Gas Utility

Rates

Gas deposit charge is the highest gas bill in the last 12 months for new customers or customers without a positive payment history. Existing Rolfe utility customers with no delinquencies during the past consecutive twelve-month period will not be required to pay a deposit IF the service is already connected at the new location. Meter charges are $6.00/month for all utility customers except industrial interruptible being $40.00/month. Gas rate is flexible with market price.

In case of emergency, contact:
City Hall: 712-848-3124 during office hours
After Hours: 712-848-3456 (24-hour answering service)

Energy Savings Tips

To get the most energy savings, replace bulbs where lights are on the most, such as your family and living room, kitchen, dining room, and porch with Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL’s)
Some CFL’s have trouble operating in enclosed fixtures. Check the CFL’s packaging for any restrictions on use.
City of Rolfe has an Energy Efficiency rebate program for certain new appliances, forms are at City Hall.

Insulation

A home with inadequate insulation can lose up to 40% of cool air or 60% of heat in the winter.
The average 10 to 15-year-old home probably needs about 5 to 6 inches of additional insulation.
An attic radiant barrier, usually made of aluminum foil bonded to paper, helps block heat flow through the roof into the house during summer. This can reduce annual energy bills by 3 to 8%.

Trees

Correctly positioned shade trees can reduce indoor home temperatures by up to 20 degrees and reduce cooling costs by up to 40%.
Well shaded neighborhoods stay 3 to 6 degrees cooler than those without trees.

Windows & Doors

Storm windows and doors can reduce the amount of cooling or heating lost by 50%.
Keep blinds and drapes closed to keep your house cooler.
Solar screens on windows can block out 60 to 70% of sunlight and heat.

Water Heater

Lower the thermostat on your water heater to no more than 120 degrees.
Wrapping your water heater with an insulated blanket can reduce its energy use by 10 to 15%.
Turn down or shut off your water heater when you will be away for extended periods.

Refrigerator & Freezer

The refrigerator temperature should be 36 to 38 degrees and the freezer should be 0 to 5 degrees. Settings that are too low cause refrigerators and freezers to run more than needed and can increase energy use by as much as 25%.
Make sure the doors seal properly.
Defrost freezers before the frost exceeds a quarter inch thick. Greater frost buildup makes the freezer work harder.
Let foods cool before placing them in the refrigerator, unless the recipe specifies otherwise. Warm food will cause the refrigerator to run more.
Freezers work better fully loaded.

Cooking

Oven temperature drops by 25 to 30 degrees every time you open the oven door.
Microwave ovens use up to 70% less energy.
Try to schedule your cooking time in the morning so that the kitchen heat does not contribute as much to the air conditioning use.
If possible, shut the kitchen off from the rest of your home while cooking and turn on the stove exhaust to help take the heat out of the kitchen.

Clothes Dryer

Dry loads of clothes back to back to take advantage of stored heat.
Clean the filter after every load to improve its efficiency.
Close the door to the room the dryer is in to keep it from heating up the rest of the house.