service area, you can go to our Start Service/Transfer Service page to stop service at your current home, and start service at your new home. Please allow two business days for service disconnection.

Can I make changes to my account online?

Yes! To make corrections or add information to your account, go to our Online Account Services page.

How does Intermountain Gas calculate the amount I owe each month?

Your gas meter measures the volume of gas that you use in cubic feet. Most of our service territory is read through AMR (Automated Meter Reading). It is a method of remotely reading meters using advanced communications technology. This technology allows us to read your meter from a mobile meter reading vehicle once a month, instead of the manual read taken by a meter reader.

A billing factor is an adjustment made to each customers bill to insure the customer receives the heating value from the gas they pay for. In general, 100 cubic feet of gas generates one therm of heat energy. However, the amount of heat generated varies depending on the weather, your altitude, delivery pressure and the source of the natural gas (Canadian or domestic). These factors are monitored and used to compute your billing factor. The volume of gas used is then multiplied by the billing factor to determine how many therms to bill. You are charged the current price per therm for natural gas used.

When is my bill payment due?

You can find your bill due date on your monthly statement. Current charges are considered past due 22 days after the bill was mailed or would have been mailed if you are receiving an e-bill.

Can I pay my Intermountain Gas Company bill online?

Yes! Visit our Payment Options page for more information.

Why does my bill seem higher than I expected?

There are several reasons why your bill may be higher than you expected. Has the weather been colder than usual? Are you changing your thermostat setting more than twice a day? Is any furniture blocking your heating registers or have you closed any registers? Is your fireplace properly vented? Are any faucets or pipes leaking? Any of these things can cause your energy use to go up. See our Energy Saving Tips for a list of simple things you can do to reduce your gas bill.

Do you charge interest on past due accounts?

If you have a balance owing for a previous month’s bill at the time your current bill is generated, you will be charged interest at a rate of 1% per month on the past due amount. If you participate in the Level Pay Program, you will not be charged interest.

Is there a charge for collecting past due payments from my home?

If an Intermountain Gas Company representative must visit your home to collect payment, you will be charged $15. This charge does not apply if your gas service is discontinued.

Is there a charge for reconnection?

A reconnection fee is assessed when service is restored for a customer after a non-pay service interruption. This fee is $22 during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and $44 during the hours of 4:30 p.m. through 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. A reconnection fee of $50 will be charged on weekends or company holidays.

How does the AutoPay program work?

The AutoPay Program (see our AutoPay Information) is one of the simplest and most convenient ways to pay your gas bill. Once you sign up for AutoPay, you will continue to receive a monthly statement detailing your current charges. Then, the bill amount will be deducted automatically from your bank account. There are no checks to write, no stamps to buy, no driving to a pay station, and no danger of missing the payment deadline. Best of all, there are no extra charges for using the AutoPay service.

How can I switch to paperless billing statements?

Go to our Online Account Services page and login to your account to make the change. If you have not yet registered, you can do so on the same page. It’s quick and easy to register.

What is involved in exchanging the ERT?

The subcontractors will go directly to your gas meter to do this simple hardware exchange. Installation is free and should take less than 15 minutes without any interruption to your gas service. Please help the subcontractor gain safe and easy access to your gas meter by making sure all debris is clear around the meter. We need at least two feet of clearance around the meter to provide visibility and access for routine work and in case of an emergency.

Do you have a third-party notification program?

Yes we do. Check out our third-party information for more information.

Where can I get more information about energy assistance?

Check out our energy assistance information for all the details.

How Does AMR work?

AMR systems involve attaching a small device (ERT) to the meter to record consumption, encode the information, and then transmit the information to remote data collectors using a low-level radio frequency.

How does the Level Pay program work?

Level Pay makes budgeting for your bill easy by allowing you to make equal monthly payments. To determine your Level Pay amount, we estimate your annual gas consumption, using actual usage history when available, and divide that amount into equal monthly installments. Then, we track your actual gas usage and make adjustments as necessary through the year. See our Level Pay informational document.

To see if you qualify for Level Pay or to determine what your Level Pay amount would be, please contact Customer Service at:

208-377-6700 (Boise/Treasure Valley)

800-548-3679 (Other Areas)

7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Monday – Friday

What is an ERT?

ERT is an acronym for Encoder Receiver Transmitter, a device that fits behind the faceplate of a standard gas meter. An ERT is a computerized measuring and encoding device with a built-in radio transmitter. The ERT records usage, encodes the information, and then transmits the information to a data collection device using a low-level radio frequency. Once installed, our meter readers will simply drive down your street to read your meter electronically, rather than having to come into your yard to read it. Safer, faster, more accurate – it’s a win-win situation!

Is there a charge for returned payments?

Returned Payment Fee $20: This charge shall apply when a payment (check or electronic) is not honored and returned by the bank.

Do you have a self service telephone number available to allow customers to check account balances and make payment extensions?

Intermountain Gas Company offers self service options via your telephone any time, 7 days a week. Self service options include accessing your account balance, requesting a copy of your 24 month usage history or most recent billing statement and requesting a payment extension. Please have your 12 digit Intermountain Gas account number available when you call. Our customer Service number is 208-377-6700 in the Treasure Valley, or 800-548-3679 for all other areas.

Do you have a landlord program?

Intermountain Gas Company offers a Landlord Program. Absentee owners who wish to keep natural gas service active at properties between tenants may enter into a Continuous Service Agreement. Check out our Property Portal page.

Does Intermountain Gas charge any special handling fees?

Our goal is to keep costs for service to our customers as low as possible. In order to do this we believe individual customers should bear the cost of any special handling they require instead of having all customers pay for these services. The Idaho Public Utilities Commission authorizes Intermountain to recover the following costs:

  • Interest on Past Due Accounts: Amounts due for your previous month’s gas bill, which remain unpaid at the time of the next billing date, will be assessed interest at the rate of 1% per month. Participants in the Level Payment Program will be exempt from late payment interest charges.
  • Field Collection Fee $15: If a company representative must visit your home to collect a past due payment, a $15 fee will be assessed. If gas service is discontinued, this charge does not apply (see Reconnection Fee).
  • Reconnection Fee: A reconnection fee is assessed when service is restored for a customer after a non-pay service interruption. This fee is $22 during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and $44 during the hours of 4:30 p.m. through 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. A reconnection fee of $50 will be charged on weekends or Company holidays.
  • Returned Payment Fee $20: This charge shall apply when a payment (check or electronic) is not honored and returned by the bank.
  • Account Initiation Fee $14 or $40: Each new account opened with Intermountain 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, will be billed a $14 fee with the first regular bill. A $40 fee will be charged for all accounts opened after 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, weekends or holidays.