Members of the GMB union, including 8,000 engineers and distribution depot workers, have voted in favour of a walkout, although no date has been set.
GMB general secretary Paul Kenny said British Gas had transformed from being a "reasonable employer", to one with a culture of "bullying, customer exploitation and profits at all costs".
Matthew Bateman, director of heating services at British Gas, claimed the union was carrying out "reckless scaremongering", and said the energy provider was putting in "robust contingency plans" to make sure customers remained unaffected.
He added: "We remain committed to talking with the GMB and avoiding this unnecessary industrial action."
British Gas recently launched an above-the-line ad campaign that claimed a new low-cost tariff made it the "cheapest" gas and electricity provider in the UK.
The company is the latest to be beset with industrial relations problems. British Airways is preparing for a second, four-day strike by cabin crew from 27 March.
Meanwhile, talks are continuing between Network Rail and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) and the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, to avert a strike by railway maintenance staff at Easter.
Last week, Network Rail launched a print ad in the form of a letter by chief executive Iain Coucher, pressuring RMT leader Bob Crow to "talk sensibly" about changes to working conditions.
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