Select a section... Directory of Electric Heating & Air Dealers Load Management Public Safety Selecting a Heat Pump Contractor

CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAMS

Load Management

What is load management?

Load management is a way of deferring some electrical usage (load) during periods of high use to times when there is less demand for electric energy.

How will load management save money?

Over 80% of PCRPPD's costs to purchase your electricity is based on use during "peak demand" periods. Load management is both a practical and economical way to reduce this cost. We currently save thousands of dollars by managing irrigation load. Additional savings can be realized by managing residential loads.

Paying less to purchase your electricity means that less money leaves our community each and every month. Load management also enables us to distribute your electricity more efficiently. This means fewer substations, poles and wires to serve the same number of customers.

For nearly 25 years many irrigation customers have saved several thousands of dollars in power costs by diverting irrigation hours to "off-peak" times. The program participants receive a direct incentive towards their annual horsepower charges.

Residential customers also have the option of deferring some electrical usage (load) during periods of high use to times when there is less demand for electric energy. Electric water heaters and central air-conditioners are appliances that lend themselves well to load management because they can be managed with very little, if any, customer inconvenience. In fact, most customers won't even know when load management is functioning. Residential customers receive a monthly credit towards each month's electric bill.

Please help & call today for details.

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Selecting a Heat Pump Contractor

Choosing a contractor to install the system is the most important decision you will make when buying a heat pump.  This, even more important than brand name and price, can have the greatest impact on the life and efficiency of the system because most problems with heat pumps result not from poor equipment, but improper installation.

Use the following check list to evaluate contractors who are bidding on installing a heat pump.  And remember that the lowest bid will not necessarily be the one you should accept. 

A thorough heat-gain/heat-loss calculation is highly recommended to assure proper sizing of the heat pump system.  Although, it should include a cost of operation analysis. 

Check List 

Will the contractor do a heat-gain/heat-loss calculation and show you the results before installing the heat pump system?    Yes___    No___ 

Ask the contractor their personal opinion of heat pumps.  Do they speak favorably of them and sound as enthusiastic about them as you are?  Yes___    No___ 

A properly designed heat pump system requires precisely designed ductwork.  Did they clearly explain the ductwork they will install?    Yes___    No___ 

Does the ductwork need to be insulated?    Yes___    No___  

Do they offer a guarantee of satisfaction upon completion of the installation?    Yes___    No___ 

Have they explained what parts and labor the warranty covers and for how long?    Yes___    No___ 

Do they offer an extended warranty?    Yes___    No___ 

Do they provide 24-hour emergency service?    Yes___    No___ 

Will they provide an owners manual and clear instructions for homeowners maintenance, especially air filter replacement/cleaning?    Yes___    No___ 

Have their installers received certification for the installation they will be making?    Yes___    No___ 

When was the last training seminar attended?    Date:_____________________ 

The contractor should be installing or subcontracting all associated water line connections so this is included in the installation cost of a ground-source heat pump.  Has this been included?    Yes___    No___ 

To receive the most benefit from a desuperheater on a ground-source heat pump, a storage tank should be installed in addition to the electric water heater.  Did they suggest or include a storage tank in the estimate?    Yes___    No___ 

Heat pump installers are typically not licensed electricians and therefore do not include the cost of wiring required to make it a 'turn-key' operation.  Have they listed this and all other requirements that will be the homeowner's responsibility?    Yes___    No___ 

The contractor should supply at least five local references for you to visit with.  List them below, then contact them. 

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Heat Pump Information 
Brand Name____________________ 
Size in Tons_____________________ 
Auxiliary Heat kW________________ 
SEER/EER Rating ________________ 
Open Loop_____ Closed Loop______ 
Total Bid Price $__________________ 

The above information is provided by the Nebraska-Iowa Electric Council. The council is a non-profit organization comprised of wholesale electric suppliers, electric manufacturers, the University of Nebraska College of Agriculture and related professional associations throughout the states of Nebraska and Iowa.

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Directory of Electric Heating & Air Conditioning Dealers

(Simply click on the link below to view the directory in PDF format. If you don't already have an Adobe reader, you can download a free copy at: Adobe Acrobat Reader.) Electric Heating & Air Conditioning Dealers

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Public Safety

Safety and health is a way of life, both at home and at work. Without question, it is everyone's responsibility to ensure a safe and healthy environment. In order to develop safe living, efforts are focused on improving safe behaviors of Polk County RPPD employees and their customers. Polk County RPPD employees believe: Safety comes first! By routine training and practicing safety on a daily basis, employees develop a habit for safety not only at work but also in their personal lives. Employees feel that accidents can be reduced or eliminated through safe work habits.

Electrical safety is not just district employee responsibility, but everyone's responsibility. Educating the public about electric use, safety and potential hazards is a very important part of our safety program.

Educating the youth in communities within our service area is also very important. We work jointly with the Polk County Extension office in coordinating safety programs either at the fairgrounds, on-site or at the six schools in the service area. Safety demonstrations are also given to 4-H groups, industrial arts classes, or adult groups. We use a "Live Line Demo" to convey the lethal affects of electricity when it is not being used safely.

If you are interested in learning more about electrical safety don't hesitate, call for more information today.