How to install water meters

Varieties of flow meters

It would be a mistake to think that all devices are the same. They differ significantly in the principle of operation, connection conditions, accuracy, etc. Let's highlight the main points that will show which water meter to install in the apartment.

How the equipment works

Depending on the method of measuring the intensity of the water flow, the devices are divided into four types.

• Electromagnetic. Determine the speed of passage of the jet between the magnetic poles.The counting mechanism converts the data into a volume of liquid.
• Superstatic (vortex). A swirler is used through which the water flow is passed. His speed and travel time are measured. Based on this, the consumption is automatically calculated.
• Tachometric (vane). The jet rotates the impeller mechanism. It transmits rotation to the counter panel.
• Ultrasonic. Process information coming from sensors that feed ultrasonic waves into the water flow. Then they take them back.

A tachometric device is best suited for domestic needs. Provided that the operating rules are observed, such flow meters serve for a long time and do not break. The simplicity of the design provides them with high reliability. They have a large working resource and low price. Other varieties are not suitable for apartments, although they are sometimes used in everyday life. They require special operating conditions, more often they are installed in industrial conditions.

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According to the location of the counting mechanism

The counting device in tachometric flow meters can be located in different ways. Based on this, two types of devices are distinguished.

Dry (dry vehicles)

The counting unit is isolated from the water flow by a sealed partition. To transmit the rotational movement of the impeller, a magnetic coupling is used, which is installed in the housing. The magnetic field acts on the vane mechanism, which slightly reduces the measurement accuracy. She still remains tall. The readings are displayed on the dashboard.

It is possible to install a pulse output device for their remote transmission. Dryboats perform well in any environment, even water with a lot of impurities.They are allowed to be placed on pipelines with hot water. The mechanism isolated from the liquid does not corrode, it lasts longer. True, the price of dry vehicles is higher than that of "wet" counterparts.

Universal counter ECO NOM

Wet (wet shoes)

All elements of the device are in the water stream. The baffle and magnetic coupling are absent. The latter improves the measurement accuracy. Provided that a liquid purified from impurities is supplied to it. Otherwise, particles stick to the vane mechanism, which reduces the accuracy of its operation. The sensitivity threshold of wet shoes is higher.

The simplicity of the design makes them more reliable. If necessary, repairs are possible. Wet walkers can be installed in different positions: horizontally, vertically or at an angle. Options are listed on their case. The main disadvantage is the sensitivity to the quality of the measured liquid. Therefore, a filter must be installed before the wet water meter.

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The choice of which water meter is better to install in the apartment: dry-running or wet-running, it is right to do in favor of the first. They can work in any environment and last longer. The measurement accuracy is high and does not depend on the quality of the liquid.

Difference between DHW and cold water meters

Their operating principle is the same. The difference lies in the operating conditions. DHW equipment is designed to work with a liquid heated to high temperatures. Wear-resistant materials are chosen for its manufacture. It has more durable components and body. At the same time, the measurement error for such water meters is greater. Therefore, the verification period for them comes earlier than for devices for CHC.

The equipment is partially interchangeable.This can come in handy when choosing which cold water meter to install in an apartment. Here you can install any device. This will not affect the quality of measurements and the term of work. True, DHW water meters are more expensive and more often tested. It is allowed to mount only special flow meters on hot water supply. Incorrect installation of a cold water device will lead to leakage and measurement distortion. The case should have a red color marking and the letter "G". This must be taken into account when choosing which hot water meter to install.

What is the difference between cold and hot water meters?

First of all, the difference between hot water and cold water meters is in the different color of the case.

Appliances for hot water are red, and for cold - blue. In addition, technical indicators differ, in particular, the maximum flow temperature.

Hot water meters are able to work with water heated to 70 ° (this is the minimum, there are models that can withstand temperatures up to 120 °).

Devices for cold water are designed for temperatures up to 40 °. It is noteworthy that hot water appliances can be installed on cold water lines, but not vice versa. Read about the differences between hot water and cold water meters here.

How to choose a water meter

When choosing apartment water meters, one should take into account the operational characteristics of the devices and the features of their installation. All counters are divided according to the principle of operation into several groups:

• tachometric - equipped with an impeller rotating under the action of water;
• vortex - register the frequency of the vortices of the water flow;
• electromagnetic - fix the speed of the liquid passing through the meter, inducing a magnetic field;
• volumetric devices - consider even the weakest flow of water;
• ultrasonic - analyze the acoustic effect.

Tachometric meters and electromagnetic devices are considered optimal for residential premises. Tachometric meters and electromagnetic devices are considered optimal for residential premises.

How to choose

About the detailed choice, I will have a separate article, now all the same general recommendations. An important recommendation is that each water meter has its own service life (checks), usually it is given for private houses - five years. The counter has a production date from it and will be considered 5 years! Therefore, it is worth taking a “fresh” counter, say, made a month ago. It is not rational to take what was done six months or even a year ago, so you just bring the time of verification closer

THIS IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER!

Counters usually come with Americans at the edges (these are detachable connections), the connection is designed for metal pipes, that is, special adapters are needed to install on "metal-plastic" or "polypropylene".

By the way, there are digital options, with an LCD display, but they are expensive! Take the most common ones with mechanical letters, as a rule, they cost 2-3 times cheaper and work more stable.

Install on your own or through a company?

Under current legislation, the installation of water meters is at the expense of the homeowner. That is, you must buy a meter, install it at your own expense. The installed water meters are sealed by representatives of the water utility or the DEZ free of charge.

Self-installation procedure

Self-installation of water meters is possible. Nobody should object.You just have to do everything yourself - and install the meter, and call the representative of the Housing Office to seal it. What you need:

• purchase a meter and all the necessary details;
• agree and pay for the disconnection of the cold / hot water riser (contact the operational campaign, set the date and time);
• install a meter, turn on the water;
• call a representative of the water utility or DEZ (in different regions in different ways) to seal it, get the commissioning certificate in hand;
• go with the act and passport of the meter (there must be a serial number, a stamp of the store, the date of factory verification) to the DEZ and register the water meter.

Self-installation of water meters is not prohibited

All papers are considered, a standard contract is filled out, you sign it, on this it is considered that you pay for water according to the meter.

How to hire a good firm and what they should do

There are two ways to find a company that installs water meters: take a list in the DEZ or find it on the Internet yourself. The list will already include firms that have licenses, but obviously not all that work in this area. On the Internet, it is necessary to check the availability of a license. A copy of it must be posted on the site.

Then, in any case, you should read the standard contract that the company will conclude with you. It should contain a complete list of services. The conditions can be different - someone provides their counter, someone puts yours, someone comes with their spare parts, someone works with what the owner has. By combining the list of services provided and make a choice.

No hassle, but decent money

Previously, the contract contained a clause on service maintenance, and without it, firms did not want to install meters. Today, this item is recognized as illegal, since it is not necessary to actually service the meter, and it should not be in the clause, and if it is, you have the right to refuse these services and not pay for them.

Preparing for installation

If you have chosen a different campaign, you must leave them an application. There are two options - some firms accept applications on their website and may even offer a discount for this, while others prefer to see you in the office and sign an agreement.

First, company representatives inspect the installation site

In any case, first a campaign representative arrives (you agree on the date and time of arrival), inspects the “field of activity”, assesses the condition of the pipes, takes measurements, and often takes photos of communications. All this is necessary in order to be able to develop a meter connection diagram and quickly assemble it. Then you should call and clarify the date and time of installation of the water meter. In this conversation, you need to find out who is negotiating the shutdown of the risers with the operational campaign. Normal firms take it upon themselves.

Installation of water meters by campaign representatives

At the appointed time, a campaign representative (sometimes two) arrives and does the work. In theory, they should agree with you what and how to put, but this does not always happen. At the end of the work (usually takes about 2 hours), they give you a certificate of completion and a special paper on which the factory numbers of the metering devices are written. After that, you must call a representative of the govodokanal or DEZ to seal the meter (different organizations deal with this in different regions).The sealing of counters is a free service, you will only need to agree on the time.

In the normal condition of the pipes, the installation of water meters for professionals takes about 2 hours

In the act that you were given during installation, the initial readings of the meter must be affixed (they are different from zero, since the device is verified at the factory). With this act, a photocopy of the organization's license and your water meter's passport, you go to the DEZ, sign a standard contract.

Comparison of tariffs with and without a water meter

The owners of premises with a meter pay for utilities according to indications - in this case, everything is quite simple.

Homeowners without metering devices will have to pay according to the standards, so it is important for them to take into account, which establishes the procedure for determining the rate of resource consumption per person. According to this document, the final decision is approved by the local authorities

For example, in Moscow, the rate of consumption of cold water is 6.94 m3, hot water - 4.75 m3, and in St. Petersburg 4.90 m3 and 3.48 m3, respectively

According to this document, the final decision is approved by the local authorities. For example, in Moscow, the rate of consumption of cold water is 6.94 m3, hot water - 4.75 m3, and in St. Petersburg 4.90 m3 and 3.48 m3, respectively.

The installed meter simplifies the process of calculating the amount due: it is enough to find the product of the device readings and the current tariff, taking into account the category of water supply.

In the absence of a device, the owner of the premises needs to:

1. Find out the number of persons registered in this residential area.
2. Clarify the water standard established by local authorities for the current period.
3. Find out rates.
4. Take into account the multiplying factor, which was introduced by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 344 of 2013. It applies to premises where a metering device is not installed or it is in a faulty condition. This indicator is 1.5.

For a more complete understanding, it is worth analyzing a specific example of calculating water fees without a meter for a family of three, registered in St. Petersburg:

• the rate of consumption of cold water per person - 4.9 m3;
• tariff for 1 m3 of cold water - 30.8 rubles;
• DHW consumption rate per person - 3.49 m3;
• the tariff for 1 m3 of hot water supply is 106.5 rubles.

The amount payable for water supply is determined as follows:

1. For cold water 679.1 rubles = 3 * 4.9 * 30.8 * 1.5.
2. For hot water 1,672.6 rubles = 3 * 3.49 * 106.5 * 1.5.
3. Total 2351.7 rubles = 1672.6 + 679.1.

The real average monthly water consumption per person is: 2.92 m3 of cold water and 2.04 m3 of hot water. That is, the same family of three, after installing the meter, will need to pay:

1. For cold water 269.8 rubles = 3 * 2.92 * 30.8.
2. For hot water 651.8 rubles = 3 * 2.04 * 106.5.
3. Total 921.6 rubles = 269.8 + 651.8.

After installing the meter, a family from St. Petersburg will have to pay almost 3 times less, which speaks in favor of the availability of the necessary equipment.

How much do you have to pay for community services?

The receipt for utilities also has a column "Common house needs", which the owners of MKD are forced to pay. This item includes the cost of water for cleaning premises, entrances, elevators, watering the club in the adjacent area, etc.

How much you have to pay depends on the availability of a common house and individual metering device.

If the devices are installed, payment is made as follows:

1. When calculating ODN, first of all, readings are taken - PU shows how much resources were consumed by MKD during the reporting period.

   For example, 2 thousand m3 is the amount of water that was used both for general house consumption and for individual consumption (by apartment owners).

2. Further, the readings of the IPU, which were provided by the owners of the premises, are summarized. For example, 1.8 thousand m3. To ensure the correctness of the flow balance, the values ​​for the general and individual devices are taken at the same time.
3. At the third stage, the volume of consumption is allocated for the maintenance of common areas: 200 m3 = 2,000 - 1,800 (as much was spent on watering flower beds, washing entrances, etc.).
4. The fourth step is the distribution of ODN to all tenants. To do this, you need to determine the volume per 1 m2. Let's say the total area of ​​the MKD is 7 thousand m2. Then the desired value will be: 0.038 m3 = 200/7,000.
5. To obtain a calculation for a specific apartment, you need to multiply the identified volume by the area of ​​\u200b\u200bhousing. For example, it is 50 m2: 1.9 m3 = 0.038 * 50.

At the end, payment is calculated taking into account regional tariffs. A family from St. Petersburg will have to pay: 58.5 rubles = 1.9 * 30.8. If there is no common house meter, the calculation is carried out according to the established standards, taking into account the multiplying factor, which implies an increase in the amount by 4-5 times.

Place for counter

According to the rules, the water meter should be installed as close as possible to the entry of the pipeline into the room. The concept of "as close as possible" is not specified, because. in the device of water inputs, especially in old houses, there is a huge discrepancy. During commissioning, the inspector looks: is it possible to somehow crash into the pipe to the meter.Take a closer look before installing and you, so that later it would be easier to "solve the issue." Generally speaking, the installation of a water meter is greatly simplified if you immediately conclude an agreement with a specialized organization. But this article is intended for those who decide to install the counter themselves, so you will have to deal with the authorities yourself.

In practice, inspectors do not have any questions when installing meters in a city apartment in a toilet next to the toilet, even if the stopcock is moved back half a meter along the pipe. Also, the installation in the bathroom "passes" if the pipes go through the toilet along the floor: in this case, it is almost impossible to hide traces of work on them. But then you have to drag the outlet for the tank through the wall back into the toilet.

In private homes, inspectors are stricter. Here you need to follow the rule: no more than 20 cm from the outlet of the supply pipe from the wall or floor. If a water well is located on your territory, then it must be of a capital construction and with a lockable, durable (metal) cover: it will also be sealed. In this case, in order to carry out work with a violation of the seal, in addition to the emergency of the water utility itself or extinguishing the fire, it will be necessary to call an inspector to unseal it.

Installation of water meters according to the law

Installation of water meters is carried out only on legal grounds. This procedure is regulated by legislative acts:

• rules, as well as some nuances of the use of water resources and wastewater, are approved by government Decree No. 776;
• the procedure and conditions for installing metering devices for the consumption of cold (hot) water are regulated by Federal Law No. 261;
• tariffs and benefits for citizens who do not have water meters are established by government Decree No. 306;
• Order of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia dated April 5, 2013 N 178 states that citizens must install water meters in their homes on a voluntary basis.

The management organizations of houses or employees of housing and communal services are responsible for the procedure for installing meters in apartments of multi-storey buildings.

Note! Direct installation of the meter can only be carried out by a person who has the appropriate specialty and qualifications. Before he starts work, check his documents

He must be authorized to work with such equipment.

Before he starts work, check his documents. He must be authorized to work with such equipment.

After the appliance has taken its place, the installer must issue the following documentation to the homeowner:

• those. device passport;
• an act of work performed, a warranty card for the performance of maintenance work;
• papers on the registration of the meter and its commissioning;
• meter identification code, seal number, receipt for payment for specialist services;
• a document confirming the compliance of the device with established standards (may be required during verification).

Watch the video. Is it necessary to install water meters:

Who is authorized to install water meters?

The current legislation does not have specific criteria for choosing a contractor for installing water meters in an apartment. Therefore, the consumer can contact any specialist who has a sufficient level of competence to carry out work on the installation of water meters.

Paragraph 81 of Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354 on the rules for the provision of public services stipulates that the equipment of the apartment with metering devices is carried out by the owner and at his expense. True, you should not forget that during the work, the owner (you) takes full responsibility for the quality of installation. In the event of a leak, failure of the fittings and subsequent flooding, only yourself will be to blame.

Turning to a specialized company for the installation of water meters, along with the installation of a water meter, you get some guarantee of quality and correct installation. When choosing an installer company, do not forget to ask how long the company has been on the market, read reviews about their work, check the warranty period that the company provides for their work and what exactly it covers.

Our Verification Service provides a 2-year warranty on labor and equipment

. That is, during this period, something will happen to the water meter or connections, then we will carry out work for free or replace the water meter. After the work is done, the master will surely give you all the documents necessary for registering the meters (passports for water meters). This is the main difference from self-installation. Agree installation of water meters with a 2-year warranty on all equipment and work is excellent.

We connect the counter with our own hands

Before you mount the accounting device, you first need to assemble all the elements into a single structure. This will allow you to measure the length of the entire structure in order to cut a piece of pipeline of the desired length.

So, first of all, it is necessary to lay out on the floor all the elements of the future system

And here it is important to track the direction of all the arrows on each of the elements.The order of the elements is as follows:

• Stopcock;
• Purification filter;
• Water meter;
• Check valve.

They need to be placed along the flow of water in your plumbing system, that is, horizontally from left to right or right to left, or vertically from top to bottom or bottom to top. They should all point towards the flow of water in your system.

To connect all the threaded sections of the structure, you need to prepare tow, union nuts with gaskets and a special plumbing paste. It is worth remembering that the sealant in this case is not suitable. It tends to coarsen and crack under loads, which in turn will lead to a violation of the sealing of the entire system.

• First we connect the stopcock to the filter. It is necessary to wind it on tow and sanitary paste so that the garbage pipe looks down. In this case, do not strongly clamp the thread, otherwise it will burst under load.
• Now you need to take the prepared union nut and, together with the gasket, mount it on the filter nozzle.
• Next, we fasten the counter to the union nut so that the dial looks up.
• After that, a check valve must be connected to the second union nut, also using tow and plumbing paste.
• It remains to connect the second branch pipe of the meter to the union nut with a check valve. Let's not forget the lining.

When the whole structure is assembled and has the correct appearance, it is necessary to change its length. We set aside the same length on the pipeline and cut off a piece of pipe, starting from the previous shut-off valve, not forgetting to substitute a basin.

Now it remains to connect the entire system to the pipe.If the pipe is plastic, then we simply use fittings to switch from plastic to metal. If the pipe is metal and you do not plan to replace it in the near future, then it is necessary to cut the thread with the help of a lehr, and then connect the entire structure to the pipeline.

At the end of the work, do not rush to abruptly open the taps in the bathroom. It is necessary to unscrew the taps in the sink little by little to avoid water hammer or disruption of the water metering equipment. Only after the water passes through the meter and it starts to wind, you can open the taps to the full.

Mandatory verification

All old water meters must undergo mandatory and regular verification. Metering devices that have not passed it are not allowed to measure, and their readings are not taken when calculating the consumed water.

All water meters sold in Moscow must be entered in the State Register of Measuring Instruments. If they are not registered in it, it is illegal to sell them in stores and install them in apartments.

The frequency of verification is determined by the meter manufacturer. This takes into account numerous regulations that recommend the use of certain measuring instruments.

The term of the calibration interval is indicated in the passport of the meter. It is worth thinking about checking the water meter in advance - a month and a half before the end of the calibration interval.

Verification of an individual meter can be done in two ways: at the place of their installation and in laboratory conditions at the stand.

For verification, you need to invite a specialist to dismantle the device: he will install a temporary insert or a replacement device in its place and record the readings of the dismantled device and the temporarily installed one.

The specialist takes the removed device with him, or you need to take it to a specialized workshop yourself and wait for it to be tested (it can take seven to ten days).

You should definitely report this to the My Documents public services center in your area. This is necessary so that the agency can correctly calculate water charges during this verification period.

After the water meter has successfully passed the verification, you need to re-call a specialist who will install the device and issue a certificate: it will need to be given to the public services center.

Tips for purchasing and registering water meters

mechanical apartment meter.

All devices designed to measure water consumption must have a certificate of conformity. If they entered the distribution network, the certification was passed

You should not focus on this, because after installation and sealing, the company that carried out all the work will be responsible for the devices.

The exception is cases when users break counters by negligence

Devices for metering hot and cold water differ in design. It is difficult to make a mistake when buying - the counter for cold water is marked with a blue stripe, for hot water - with a red stripe. If you buy and install two devices with a red stripe, nothing will happen except that the purchase will be more expensive. But putting the device with a blue stripe on hot water is not allowed. The inspector will simply not allow it to operate.

Before buying, you must make sure that the devices are fully equipped. Along with the meters, connectors with nipples, a filter, a check valve and nuts with gaskets are sold. In the markets, sometimes counters are sold separately, components - separately. Therefore, to purchase such important devices, it is better to choose a specialized outlet.

As for the stopcock, it should have an eye for a seal. If it is not there, it will not be possible to seal the knot. Without an eyelet, you can turn off the water tap, disconnect the pipe section and collect as much water as you like at zero flow. Both metal and metal-plastic stopcock are suitable for the meter. Experts recommend buying and installing an additional faucet on the toilet flush tank at the same time to ensure that it can be used during repairs in the bathroom or in the kitchen.

A very important point is the passports for counters. You should not buy devices for which a passport printed at the printing house is not provided (a photocopy is not good)

In addition, it is important that the serial number on the device matches the serial number indicated in the documents.

When installing counters, some problems may also arise:

• the taps that shut off the water supply to the apartment are out of order;
• it is impossible to get into the plumbing cabinet;
• pipelines have expired.

To solve the first problem, you need to order taps from the company that will install the devices and turn off the water for the duration of the work. The problem with the cabinet is also most often solved by a specialist who has arrived to install the meters. And the old pipeline is best replaced (at least partially).

To register meters, you need to submit an application and information about the owner of the housing: full name, passport details and contact numbers. If the devices are installed at an enterprise or organization, then you need to specify the name, state registration address and contacts. In the application, it is also desirable to indicate the desired timing of sealing. It is also necessary to make copies of the instrument passports in advance. If for some reason it is impossible to carry out the work within the specified time frame, the service company must agree with the customer on a new date, but no later than 15 days after the application is submitted.

In a country house, there may also be a central water supply. There, too, it is best to put the meter on cold water. If there is hot water, then it comes from a boiler or boiler. When installing the device outside the city, it should be taken into account that it can only be installed in a room where the air temperature is not lower than +5 ° C during the cold season. Otherwise, insulation of pipes, the meter and the room itself will be required. The second option is to install a special camera for the counter

The second important requirement relates to lighting. It should be sufficient to be able to carry out maintenance and take readings from the instrument.

Can I install it myself

It has already been mentioned above that residents install meters at their own expense, as indicated in the current legislation. Thus, you need to personally purchase a water meter in a specialized store, invite a specialist installer and pay him for the services rendered. Next, you report to the water utility about the installation. On a call, employees of the water utility or the DEZ come and put a seal on the water meter. This service is free.

For the most part, you can do everything yourself. Nobody will resist. If you have such abilities, take care of the installation yourself.

This will help save some money, but things get worse over time, since you will have to do almost everything yourself:

• buy the device and accessories for it;
• contact the management company and ask them to turn off the water (cold and hot) in the house at your riser, pay a certain amount for turning off the water. The Criminal Code will appoint the date and time of the shutdown;
• install the device yourself, resume the water supply;
• invite an employee of the water utility (or DEZ - it all depends on the region). This employee will put a seal on the device. Next, you need to get the act of putting the meter into operation;
• the final step is to contact the DEZ with an act and a meter passport and register it.

Note! The passport must contain the serial number, the date of verification at the factory, the stamp of the outlet. The Directorate for Building Maintenance will study all the papers, fill out a standard contract, give you a signature

From now on, the meter starts saving you money and water.

The Directorate for the Maintenance of Buildings will study all the papers, fill out a standard contract, and give it to you to sign. From this point on, the meter starts saving you money and water.