Verification period for cold and hot water meters: verification intervals and rules for their implementation
Among various items of expenditures in the family budget, the payment of housing and communal services for many Russians remains one of the most significant. Therefore, in order not to pay too high standards and save a little, everywhere in apartments and cottages installation of water meters is now being made, which should be regularly checked.
Be sure to observe the deadline for checking the cold and hot water meters - this will allow you to identify problems in their work on time.
In this article, we will tell you how to check water meters, about calibration intervals, as well as what users expect for failure to meet deadlines.
The content of the article:
Legislative regulation of verifications
All issues of installation, inspection and commissioning of in-house water meters are regulated by the RF Government Decree No. 354 of 05/06/2011 with the latest amendments. According to him, only the owner of the housing is responsible for the performance of the water meters in the apartment.
Any measuring device does not last forever. Gradually, the accuracy of his measurements begins to fall. And it doesn’t matter here - a household appliance is a meter, a common house apparatus or laboratory equipment.
In all cases, under current Russian legislation, such technical equipment is subject to certification and regular verification (testing) of correct operation.
The decrease in measurement accuracy in water meters is due to:
- breakdowns and wear of internal elements - impeller and counting mechanism;
- poor quality water with a high content of salts and metals;
- ingress of contaminants into the pipes - sand, rust, etc .;
- damage to the device as a result of external mechanical influences;
- drying mechanisms inside due to prolonged shutdown of water supply;
- use in the manufacture of the device of low-quality or defective parts.
There are many factors that influence the accuracy of measurements. Even the presence of a magnet near the counter affects the correctness of its functioning. However, the law requires verification only after the expiration of the intertesting life of the water meter established by the manufacturer.
At the same time, if the water meter completely stopped working, has cracks in the body or leaks, then it should be replaced immediately. It is impossible to wait until the next test according to the technical passport.
If a master comes from the housing office and sees a broken accounting device, then fines and accruals in receipts will follow not by the fact of consumption, but by the standards.
The manufacturer of the water meter sets the calibration interval. The law regulates only the requirement of serviceability of the meter. While it is working, the calculation of the consumed water goes along it.
But if the meter is broken or the time period indicated in the data sheet has expired from the last test, then the managing company or the HOA will start charging for the resource according to the standards.
The consumption rate for hot water supply in the Russian Federation is set at 4.75, and cold - 6.93 cubic meters per person / month. But in reality, everyone living in an apartment usually consumes about 1-3 cubic meters of hot and cold water combined during the indicated period.
The actual overpayment at the tariff is ultimately obtained two to three times. And so every month. There are reasons for installing the meter and maintaining it in good condition.
Water Meter Test Algorithm
In order to calculate water consumption by the meter, it is necessary to put it into operation. That is, the relevant act from the employee of the utility company should be on hand. Without this document, the readings of the device are not taken into account, the calculation is according to the standards.
When approaching the verification period should:
- Submit an application for removal of the water meter to the organization serving the apartment.
- After dismantling the device, give it for testing to a specialized company that has the appropriate license.
- In a day or two, get the certificate of verification and serviceability of the verified water meter, as well as the meter itself back.
- Again, apply to the Housing Office for the installation of the meter and obtain from the plumber an act on the commissioning of the meter.
- Transfer copies of both documents to the service company.
After that, the calculation of water consumption starts again on the meter.
The nuances of the procedure
First important point - installation and dismantling of meters can be carried out independently or by inviting specialists from a third-party organization (not from the Housing Office).
The law establishes only the need to obtain an act of input, which is exclusively entitled to be signed by a representative of the organization managing the house.
Another particularly interesting nuance - water consumption on the days when calibration takes place. After removing the water meter, a hose is installed in its place. And the calculation for the days when the verification was carried out will be conducted according to the standards.
After the water meter will be installed by the housing office employee and the relevant document issued, its testimonies will again be taken into account when generating bills for water consumption.
In practice, usually everything looks as follows: the homeowner takes the meter and gives it for verification, and then on installation and sealing invites an employee of the management company to obtain the desired act.
Or the device simply changes without any checks to a new one, and then the ZhEK employee is called to sign the same act.
Checking the water meter at home
In addition to transferring the water meter for testing to a specialized company, it can also be trusted directly in the apartment. Similar tests are carried out on special compact equipment that the performer brings with him.
If you give the meter to the company for verification, then such a test will cost 1.5–2 times cheaper. For a call to a specialist you will have to pay extra money.
The cost of verification in different Russian cities ranges from 500–2000 rubles. Plus money for dismantling and reinstalling the meter in place. In this case, the call of the Zhekovsky master to sign the act of commissioning should be free. If the Housing Office requires money for this procedure, then it is illegal.
However, the new household appliance itself water meter It costs about 500-1000 rubles in the store. If the model is electronic with automatic data transfer to the management company, then it will cost more. But an ordinary mechanical water meter costs just in the region of five thousand rubles.
About how the verification of meters at home, read in this stuff.
Therefore, many homeowners, when approaching the timing of verification, often simply change the measuring device to a new one without any double-checking on the accuracy of measurements. So, often, it’s cheaper.
Counter verification intervals
The calibration frequency for each water meter is set by the manufacturer independently. To do this, he makes a certain set of tests and coordinates everything in the State Standard of the Russian Federation.
On sale there are meters with an intertesting period of 4 years and 10-15 years. When choosing a meter, this figure in the technical passport should be looked at. The longer the time period is indicated there, the less often you will have to check and, if necessary, change the measuring equipment.
When buying a water meter, it is extremely important to watch when it has been calibrated. Initially, it is made by the manufacturer of the metering device at the factory. All subsequent tests should also be included in the device passport.
If you take and install a counter with almost expired intertesting period, then it will soon have to be changed again. And this again is the cost of the device and installation work.
Consequences in case of violation of the deadlines
Do not initially wait for the end of this period. It is better to carry out verification in a month or two and not to worry about large charges in receipts for cold and hot water supply. At the same time, one must also remember about water disposal, it is also calculated by the volume of water consumed.
If the meter verification period has expired, then water consumption is calculated by:
- the average water consumption of an apartment over the past six months;
- established norms of water consumption per person;
- the number of people living in the apartment.
According to the law, when the owner of the housing stops supplying data from the water meter, the managing organization has no right to charge according to the standards for three months.
The state provides for this three-month period in case of temporary problems with the payer with money or banal non-consumption of water for a couple of months. If the data feed starts again, then the receipt simply recalculates everything.
But after three months of lack of data from the meter, the management company has every right to start charging according to average standards.
If you are leaving home for three months or more, it is recommended that you notify the housing office about it and cut off the water supply. Otherwise, an unpleasant surprise in the form of a receipt for housing services may await you upon your return.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Checking water meters - what to look for:
Checking the water meter - what is it and why:
How is verification at home:
You must always fulfill your obligations. The regular calibration of water meters is one of such obligations of the owner of the housing connected to the water supply.
If the trials are delayed, specially or simply forgetting about them, then penalties from the management company will inevitably follow. According to the law, they will be completely right, it is not worth pulling with a check.
Still have questions about the topic of the article? Or can you add material with interesting information? Please leave your comments, share experiences, ask questions in the contact block, which is located under the article.
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Interesting. We have been supplied with meters for a very long time, for more than 4 years, for sure. As they checked and sealed during installation, since then no one has come. Do you need to go to the Management Company yourself and write a statement to check the water meters? I do not want to receive fines or pay according to the standards. I’ll look for the passport of the counters to check what their verification period is, maybe there are 10-15 years and it’s just not the time.
Hello. For some reason, the Criminal Code has the habit of setting standards for its own mistakes. And we look at the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of May 6, 2011 N 354. We need paragraph 81 part 6:
“Based on the results of checking the metering device, the contractor draws up the act of putting the metering device into operation, which indicates:
a) the date, time and address of the commissioning of the meter;
b) surnames, first names, patronymics, positions and contact details of persons who participated in the procedure for putting the meter into operation;
c) the type and serial number of the installed metering device, as well as the place of its installation;
d) a decision on the commissioning or refusal to commission the metering device with an indication of the grounds for such a refusal;
e) if the metering device is put into operation, the metering device reads at the time the metering device is put into operation and the places on the metering device are installed, where control one-time numbered seals are installed (control seals);
f) date of next verification“.
That is, you should have a document in your hands that indicates the approximate date of verification.
Now we look at the obligations of the parties in the same document, only now in paragraphs 82-83:
“The Contractor is obliged:
a) carry out checks of the status of installed and put into operation individual, general (apartment), indoor metering devices and dispensers, the fact of their presence or absence;
b) verify the accuracy of the information provided by consumers about the readings of individual, common (apartment), indoor metering devices and distributors by checking them with the testimony of the corresponding metering device at the time of verification (in cases where consumers are taking readings of such metering devices and distributors).
83. The inspections referred to in paragraph 82 of these Rules should be carried out by the contractor at least 1 time per year, and if the metering devices to be checked are located in the consumer’s premises, then no more than 1 time in 3 months“.
That is, checking the meter is the responsibility of the contractor, not the concern of the consumer.
How does this happen:
“85. The inspections referred to in paragraph 82 of these Rules, if they require access to the consumer’s living quarters, are carried out by the contractor in the following order, unless otherwise provided by the agreement containing the conditions for the provision of utility services:
a) the contractor sends the consumer no later than 14 days prior to the date of the audit in a way that allows you to determine the date of sending such a message, or hands on receipt a written notice of the expected date (s) and time of the audit, the need for admission at the indicated time to execute the audit with mandatory clarification of the consequences of consumer inaction or his refusal to allow the contractor to access metering devices;
b) the consumer is obliged to ensure the admission of the performer to the premises occupied by the consumer for verification at the time indicated in the notice, unless the consumer cannot ensure the admission of the performer to the premises occupied by the consumer due to a temporary absence, which he must inform the contractor on time no later than 2 days before the date specified in the notice, indicating other possible dates (dates) and the time of admission for the inspection, convenient for the consumer, while the consumer proposed yes a check can not be earlier than 2 days from the date when the received proposal from the user, and within 3 days from the date specified in the notification of the inspection;
c) the contractor is obliged to check at the date and time specified in subparagraph “a” of this paragraph, and if there is a consumer message about another time in accordance with subparagraph “b” of this paragraph, at the date and time specified in such a message. Based on the results of the audit, the contractor is obliged to immediately draw up an audit certificate in the manner prescribed by these Rules;
d) if the consumer has not ensured the access of the contractor to the premises occupied by the consumer on the date and time specified in the notice of the inspection or in the communication of the consumer provided for in subparagraph “b” of this paragraph, and with the contractor living in the premises there is no information about his temporary absence in the occupied dwelling, the contractor draws up an act of denial of access to the metering device;
e) the contractor is obliged to conduct the audit and draw up the audit report within 10 days after receiving from the consumer, in respect of whom the act of refusal of admission to the meter was left, a statement of readiness to ensure the access of the artist to the inspection room“.
So, the date is assigned by the Criminal Code and sends you a notice of the verification date 2 weeks before it. How is the fact of verification recorded:
“85 (1). The acts referred to in paragraphs 62, 81 (11), 82 and 85 of these Rules are drawn up by the contractor immediately after the completion of the relevant checks.
The acts are signed by the representative of the contractor, the inspector and the consumer (his representative) and include the following information:
a) date, place, time drawing up the act;
b) the circumstances in connection with which the audit was conducted, and the violations identified;
c) the composition of persons who participated in the verification, drawing up the act;
d) the signature of the executor (his representative), the consumer (his representative);
e) a note on the refusal of the consumer (his representative) to sign the specified act, including information on the reasons for such refusal (if any);
f) objections (position) of the consumer (his representative) in connection with the revealed violation;
g) other circumstances associated with the violation identified.
85 (2). One copy of the act is handed over to the consumer (his representative), including delivery or by sending by registered letter
“.And now, what some unscrupulous managers scare consumers when they themselves miss the check:
“85 (3). In the case of drawing up an act on the refusal of access to the metering device as provided for in paragraph 85 of these Rules, after 3 billing periods from the date of drawing up such an act, the contractor has the right to calculate utility bills based on the norm of utilities consumption, taking into account the number of permanent and temporary residents in the premises persons, including those specified in the act drawn up in accordance with paragraph 56 (1), as well as taking into account the increasing coefficient starting from the 1st day of the month in which such an act is drawn up. The value of the increasing coefficient is taken equal to 1.5“.
That’s where they are, the standards and the increased ratio - if you, being notified of the visit of the Criminal Code, refused their visit within 17 days. In fact, this is how all metering devices are checked in general. Notifications are not sent from us, they go home - they haven’t found or couldn’t get inside, they write out a piece of paper asking them to call and discuss the date of the check in such and such a time. Surprisingly, on many portals, including legal ones, I met opposite recommendations. Say, inform the Criminal Code yourself that you should be checked, otherwise there will be a fine.
I would advise you, of course, to look into the act and look at the date. And then they will say later that the notice was sent and they came home, there was nobody at home, and the fact that there is no paper, maybe you intentionally hid it. Here you can expect anything, on one trust you will not go far.
At first, when water meters were just beginning to appear, people were smart in order to slow down their speed. As a rule, a magnet was the best tool. However, now all devices are protected by antimagnetic seals. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to this factor. Then you can’t prove to the employees of the inspection company that the meters failed due to their own fault, and you’ll have to decently fork out.
Sergey, I can’t say exactly how it should be according to the norms, but we ourselves called the inspectors. They were afraid that they would then be presented with huge amounts of money, since the term of operation had expired. However, after checking the counters were allowed to use more, the devices work fine. I believe that the consumer himself should first of all be interested in verification.
The consumer is interested in not being counted by standards and not fined. And the ZhEK is interested in checks, they are all afraid that the counters are twisting or hanging a magnet.
That is, it turns out the period of the inter-interval check is determined by the manufacturer himself, coordinating with Rosstandart and fixing it in the product passport? And then the plumber of the management company requires me to perform its verification / replacement in an ultimatum only because 4 years have passed on the hot water meter (in the passport for 6 years).
Hello. The date of the next IP verification can be indicated in your receipt, in your personal account, certificate of acceptance of the previous verification, or commissioning agreement. The rule of 4 and 6 years has long been canceled, although according to the passport of the device everything is strictly individual. The Contractor has the right to reassign the verification deadlines.
Are you a lawyer or a representative of the Criminal Code? Express yourself more accurately. The rule of 4 and 6 years has long been canceled, although according to the passport of the device everything is strictly individual.If canceled, then when and by whom? Complete chaos - what I want is tossing and turning! The Contractor has the right to reassign the deadlines for verification! Those. prepare people money!
Hello. I explain. By a resolution of the Government of Moscow, fixed periods of 4 and 6 years were canceled, however, by a resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 6.05.2011 No. 354, it was stated that the timing of verification is set in accordance with the technical documentation for metering devices.
Usually, according to the passport of the device, this is 6 years for cold water water treatment plants, 4 years for hot water, from here these standards first came from at the legislative level. However, if there is a suspicion of interference with the IPA or its incorrect operation, verification may be of an extraordinary nature.
P.S. I also have IPU at home, not I set the standards.