Natural gas conversion in Greater Waterbury
Converting from oil to natural gas in Greater Waterbury: where to start
Start with the gas company, not the furnace. Converting from oil to natural gas depends first on whether the utility will bring gas to your house, and that answer comes from the utility for your address. After it, the steps run in a fixed order: the service line and meter, the equipment, the oil tank, and the permits.
This guide is for homeowners in Waterbury, Watertown, Naugatuck and the towns around them who are thinking about leaving oil heat. It follows what the gas utilities, Connecticut DEEP and two town building departments say on their own pages, and it does not tell you whether gas is available on your street, because nobody outside the utility can. If you already know the answer is yes and want a quote, start with our natural gas conversion page. If you ever smell gas, leave the building and call your gas company or 911 from outside.
Takeaways
- Eversource says that after you submit its form, “We will contact you within two business days to confirm if natural gas is available for your home” (Eversource, with a Connecticut town selected).
- On the service line, Eversource says its representative will “mark your road and select your meter location” and “apply for state and local permits,” and a crew installs the line once approved (Eversource).
- Connecticut DEEP says it does not require a residential underground oil tank to be removed by a deadline, but a leaking tank “must be promptly emptied and removed” (CT DEEP).
- Waterbury’s building department says permits are required for “electrical, plumbing and heating” work, so ask your town before any job (City of Waterbury). Questions about your house? Call 203-756-5040.
Step 1: check whether gas is on your street, with the utility
Natural gas arrives by pipe. Our own conversion page says so plainly: “Natural gas is delivered via a pipeline, requiring your property to be in proximity to a gas main” (American Heating). Which company owns the pipe depends on your town, and the two companies you are most likely to deal with publish their own tools and numbers.
| Utility | Where you ask | What its page says |
|---|---|---|
| Eversource gas | Connect to Gas and the availability tool | The form is “for installing a new natural gas service to your property,” and the company will contact you within two business days to confirm availability. The tool asks for your address and says that if your town is not listed, call 1-855-645-2427. |
| Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas (Avangrid) | The conversion FAQ | Lists the towns each company serves, and says “To find out if gas is available on your street, please contact us here or by calling 866-427-2888.” |
We cannot tell you from here whether gas reaches your road, and we will not guess. Read your own town on the utility’s list, ask for your own address, and get the answer before you spend a day on equipment. Our conversion page gives the same order: contact Eversource to “verify gas availability in your area, then schedule your FREE Estimate with us” (American Heating).
The American Heating position on step one
Get the utility’s answer first, and ask for it in writing. A furnace quote written before the gas company has answered is a quote for a job that may not be possible at your address. If the answer is no, our conversion page names propane as another route.
Questions before you call the utility?
Call us with what you heat with today and what you are weighing. The availability answer still comes from the gas company, not from us.
Call 203-756-5040Step 2: the service line and the meter are the utility’s work
Once the utility says yes, the pipe from the main to your house and the meter on it belong to the utility. Eversource lists what happens next, and here it is in its order, in its words.
Agreement and cost
You “sign a natural gas service installation agreement and pay any required cost.” Eversource adds: “There may be a cost to install the gas service line. The cost will be provided by the energy advisor and will be included in the service agreement.” Ask for it in writing before you sign.
Road and meter location
A representative “will mark your road and select your meter location.” You do not pick the spot yourself, so ask where it will be before the crew arrives.
State and local permits
A representative “will apply for state and local permits.” In Eversource’s list this step sits between marking the road and installing the line. The permit for the equipment inside your house is a separate question, covered below.
The crew and the meter
Once approved, “a crew will install your service line,” and then “you will schedule a meter installation.” Eversource, in the same list, says it can help you find a contractor “who will help you verify and choose the natural gas equipment that is adequate for your household and your needs.”
Avangrid describes its side the same way in fewer words. Its planning page says a switch “starts with a call and a meeting with one of our residential energy specialists,” who will “provide information on available contractors for your project and outline a timeline” (Connecticut conversion planning page). Neither page we read gives a price for the line or a number of days, so we give none.
Step 3: choose the equipment, furnace or boiler
Your oil system already answers the first question, which is how heat travels through the house. Avangrid’s FAQ describes a boiler as hot water or steam “circulated throughout the house through pipes to radiators, baseboard radiators, or radiant floor systems,” and a furnace as one that “Heats air and uses a blower motor to distribute the heated air throughout the house through ducts” (Avangrid conversion FAQ). If your house has radiators or baseboard, you are shopping for a boiler. If it has ducts and registers, you are shopping for a furnace.
Before you sign anything, ask the contractor three things and write the answers down. What is the efficiency rating of the model you are quoting? For furnaces that rating is called AFUE, and ENERGY STAR defines it as “In general, the percentage of the heat in the incoming fuel which is converted to space heat instead of being lost” (ENERGY STAR furnace criteria). Where will the new equipment vent, and what happens to the old chimney or flue? And who handles the piping, the permit and the inspection? Our conversion page says our technicians handle “gas and oil piping conversions” (American Heating).
Price belongs in a separate conversation, and this guide quotes none. Our HVAC replacement cost guide covers what drives a quote. We also make no rebate claim here. Our own Connecticut rebate guide says “Natural gas furnace and boiler rebates were discontinued for sales after December 31, 2024.” A utility page may still print an offer of its own, and we have not verified one, so do not count on any incentive until it is in writing. If you would like to compare a heat pump, that same guide covers the programs that exist for heat pumps.
Step 4: what happens to the oil tank
Connecticut DEEP says residential heating oil tanks “can be found: in a home’s basement, outside, above ground near the house or buried in close proximity to the house” (CT DEEP, Residential Home Heating Oil Tanks). DEEP’s guidance on removal is written for the buried kind, and that is the part we can quote. If your tank is buried, these are DEEP’s own answers.
| Question | What DEEP says |
|---|---|
| Must I remove it by a deadline? | “No. Leaking tanks, however, must be promptly emptied and removed.” |
| How should removal go? | “Hire a registered contractor.” A soil sample under the tank and piping goes to a Connecticut certified laboratory for ETPH analysis (extractable total petroleum hydrocarbons), and DEEP also asks for photos, if possible, and a brief letter report from the contractor. |
| Why keep the paperwork? | “homebuyers usually want proof prior to purchasing the house that the tank did not leak or that any leak was cleaned up.” |
| Can it stay in the ground? | “DEEP discourages homeowners from abandoning USTs in place unless they are inaccessible (under a deck, patio, or addition, etc.) or if removal would endanger a foundation.” DEEP says to contact your local Fire Marshal about local ordinances on abandonment. |
| Do I need a permit? | “Contact your Town to see if it requires a building permit for tank installation, removal or replacement.” |
All of that comes from DEEP’s residential tank FAQ, which it updated in September 2026. Two more lines matter. DEEP says “If the soil results indicate that the tank leaked, you are responsible for the cleanup of the resulting pollution.” And DEEP’s contractor guidance says that under CGS Sec. 20-420, removing or replacing a residential underground tank requires DEEP-approved training, so ask whoever quotes the job to show it (CT DEEP).
If your tank is in the basement or above ground
The DEEP pages we opened do not give a step list for retiring a basement or aboveground tank, and we will not invent one. Ask the company that will remove it what rules it follows, ask your town whether a permit applies, and ask what happens to any oil left in the tank. DEEP does say that a tank showing any sign of a leak should be emptied and removed (CT DEEP, tank maintenance).
See how we handle a conversion
Our conversion page explains the estimate and the work from our side, after the utility has confirmed gas.
Read the conversion page
Step 5: permits and inspection, in general terms
We will not quote a permit fee or a number of days, because those belong to your town and change. What the town pages we opened say is general. Waterbury’s knowledge base answers “Do you need a building permit?” with “If you are asking, the answer is most likely YES,” and lists “electrical, plumbing and heating” among the work that needs one. That page carries an update date of 11/9/2012, so call before you rely on it (City of Waterbury). Naugatuck’s building inspector page says the office applies the State of Connecticut building codes “through plan review, permit issuance and on-site inspections,” and tells residents to “Consult the building department before any project is started” (Borough of Naugatuck).
Eversource lists permits among its own service line steps. For the equipment, the oil tank and any gas piping inside the house, ask your contractor and your building department two plain questions: who pulls the permit, and when does the inspector come. Put the answers in the quote.
Step 6: the timeline is set by the utility
Nobody can give you an honest date for a conversion until the gas company has answered, signed its agreement with you, and had its permits approved. Eversource’s list is an order of events, not a calendar, and neither utility page prints a number of weeks. Plan the equipment and the tank around the utility’s date, not the other way around.
| Step | Who does it | Source of the wording |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm gas is available | The gas utility | Eversource, Avangrid |
| Service agreement, road marking, meter location, permits, service line, meter | The gas utility and you | Eversource |
| Choose and install a furnace or boiler | A licensed heating contractor, with a town permit | Waterbury, Naugatuck |
| Retire or remove the oil tank | A registered contractor, under state rules | CT DEEP |
One opinion to leave you with: do the steps in this order and keep every answer in writing. The order protects you, because the utility’s answer decides whether the rest is worth doing. If you want a second opinion on a conversion quote from anyone, call us at 203-756-5040, and our maintenance plans are there once the new system is running.
Safety after the switch: gas smell and carbon monoxide
Connecticut’s PURA says “All natural gas and propane pipeline gas in Connecticut is odorized,” and “If the smell is strong or you are unsure, leave the building and then call” your gas company, which “provides 24-hour emergency service every day of the year” at no charge to stop a leak (CT PURA). You can also call 911. The CPSC says to “Install battery-operated CO alarms or CO alarms with battery backup on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas,” and “If you suspect CO poisoning, get outside to fresh air immediately, and then call 911” (CPSC). Neither is a homeowner repair.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if natural gas is available on my street?
Ask the utility with your address. Eversource says it will contact you within two business days after its form to confirm, and Avangrid tells customers to call 866-427-2888 to find out if gas is available on their street. We cannot confirm it for you. Use the Eversource tool or the Avangrid FAQ, then call us.
Do you convert oil systems to natural gas in Waterbury, Watertown and Naugatuck?
Yes. Our natural gas conversion page says we provide conversion services in the Greater Waterbury area, and that the first step is verifying availability with the utility, then scheduling a free estimate with us. If gas is not available, our page names propane as another option.
Who pays for the service line, and how long does it take?
Eversource says “There may be a cost to install the gas service line,” that the cost “will be provided by the energy advisor,” and that it “will be included in the service agreement.” Neither utility prints a number of days, and the schedule depends on the utility’s permits and crew. Ask for both in writing (Eversource).
Do I have to remove my oil tank when I convert?
For a buried residential tank, DEEP says there is no removal deadline, but a leaking tank must be promptly emptied and removed, and DEEP discourages closing a tank in place except where it is inaccessible or removal would endanger a foundation. DEEP’s pages do not give a procedure for a basement or aboveground tank, so ask the removal contractor and your town (CT DEEP).
Do I need a permit to convert?
Expect to. Eversource lists state and local permits among its service line steps, and Waterbury’s building department lists heating among the work that needs a permit. Your town’s building department is the authority for the equipment, so ask who pulls the permit and when the inspection happens (City of Waterbury).
Should I choose a gas furnace or a gas boiler?
Match how your house is heated now. Avangrid defines a boiler as hot water or steam piped to radiators, baseboard or radiant floors, and a furnace as heated air moved through ducts. Our pages cover boilers and furnaces, and a technician can tell you which one you have from the basement.
Is gas cheaper than oil, and is there a rebate?
We do not claim either here. Fuel prices move, and our heating cost guide shows the math with dated, sourced prices so you can run your own numbers. Our rebate guide says Connecticut gas furnace and boiler rebates were discontinued for sales after December 31, 2024.
Gas is available at your address? Call us.
We serve Waterbury, Watertown, Naugatuck and the towns around them, and a real person answers the phone at all hours. Tell us what you heat with today and what the utility told you.
Call 203-756-5040Related reading
About the author
American Heating and Air Conditioning Service
Family owned HVAC contractor, 1114 Middlebury Rd, Watertown CT 06795
We install and service gas and oil furnaces and boilers across Greater Waterbury, and we answer the phone 24 hours a day for heating emergencies. Our technicians are NATE certified. Questions about anything in this article? Call us at 203-756-5040.
References and photo credits
- Eversource, Connect Your Home to Natural Gas (read with a Connecticut town selected)
- Eversource, Natural Gas Availability
- Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas, Natural Gas Conversion FAQs
- Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas, Planning Your Natural Gas Upgrade
- Connecticut DEEP, Residential Home Heating Oil Tanks, FAQs
- Connecticut DEEP, Residential Home Heating Oil Tanks
- Connecticut DEEP, Home Heating Oil Tank Maintenance
- City of Waterbury, Do you need a building permit?
- Borough of Naugatuck, Building Inspector
- ENERGY STAR, Furnaces Key Product Criteria
- Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, What To Do If You Smell Natural Gas
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Carbon Monoxide Information Center
- American Heating, Convert to Natural Gas
- American Heating, Connecticut HVAC Rebates and Incentives: What Is Available in 2026
References checked October 14, 2026. General homeowner information, not a substitute for a utility’s answer for your address, your town’s rules or an on-site visit. Utility and agency pages change, and the Waterbury permit page carries a 2012 update date.
The hero is an editorial image generated from one of the company’s own job photos; it is not a photograph of a specific customer’s home. All other photos are American Heating and Air Conditioning Service job photos from the company’s own library.
Heating services from American Heating
The pages behind this post, for when the conversion is the next job on the list.
- Natural gas conversion, once the gas utility confirms availability
- Furnace repair, service and installation across Greater Waterbury, gas and oil
- Boiler repair, service and installation, gas and oil
- Heating services for the Greater Waterbury area, furnaces, boilers and more
- HVAC maintenance plans and service contracts, the yearly visit on a schedule
- Heating system inspection and testing for a system you are unsure about
- HVAC service in Waterbury
- Heating service in Watertown
- Heating service in Naugatuck, repair, installation and maintenance
- Contact us for 24/7 emergency service, or call 203-756-5040
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