Warranty period for gas meters: service life and features of replacing gas meters

Depending on the purpose of the gas device - for individual or industrial use, as well as its model and brand, the warranty period of the gas meter can be different. Dismantling and replacement after a breakdown or expiration date is carried out exclusively by gas service personnel authorized to carry out this procedure.

Next, we will tell you in which cases it is necessary to replace the gas meter, and when it will be enough to conduct a routine calibration of the equipment, and also dwell on the legislative aspects.

Types of gas meters

When purchasing a gas meter for personal use, you need to understand its operating principle. Counters designed for domestic use, differ in the method of fixing the volume of gas.

Rotary - make gas metering by the number of revolutions of the built-in rotor. It performs 1 rotation after filling a special measuring chamber, which holds 1 unit volume of gas, after which it returns to its initial position. Thus, it constantly produces the same amount of gas, which is reflected in the digital unit.

Rotary gas meters, in their appearance, resemble water meters. A little not aesthetic form is compensated by a small price for such a device

Membrane - take into account the portion of the incoming gas by moving the membranes, they change their position when filling the chamber of the device with the necessary amount of gas mixture.

Electronic - are the most accurate and silent devices, as well as the most dimensional. They can independently transfer readings to electronic media, which greatly facilitates the life of the owner of such a device.

Instrument replacement sequence

A gas meter designed for domestic use is a meter for the amount of gas that passes through the gas pipeline of an apartment or house. These designs are similar in their functional value and do not depend on the type of housing in which they are used.

The requirements for the placement of gas meters are the same for everyone. They cannot be located at a distance closer than 80 cm from other gas equipment and must be lifted from the floor by a distance of at least 120 cm.

The gas meter must be dismantled by a licensed specialist who works for the company whose services were contacted

To change the gas meter, you need to make how many simple steps:

1. Leave a request with the management company, if necessary, provide documents for the gas meter and its installation.
2. Wait for a visit or a call from a specialist who will set the time for replacing the meter and the date of the visit to assess the technical condition of the gas network of the living room.
3. Independently purchase the device, or agree with the management company on the installation of their equipment.
4. After replacement, it is necessary to check the operability of the device, its installation, then sign the act confirming the completion of work.
5. The final action of the replacement employee is to seal the meter at which the owner must be present. Without this action, the readings of the device will not be taken into account.

Before dismantling the old meter, it is necessary that the employee of the management company, who will replace it, record the latest readings.

List of required documents

When applying to the management company, the homeowner who wants to replace the gas meter must provide the necessary list of documents:

• identity document (military ID, passport, etc.);
• certificate of registration of ownership of the premises;
• passport for the meter to be replaced and a certificate for it;
• receipt or other document containing the readings of the meter at its last verification;
• gas equipment installation project, if it is being installed for the first time, indicating the places of gas consumption.

For the sealing procedure, if this is done without the participation of the management company, and the beginning of the countdown of the new warranty period for the gas meter, it is necessary to provide the following list of documents: a document confirming the identity of the owner of the premises; information of the owner for communication (phone, email, etc.) and the address where the work was done.

You will also need to inform the date of the alleged start of use of the new device, the technical characteristics of the meter - its registration number, model and data of the company that was installing or replacing the meter.

During the replacement period, the cost of gas consumption will be considered according to the average standard, which is set in the region of residence of the owner

According to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354 dated May 6, 2011, which regulates the rules for the provision of communal services for owners and tenants of residential premises, the replacement period for meters cannot exceed 30 days after the expiration of the control date for the operation of the previous device.

After replacement, within 3 days from the moment of sealing the new device, the management company must contact the owner and recalculate according to new indications.

Device replacement cost

The legislation of the Russian Federation provides for the replacement of a gas meter at the expense of the owner of the premises. This is due to the fact that the equipment is located indoors, which means that it is also the property of the owner. This rule applies not only to private houses, but also to all premises of an apartment type.

The total amount that will be spent on replacing the meter consists of the following items:

• the cost of a new device;
• work of a gas service employee in removing an old meter and installing a jumper pipe;
• verification of the removed device and its repair;
• installation of a new or refurbished meter.

The exact cost is calculated by the invited master, while taking into account possible additional costs: installation of additional gas equipment, the number of metering devices, installation of pipes for displaying the meter.

If you forget about the guaranteed service life of the meter, you can get an unpleasant gas bill at common rates

Depending on the region of residence of the owner, the cost of the meter itself starts from 3.5 thousand rubles, and the cost of its installation - from 5 thousand rubles.

The above calculations apply only to those dwellings that are owned by the residents. If the apartment is on the balance sheet of the municipality, then all expenses for it are borne by local authorities.

Features of using a meter in a private house

The owner of the housing in which the gas equipment is located and the meter must resolve all issues related to them independently. Only constant monitoring of the operating life and serviceability can ensure the safe functioning of the system.

In the event of any abnormal situation, one should not expect planned calibration of devices, it is necessary to immediately call a specialist. It is forbidden to intervene or bring in specialists who do not have a proper license to work with gas equipment.

Features of replacement in an apartment building

Unlike private housing, the gas meter of an apartment building is an industrial device capable of transmitting and accounting for a large amount of gas. All questions on its maintenance, repair and replacement are the responsibility of the management company. Life cycle accounting also applies to their direct responsibilities.

Apartment buildings that use gas for heating are equipped with industrial counterparts of gas meters that work on the same principle.

The owners of residential premises in apartment buildings are not directly related to the replacement of meters, they participate only in the material side of this issue. The management company sets tariffs for such work, which are accepted at the general meeting of residents. Monthly fees at these tariffs allow you to monitor and change gas meters in time.

Installing a gas meter can significantly reduce the cost of using gas. Despite the high cost, the device pays off within a few years.

In the event of a dispute, self-removal of the management company or inadequate control of gas equipment, owners have the right to apply to the competent authorities for inspection.

We also recommend that you read our other article, where we talked in detail about how calculations are carried out on a common-house meter. More details - go to the link.

Replacement or verification, which is better?

Calibration of the gas meter is possible if there is an accurate belief that the malfunction is removable, for example, there was some kind of mechanical effect on the meter.

When installing the meter in close proximity to the gas stove, the minimum distances allowed for determining the installation location must be observed

If the cause of the breakdown is not clear, then most owners of the premises prefer to replace the meter, for the following reasons:

• in addition to the cost of the verification itself, you will have to pay for the dismantling, reinstallation and attachment of the seal;
• delivery to the company conducting the verification is carried out at the expense of the owner;
• when a malfunction is established that precludes further operation of the device, it will need to be replaced, but verification will also have to be paid;
• the verification period of the meters is about 21 days, at which time payment for gas will be made in accordance with the established standards.

Given all these points, we can conclude that replacing an old device with a new one is more profitable than checking it, both in terms of cost of work and the time of their production.

Reasons for replacing the counter

The cost of payment for the consumed natural resources is based on the readings of their metering devices. Any equipment has a warranty period of use, after which its replacement is required.

This action is regulated by Government Decree. No. 824 dated 09/19/2013, it establishes the warranty period of the gas meter and provides the following reasons for replacing it: the specified service life has expired or a malfunction is found during verification that does not allow further operation of the device.

Distorted or inaccurate readings of the gas meter are the reason for compulsory appeal to the gas service or management company

All meter replacement operations are paid for by the owners of the premises and free of charge for those who live under a social contract of employment.

But, the legislation provides for categories of owners who are also entitled to a free installation:

• WWII veterans;
• families belonging to the category of large families;
• pensioners who have received this status by age;
• low-income families.

The service life of a gas meter depends on its technical characteristics and the manufacturer. As a rule, it is about 20 years. After the installation of the device, its regular verification is required for serviceability, which are carried out with the participation of the management company.

The verification procedure can be established by the company itself, but not less than once every 10 years. But most companies conduct verification every 3-5 years.

Conducting scheduled verification

Installation of gas metering devices is carried out only if there are documents for it and is allowed into operation after its sealing. The manufacturer, along with the device, sends the documentation, which indicates which warranty on the gas meter of this model is provided by the manufacturer.

To confirm the meter is working, the management company carries out its verification, the interval between which is called - intertesting.

Distorted or inaccurate readings of the gas meter are the reason for compulsory appeal to the gas service or management company

If the planned verification is not carried out for a reason depending on the owner, then after its date the readings of the device are not taken into account and payment for the use of gas is made according to general standards.

For verification it is necessary:

1. To call a gas equipment specialist from the management company or gas service with which there is a valid contract.
2. Be present at the dismantling of the meter and give consent to send it to the gas service for verification.
3. Get an opinion on the status of the device. If its further operation is possible, then the specialist mounts the meter in place and seals it. In the event that the device is defective, then purchase a new one and perform the same procedures.

Recognition of the meter as malfunctioning is accompanied by the preparation of an act on the inadmissibility of its use, as informed by the owner of the premises. As a rule, breakdowns in which the use is impossible include: stopping the operation of the meter, violation of the tightness of the connections of the device, incorrect display of readings (this applies to electronic devices).

Visual verification without dismantling the meter itself, seals and other gas equipment is carried out 2 times a year. Specialists of the gas service are authorized for this upon presentation of the relevant documents.They also check the period of use of the device for recording readings and are engaged in its stationary repair, which does not require transportation to a gas company.

The timing of the use of the gas meter must be controlled by the owner himself, while the reference point is not the date of acquisition, but the date of manufacture

If during such verification it is revealed that the warranty period for the gas meter has expired, then an act is drawn up and, according to it, the management company recalculates the payment for gas according to the average standard from the moment the warranty period for the meter has expired.

Given the ever-increasing gas tariffs, failure to meet the deadlines for their replacement can significantly affect the total amount of utility bills.

Refusal to replace a gas meter

Replacement and gas meter installation is a voluntary matter for each owner. Payment of gas upon consumption is always less than the average tariffs set by the management company.

Many owners of private houses and apartments receive notifications that a check and replacement of the device is required, and they seek to submit an application as quickly as possible.

However, this is not worth it for several reasons:

• perhaps the notice was sent not by the organization serving the house, but by a third-party company that is not involved in the control of gas equipment, but seeks to simply sell its services;
• the timing for checking or replacing the device has not yet come. To establish the exact date of the warranty period of the gas meter, it is necessary to check the certificate and the manufacturing time of the device;
• the owner does not need to replace the meter and wants to abandon it.

The latter option sometimes also arises, despite the fact that with a meter it’s cheaper to pay for gas. As a rule, such cases arise if the deadline is reached, but the owner sells his house and does not want to spend money on replacing equipment.

Sealing of modern gas meters takes place using special plastic blanks and does not take much time

It is also worthwhile to refuse a replacement if the apartment is transferred from the category “with gas service” to the tariff “with stationary electric stoves”. Usually, such transitions are made in apartments of the Khrushchevsky type, when the gas supply to the apartment is completely stopped and additional capacities for electric stoves are installed.

The owner needs to know that neither the management company, nor the HOA, nor any other organization can force him to install a gas meter in his apartment.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

How to choose a good gas meter will be discussed in the following video:

Installing a gas meter is an expensive undertaking. The cost of the device itself, as well as its installation and commissioning, can negatively affect the family budget. But, given that its service life, on average, is 20 years, using simple mathematical calculations, we can conclude that it will fully pay for itself in a couple of years.

Have questions about the topic of the article? Or can you supplement our material with interesting information about gas meters? Please write your comments, ask questions, share your experience - the communication block is located below.