Moving to Dallas means adding some fun to-dos to your list: whether that includes picking out new decor for your high-rise apartment’s living room, scoping out the local nightlife scene, or sampling the various breakfast taco trucks within a five-mile radius. However, one less exciting part of setting up a new home in a new location is signing up for, or switching over, utility and network services, so we made this handy guide to how to do just that. From water service to internet providers, we collected all of the information you need to make the move run smoothly, which will take all the pressure off, not to mention save you hours of Googling.
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Dallas Utilities & Service Providers
Dallas Utility Companies
Dallas Gas Company
When it comes to setting up gas service in Dallas, you shouldn’t need to do much searching. Most apartment buildings and residential houses only have one natural gas provider that services their area. And, most of the time in the DTX, that gas service provider is Atmos Energy, not only the largest natural gas distributor in the entire United States, but also a Dallas, born-and-bred business. You can find out if Atmos is your go-to by giving them a call or entering your address into their website. From there, if you fit their service area, you’ll just need your contact information to set up your gas. The monthly residential rate for Atmos is a base fee of $19.30, with additional costs based on how much gas you use each month.
As for other providers in the city, CenterPoint Energy (with a base cost of $4.39 per month) and Texas Gas Service (with a base cost of $3.85 per month) both offer more limited service areas in Dallas. You can contact them for prices and information about switching through their websites or by giving them a call. Again, simply have your address and contact information ready.
Dallas Electric Company
While water and gas services in Dallas are basically decided for you based on the location in which you live, you’ll have some freedom to shop around for providers of electricity. However, with over 100 providers available, your best bet is to use the TexasPower website to figure out who would provide the cheapest electric service for your area. You simply enter your zip code, and the website will pull up available options for you to price compare.
Dallas Water, Trash, & Recycle
For water service in Dallas, there’s one easy step: go straight to the city itself. Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) runs all of Dallas’ water services, which includes all forms of the essential liquid, whether the drinking water coming from your tap or the flood water that threatens your adobe. You can set up an account with DWU through their website, by giving them a call, or by visiting their customer service office at Dallas City Hall.
Although many apartment buildings in the Dallas area will automatically handle your trash and recycling for you, anyone looking at houses and duplexes for which they would need to set up their own pick-up can turn to two primary service handlers. The first and most popular, the City of Dallas Department of Sanitation Services, starts at $37.98 per month and can be scheduled online. The other provider, Republic Services, varies in pricing based on the services used and can also be scheduled through their website.
Dallas Service Providers
Dallas Internet Providers
Internet providers in the Dallas area run the standard gamut of companies familiar to anyone who has set up web service before. Primarily, you’re looking at the two mainstays of AT&T Fiber and Spectrum Internet. AT&T Fiber internet starts at $55 per month, and you can check for area availability for the service and sign up on their website. Spectrum Internet starts at $30 per month and can also be set up via their website. Should you want to double down even further on the savings, you can look into Astound Broadband, which costs $20 per month and lets you complete service transfers and sign-ups through their website.
Cable Companies in Dallas
As with internet providers, when it comes to cable television service in the home of the Cowboys, you are basically stuck with the standard nationwide options of Spectrum, DIRECTV, and Dish Network. The cost of streaming live TV on the Spectrum network starts at $59.99 per month, and you can enroll online. You can also register for DIRECTV whose packages start at $64.99 per month, or Dish Network, whose packages start at $79.99 per month, through the companies’ websites.
If you prefer to avoid the higher charges, you can ditch cable altogether and rely on whatever streaming services you watch the most: Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO, etc.
Other Services
Post Office
Like everywhere else in the country, you can update your mailing address to your new Dallas location by either visiting the United States Postal Service website, or visiting your closest local post office. To complete this change, you should bring a valid, non-expired driver’s license as well as proof of your new address, such as a utility bill.
311 for City Services
The services provided by Dallas 311 are extensive and beneficial. They can help you deal with anything from a fallen tree on your property, to an armadillo coming a bit too close for comfort, to a traffic light that you’ve noticed doesn’t seem to be working properly. To reach them, you can dial 3-1-1 on your phone while in the city limits (or 214-670-5111 when you are outside of Dallas), use their mobile app, or put in a request through their website.
Looking for a Dallas Apartment to Rent?
Since we already saved you time by finding out how to change your address, why not let us do even more by helping with the apartment search itself? Our expert agents at AptAmigo possess all the insider knowledge about the best apartments to lay your boots in Dallas and will narrow down your search based on your needs and lifestyle.
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