Gas in a non-residential building: features of gasification of non-residential premises

Thinking about buying a private cottage, one often wonders if it is gasified - using natural gas, you can save a lot on heating. But sometimes you need to provide inexpensive heating and other buildings - a summer kitchen, garage, bathhouse. We will figure out whether it is possible to connect gas in a non-residential building, taking into account legislative norms and installation conditions.

At the same time, we will find out what the legal acts say about the use of gas in non-residential premises of apartment buildings, since the areas of the first floors are often used for shops, hairdressers, and offices.

General provisions for gasification

Let's start with the basics, that is, with an understanding of where and for what purpose gas equipment can, in principle, be installed.

If we talk about residential buildings, it is allowed to gasify any individual buildings, if the central or distribution main with natural gas is nearby. They make a branch in accordance with TU and a project specially created for specific conditions, and then, through the gas service, lay a pipe to the house and provide fuel.

Gasifying a summer house or cottage in which the family lives permanently has recently become easier thanks to the new rules. The main problem remains the availability of the nearest gas pipeline.

To develop a project for connecting a gas pipeline to non-residential facilities, it is necessary specifications for connection, which can only be issued by a gas distribution organization.

The following points should be reflected in the project:

• the use of energy-efficient equipment that is approved for use by federal authorities and has certificates;
• metering and control of fuel consumption, installation of gas meters;
• the use of automatic adjustment systems;
• necessary thermal insulation of equipment and gas pipeline according to design standards;
• control of the composition of combustion products and combustion temperature.

Simply put, all processes responsible for the production and storage of heat must be efficient in terms of heat transfer, safe for the environment and for staff.

Rostechnadzor issues the technical specifications for the efficient use of fuel, but first you need to collect a package of documents that includes copies of the technical specifications for connection to the gas distribution network and technological calculations, characteristics of all equipment, information about metering and control devices.

If gas equipment cannot be installed in the room, there are conditions when a boiler room equipped with special units is allowed to be placed outside the building

You can find out more detailed information about the legal framework by looking at the "Safety Rules for Gas Distribution and Gas Consumption Networks" or by contacting Rostekhnadzor.

There are often contradictions in the laws, and in reality you may run into problems if you want, for example, to install a gas stove in a bathhouse or equip a city office with a gas stove. And not just with problems, but with a ban on connection - therefore, we will consider controversial cases encountered in practice.

Non-residential premises of MKD

In apartment buildings of a residential city or rural fund, gas is often used as fuel for heating and water-heating equipment. Five-story buildings with columns and gas stoves still occupy a large percentage of the country's total housing stock, especially in the provinces.

At the end of the last century, gasification captured almost all regions of Russia. Multi-storey buildings were connected to the central highways, according to the old edition of SNiP 2.08.01-89 - 9-storey buildings inclusive

In a new document SNiP 01/31/2003 (current edition SNiP 2.08.01-89) it is said that now it is forbidden to install gas stoves on floors above the 11th, but there are no clear wordings on the prohibitions. Hence there is a lot of debate about whether it is possible to carry natural gas into a non-residential premises, and, as a result, a series of lawsuits.

How is retraining done?

We are interested in non-residential premises - and these are areas that usually occupy 1-2 lower floors. When a residential building is commissioned, usually all apartments belong to the housing stock, therefore they are equipped with gas equipment, respectively, gasified. But the first floors are bought and used for offices and various service enterprises.

Suppose you want to convert a ground floor apartment to a hairdresser and leave a gas stove. Is it possible? Most likely not, for two reasons.

First, you will have difficulties in the procedure for transferring residential premises to non-residential. According to the new rules, in order to organize an area in MKD for a pharmacy, warehouse, office, shop, workshop, etc., it is necessary to collect a huge package of permits and attract organizations such as BTI, UFMS, ZhEK, and UK.

Payments to the owner of the non-residential premises are made in the same way as the owner of the apartment - according to metering devices: how much he spent water, electricity, heat - he paid so much

But the most important obstacle that aspiring entrepreneurs may face is the impossibility of obtaining the consent of the residents of MKD. Not everyone wants his porch to turn into a “passage yard”, and some suspicious subjects waiting for their turn to occupy the benches on the playground.

Secondly, leave gas equipment is likely to be banned. Moreover, at the expense of the owner of the non-residential premises, it will be necessary to cut off the gas supply pipe, and if necessary, conduct a new one on the floors located above. Simply put, you must provide gas to all residents of the house, bypassing your non-residential area.

Separately about basements and 2 floors

With 2 floors it is even more difficult: in non-residential premises it is still impossible to use gas equipment, the trunk will have to be cut and transferred.But there is another point from which to start - to transfer an apartment on the 2nd floor to a non-residential premises is possible only under the condition that under it on the 1st floor there is also a non-residential premises.

In order not to complicate the process of converting the area from residential to non-residential, many simply fulfill the requirements: get rid of gas and install electrical equipment that is allowed in all types of MKD

Basement requirements are clearer. According to SNiP 21-01-97, which refers to fire safety, in the basement floors and basements it is impossible to store combustible gases and other flammable substances, therefore, to conduct gas pipelines.

How to connect country houses to gas?

It seems to be easier to gasify non-residential premises in your own summer cottage area, for example, a bathhouse or a garage? However, many owners of garden plots and country houses are faced with the reluctance of gas distribution authorities to connect cheap fuel to buildings other than a residential building.

Installing a gas stove in a bathhouse easily solves problems with heating and water heating, in the summer kitchen with cooking, and in the garage with heating a large room in the winter

The reasons for the refusal to issue technical specifications and conduct gas are many:

• lack of a highway passing nearby;
• gas workers do not have the required amount of fuel to meet their needs;
• the room is not properly equipped;
• equipment does not meet the requirements of fire safety and energy efficiency, etc.

But if you fully comply with all the requirements, and in a non-residential premises it will be possible to install a gas boiler or stove.

Simply put, if the design organization, and with it the servicing authority of the gas economy, is allowed, then gas can be supplied to any outbuilding.

Bath gasification options

Few who refuse to build a bathhouse on their own site - this is not just a washroom, but a place of rest associated with the mass of rituals and traditions of the Russian people. But to heat the bathhouse with firewood and especially electricity is too expensive, and therefore there is a logical desire to install a gas fireplace or stove.

Maintenance of all equipment, home and bath, is carried out by the gas technical service for instruments installed in one place - for example, on the wall of a house

But in reality, everything is complicated - the bathhouse does not meet legislative standards and is not considered as a suitable building for installing gas equipment.

However, no one prohibits the flow of gas to residential buildings, so resourceful owners have found two legal options to circumvent legal obstacles:

• to bring the construction of the bathhouse into the project of building a house, that is, place them under one roof;
• register the bathhouse as a residential guest house with separate gas heating equipment.

Both options are actively used, and very successfully. But some owners of country houses were even luckier - they were simply given permission to gasify the bath. This also happens, therefore, in order not to spend extra effort and money, first turn to the gas workers - what if you are lucky?

Steam room inside a residential building

It turns out that no laws prevent the installation of the bathhouse right in the house, and many are successfully using it. It turns out that the use of gas in the non-residential premises of a residential building is possible.

True, there are several special conditions:

• need to equip a separate emergency entrance;
• for the manufacture of doors use only heat-resistant materials;
• emergency entry can be opened from both sides;
• install a fire alarm and fire extinguishing system;
• Only certified factory-made gas equipment may be used.

An interesting addition to the law is that you cannot use the bathhouse for commercial purposes.

Entrance to the steam room can be arranged directly from the corridor or hallway, and emergency exit to the terrace, which can easily replace the dressing room

If the inspectors of the gas or fire authorities treat their duties responsibly, they will not allow the operation of the bath without an automatic fire extinguishing system and well-functioning ventilation.

But not everyone can allocate a piece of living space for a bath or sauna, so consider another option.

Bathhouse in a separate house

First you have to come up with a project for a guest house or summer kitchen, which could be converted into a bathhouse later, that is, the building should have a solid foundation and walls with mineral insulation, lined with non-combustible materials.

The main point in the design will be gas boilerinstalled for heating and water heating. Usually there are no questions why a separate unit is needed.

Sewerage equipment and a shower room will also be required - but this is not surprising if it is designed for a guest house where seasonal accommodation is planned

The approved project is implemented and a house is built, then it is registered in the BTI, changes are made to the general plan of housing construction and they write an application for gasification. If the inspector after inspecting the premises does not reveal violations, then he will issue a permit and draw up a sketch of the location of the equipment and the gas outlet.

After the issuance of technical specifications, you may have to adjust something, for example, do forced ventilation or additionally isolate the installation location of the boiler.

It remains to lay pipes and connect the boiler to the system. If the apartment building is gasified, then it will not be difficult to make a branch and will not take much time.

After testing and commissioning, the representative of the gas service gives the go-ahead for operation, and after his departure, you can finally turn the house into a bathhouse - for example, arrange a heater

By the same principle, you can hold gas in the garage. According to reviews, sometimes gas workers are allowed to carry gas to any buildings, including garages - but subject to a number of fire safety and ventilation device.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

About the device of a bath with a gas furnace:

It can be summarized that it is unprofitable to supply a bathhouse, garage or gas to a non-residential premises in an apartment building with blue fuel, and most often it is impossible. However, before choosing heating or water-heating equipment, we recommend that you contact the gas distribution service and ask under what conditions it is possible to gasify the room.

If the answer is no, then you have to choose an electric boiler or stove. But we do not recommend doing it on our own - fines for pipe transfers only start from 2 thousand rubles!

Have you ever faced the issue of gasification of non-residential premises? What difficulties did this arise and how did you manage to solve them? Please share your opinion in the comments section.