The meter spins when neighbors turn on cold water

What to do if the device is defective?

In some cases, and with experience in the plumbing craft, the problem can be solved on its own. In most situations, you need to contact the UK. Only an experienced specialist can solve the question related to why the counter shows more.

Resolving the situation on your own

The consumer can independently try to solve the problem. But in all cases, he needs to notify the Criminal Code about this in advance. The consumer has the right to independently replace the water meter, which incorrectly records the readings of the resource consumption, if it was he who caused the problem.

For this you need:

1. Notify the CC at least 2 business days in advance. The work itself should be carried out only in the presence of a representative of the company. The requirements are fixed in paragraph 81 (13) of the Government Decree of May 6, 2011 under the number 354.
2. Preliminarily establish the exact cause by checking both the meter itself and all pipes, from the bathroom to the kitchen.
3. Turn off the water in the apartment.
4. If the cause was a leak, then it is necessary to tighten the couplings or tidy the shut-off and adjustment valve.
5. If the cause lies in the blockage of the pipes, then the inlet filter is cleaned. This procedure is recommended once every six months.
6. If the cause is a broken water meter, then you need to replace it. To do this, the device is removed with a key in two places (at the inlet and outlet). Gaskets need to be changed. The new water meter is tightened with new nuts that come with it.

Only consumers with sufficient knowledge in plumbing can eliminate blockages in pipes. If during the procedure the water meter was replaced, then the Criminal Code must be notified of the violation of the integrity of the seal.Her representative will also have to seal the new device in the future.

It is forbidden to solve the problem on your own increased water consumptionif it arose for reasons such as leakage in pipes and connections located outside the apartment, excess water pressure and improper circulation of the resource in the DHW system.

Important! In these cases, the problem should be solved only by management companies.

Appeal to the Criminal Code

In such a situation, you should act according to the algorithm:

1. Notify the CC that there is a problem. Do this verbally over the phone or in person. You can write an application.
2. Get a referral. Draw up with him an act of inspection of the water meter, as well as the entire communications system in the house.
3. Sign an act of work aimed at eliminating the cause of increased water consumption.

If the flow meter was replaced during the procedure, the consumer will have to purchase a new device at his own expense. If the old water meter was under warranty, then the management company will have to purchase a new one at its own expense.

Who should repair or change, and at whose expense?

A breakdown of a metering device in an apartment always raises a lot of questions, like: who should change, repair, what will you have to pay for?

If the defective meter is still under warranty, the manufacturer should be contacted to request a replacement or repair. The accounting device will be withdrawn for verification, to determine the causes of the malfunction. The procedure will take a long time, after which an examination certificate will be drawn up.

The decision of the commission will be made in favor of the owner only if the experts establish that the device was used in accordance with all operating rules. However, this rarely happens.Most manufacturers refuse to change or repair the meter. If the company agrees to repair the device, the repair process will drag on for several months. Much easier to buy a new water meter.

Causes of the problem

Depending on the reasons failure The problem may manifest itself in different ways.

If the counter stops spinning, that is, the dial indicator stops, then various malfunctions can cause this:

• failure of the counting mechanism itself;
• breakage of the rotor of the device;
• with a low quality of tap water, the coarse filter may become clogged, followed by the flow element;
• incorrect connection, for example, installing a cold water meter in a hot water pipe and vice versa;
• excessively high temperature of hot water (over 90 ° C), which can lead to the failure of the device;
• outside interference in the mechanism in order to save money with the help of magnets, needles or other folk remedies.

If the meter spins in the opposite direction, then the reasons for this may be a malfunction of both the meter itself and the plumbing system as a whole.

These reasons include:

• incorrect installation of the meter on its own, in which the direction of water flow is confused;
• the absence of a check valve, which is a mandatory element when installing a meter, but often not included in the meter;
• a large difference in the pressure of the pipelines (between the common and individual pipes);
• incorrect installation of the boiler, in which water overflows from a pipe with cold water into a pipe with hot;
• physical wear and tear of the meter.

If a the meter spins disproportionately to the flow of water (too bad), then physical wear of the mechanism or blockage of the flow element may be the reasons for this.

Also, the slow rotation of the counter may indicate the use of a fraudulent scheme using a magnet.

If, for example, such a breakdown was discovered after buying an apartment, then it is worth checking if the previous owner used a magnet to slow down the counter.

This is interesting: What to do to avoid pressure increase in cold water circuit - examine carefully

Instructions - what to do if the device stops winding

If a stop is detected, it is necessary to determine whether the device requires repair or replacement.

It is necessary to inspect the water supply system, identify a leak, tighten the couplings and call a plumber.

You cannot remove the sealed water meter yourself. You can try to lightly tap the device on the side of the case - if there is a small blockage, it will be eliminated and the counter will work.

The instruction when the water meter is stopped begins with the main rule - fixing the readings:

1. Inspect the device for mechanical damage. If they are present, we call the wizard. Self-repair is prohibited.
2. If a leak is detected from under the water meter, rings around it or nuts, we check the taps for working condition, shut off the water supply, tightly tightening the couplings, and contact the plumber.
3. Check the correct installation of the device. There are errors when the cold water meter is put on hot. The dial is fogged up and covered with drops. Here it will be necessary to remove the device, a new seal will be required. Only a water utility worker will fix the problem.
4. If mechanical contamination is detected, the liquid pressure decreases or stops and the impeller stops, you can unscrew the plug with the filter yourself and rinse the mesh that is on the pipe in front of the meter. Then you need to turn on the water so that the dirt with water comes out, and then put the grid in place.
5. If after these steps the meter does not start, we apply to the service company.

Note! If it was not possible to make the meter spin, it is better not to delay contacting the water utility so that there are no extra cash charges for the days without using the meter.

Attempt to "tap" the water meter

This procedure requires the following steps:

1. Open the tap with water.
2. With the back of your hand, gently tap on either side of the device. Began to work - good.
3. It didn’t start - put a filter in front of the counter, close the inlet valve, unscrew the filter plug and clean it.

   A push of water in the opposite direction will be able to start the device.

4. Sometimes a powerful stream of air from a vacuum cleaner or hair dryer is sent to the open faucet of the mixer in order to scroll the counter in the opposite direction - this also helps it to work.
5. If none of the above methods helped, you need to call a specialist and give the water meter for cleaning or replacement.

Stops often occur not only due to blockages, but also wedging of the workings on the impeller.

Attention! Prevention from blockages is the installation of filters during the installation of the water system, as well as a decrease in the pressure of the tap that stands in front of the water meter.

Where to turn if tapping did not help and the device does not work?

It is necessary to write an application or leave a telephone application to the company with which the owner has a service agreement. A specialist will arrive at the appointed time, fix the malfunction and remove the seal.

At the same time, he will issue the necessary documentation and the act of removing the seal in several copies, one of the options for which will be received by the owner.

The device is given for examination, a copy of the conclusion will then be given to the owner. In the conclusion of the examination, it must be indicated that the device was handled with care, without interfering with its operation.

With a positive examination, if the water meter is under warranty, repair or replacement will be carried out at the expense of the service company.

Calling a specialist at home

It is carried out from a mobile or landline phone using the contacts provided by the water utility. At the same time, the recorded readings are reported to the dispatcher.

If you need to write an application, the dispatcher will notify you and invite you to the company. But in practice, first a plumber must come to the call, check the sealing and the operation of the entire water supply system.

Equipment replacement

The water meter must be replaced if the problem cannot be corrected. The reasons for the breakdown are indicated in the act of the examination. A copy of the act is handed over to the owner.

Why is it necessary to monitor the health of metering equipment

The above government decree deals with disputes between service providers and consumers. The use of faulty equipment allows public utilities to legally recover additional funds from a citizen. Moreover, the latter are not a penalty. The logic is this:

1. The citizen is obliged to pay for the consumed resource.This is taken into account by a specialized device.
2. If the water meter is working, then the bill is issued according to the readings.
3. If there is no equipment or it is faulty, then the calculation of consumption is made according to the established norm based on one person registered in the apartment.

Most families use hot and cold water much less than the norm. Therefore, the recalculation will lead to a significant increase in the amounts in the payment.

What happens if the controller detects a breakdown

According to the standards, a control survey of water meters is carried out no more than once every three months. If a problem is discovered during the check, the public utilities will recalculate consumption according to the norm. They will start from the date:

• sealing (if made recently);
• last check.

Each of the operations is accompanied by the drawing up of an act. The specialist will look at the consumer's case and determine when the device was last confirmed to be in good working order. From this date recalculation will be made (for 3 - 6 months). It will be impossible to prove the illegality of such an operation.

In what cases the meter will need to be replaced

The reasons mentioned above can permanently disable the equipment. A new device is installed if:

• the tightness of the case is broken;
• severe damage occurred after a water hammer;
• demagnetization.

A separate condition is the high temperature of the water. This affects hot water appliances that cannot withstand temperatures above 90 ºC and cease to function. The owner can only check the temperature from time to time for compliance with the norms. And report the excess to the management company.

Another factor is the unreliability of the model itself.This leads to premature failure of the counting mechanism or rotor. In this case, the arrow stops responding to the water flow.

The last replacement condition is an erroneous installation. For example, a model released for cold water supply worked on hot water. In this mode, the device will not last long.

What to do if a malfunction is found

Regulatory requirements prohibit independent troubleshooting of the hot water meter. The main element for the management company, proving the correctness of accounting, is a seal. Without its violation, the impact on the equipment is impossible. In any case, the seal will have to be torn off. And if the controller finds one, then the owner of the apartment has problems.

Hint: if the rotating element has stopped, you can gently tap on the body. Perhaps small particles are stuck in the details

Shaking will help push them down the drain.

In other situations, you will have to interact with the management company. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

1. Write a claim for damage.
2. Wait for a company employee who will remove the seal.
3. Dismantle the device.
4. Eliminate the violation in one of the following ways.
5. Return the correct water meter to its place.
6. contact UK with a statement of acceptance of equipment.

The citizen is given no more than a month to eliminate the violation.

How to write an application

The essence of the appeal is to inform about the situation. The application is written in free form. The document contains the following information:

• name of the addressee (available on the utility bill);
• personal data of the applicant in the format:
  • Full name (of the family member for whom the registration is registered);
  • residential address;
• the essence of the problem: a malfunction of the water meter;
• request: remove the seal for repair work;
• date and signature.

The contractors are required to respond within three days.

Employee UK must contact the client and agree on the date of the visit to the apartment by the controller. If for some reason it is impossible to receive an employee on the appointed day, then you should call the dispatch service and reschedule the visit to another date.

Troubleshooting

Water meter repair can be done in any of the following ways:

1. By the supplier, if it is under warranty.
2. On your own (not recommended).
3. By hiring a specialist.

Keep in mind that the repair fee is often equal to the cost of new equipment. It may be more rational and cheaper to purchase and install a serviceable device with a guarantee.

How to return a filling

After mounting hot water meter place, you need to write a new application in UK. The form of the document is also free. It contains the following information:

• the header is similar to the one above;
• The main text should contain:
  • description of the work performed;
  • request for sealing;
• date and signature.

Important: the new water meter will have to be taken to the Criminal Code for verification

The reasons

If you find that your meter is spinning with closed taps, then you should carefully check the water supply system in the house:

First of all, make sure that there is no water leakage anywhere, that is, all pipes, plumbing fixtures and household appliances that work with water are in good condition and do not leak liquid

Usually if any part of this system is leaking, then you have to pay a lot for water consumption.

Pay special attention to the toilet bowl, namely its cistern. It happens that water can almost inaudibly and imperceptibly flow into the toilet in a thin stream and cause the impeller to rotate in the meter, despite the fact that every tap in the house is closed

In this case, a lot of cubes of water will not be wound, but a slight rotation of the impeller in the metering unit can be noticed.

Also note that not all tie-ins into the pipeline after the meter. If your neighbors somehow managed to make such a tie-in, then your meter may spin when the neighbors open a hot or cold water tap (depending on which pipeline the tie-in is made into). In this case, your payments will be many cubic meters higher than your usual monthly water consumption. Although theoretically this is possible, in fact it is very difficult to do this, because in this case the neighbors must have access to your apartment for unauthorized tapping into the pipeline after the meter.

To properly find the reason why your water meter is spinning when the tap is closed, try the following:

1. Tightly close all taps in the house, turn off the water supply to the toilet tank and disconnect all household appliances from the water supply system.
2. If the impeller continues to rotate, shut off the water supply to the apartment using the shut-off valves installed before the metering unit. If the rotation of the device stops, then the cause of the problem lies in your plumbing system and the equipment used.
3. In this case, it is necessary to invite a plumber home who can find the cause and the place where it flows.He will also be able to evaluate the system for unauthorized tapping.
4. If you haven’t consumed as many cubic meters of water before as you did in the last month, try to remember what equipment or technical household appliance you bought or changed during this month. Most likely, the reason lies precisely in it.
5. Sometimes the problem may lie in the faucet itself, or rather the hot and cold water mixer.

Next, we will look at what needs to be done, what to find and get rid of this or that problem of water leakage.

The procedure for replacing meters

The issue with broken equipment is solved in the following sequence:

• The owner contacts the management company.
• At a predetermined time, an employee of the Criminal Code comes, fixes the fact of a breakdown, removes the seals.
• The user purchases a new device, installs it (independently or with the involvement of a professional) and registers it with the Criminal Code.
• The called master puts seals.

But an examination will be required to show that the product has been properly handled.

Regularly monitor the health of the device to avoid overpaying for the resource. At the slightest suspicion of a malfunction, do not hesitate to resolve the issue. This will save you nerves and money.

External signs of damage

All devices and mechanisms can stop working for some reason. Even unpretentious and reliable ones, such as a water meter, sometimes stop giving correct readings. Even if its arrow rotates, clear external signs of a device malfunction may appear.

The sooner the owner or tenant of the dwelling pays attention to them, the faster it will be possible to find a way out of the situation. So, the hot water meter broke

What to do?

Make sure your conclusions are correct.It is necessary to repair or change the device when it is found that:

• during the accounting period, indicators of water consumption have unreasonably sharply increased or decreased;
• the behavior of the pointer indicator when the taps are opened looks clearly abnormal - it either rotates with noticeable delay, or in the wrong direction, or does not move at all;
• the indicator glass is cracked or fogged up. This means that something caused the depressurization, as a result of which the obtained indicators cannot be trusted. We'll have to find and fix the damage.

What are the reasons for the failure of the water meter

Reason #1. Water meter depressurization

In this case, you may notice that the glass of the water meter fogs up or water flows. In this case, it is worth turning off the water (at least 1 hour) and recording the readings of the meter. After an hour, you should compare the readings of the water meter with those already available. If there are discrepancies, it is worth making sure that the taps are tight. In most cases, a malfunctioning shut-off valve can be the cause of depressurization. In this case, the couplings should be tightened, and if the water pipes are leaking, you will have to call a plumber to fix the leaks.

Reason number 2. Incorrect water meter installation

Here you need to make sure that it corresponds to the abbreviations "SVH" and "SVG" printed on the device (they determine which water passes through the water meter, hot or cold). Mounting "cold" on hot water can lead to incorrect readings or failure of the entire device.

Reason number 3. Clogged water pipes

The presence of mechanical impurities in the water can lead to the fact that the water meter will fail faster. This will lead to the fact that the meter will need to be changed to a new one.To avoid this and maximize the life of the water meter, you should periodically clean the filters.

Reason number 4. Water pressure

The readings of the device may not correspond to reality due to excessively intense water pressure (with strong pressure, up to 20 liters flow out of the tap in 1 minute).

Reason number 5. Breakdown of the counting mechanism

If water passes through the water meter, but the water meter does not spin, then this indicates a breakdown inside the device (for example, a counting mechanism or a rotor). It is not necessary to fix such a problem on your own. Repairs should be carried out by a specialized company, and if the water meter is under warranty, then its manufacturer.

Reason number 6. Intervention in the work of the water meter

There are times when users try to slow down / stop the impeller of the device on their own and thereby achieve a decrease in readings. Tampering with the operation of a water meter can easily lead to its breakdown.

Reason number 7. Too hot water

Too hot water can cause damage to the hot water meter. This happens if its temperature exceeds the maximum allowable that the meter can withstand. To prevent this from happening, the user should choose the optimal water temperature and not overload the water meter (the maximum allowable water temperature at which the water meter works properly is 90 ° C).

The obligatory point is the following rule: if the water meter is under warranty, then its repair / replacement in the event of a breakdown is performed by the manufacturer (if there are no mechanical damages on the device). This provision must be specified in the contract concluded with the manufacturer.If the manufacturer refuses to repair or change the meter, then you can safely sue him. Further on the video, you can consider in detail several causes of water meter breakdowns.

The water meter is spinning in the opposite direction

The design of the water metering device is made in such a way that the impeller can rotate in any direction. Unlike gas meters, there is no locking device that prevents the reverse movement of the mechanism.

Reverse rotation is more typical for apartment buildings and can be explained by the following reasons:

The difference in pressure between different consumers in the public water supply system - as a result, a reverse flow of water occurs, with the corresponding operation of the water meter.

• A similar situation when using a hot water tank - with a filled boiler and an open riser, there is a possibility that hot water will flow through the mixer into the cold water supply system. With the correct installation of the boiler, this can be avoided.
• Error during installation of the water meter. A symbol in the form of an arrow is applied to the body of the device, indicating in which direction the water flow passing through the meter should be directed. Sometimes owners install a water meter on their own, not having sufficient experience to perform such work. As a result, often the case is placed in the opposite direction, which leads to incorrect operation of the product.
• Structural wear of water meter elements.
• There is no check valve, some owners, when installing the meter, forget about it themselves.

A similar phenomenon in most cases is possible with a missing or faulty check valve. Such a device must be installed in conjunction with a water meter.But, since the water meter kit does not provide for it, often the consumer, especially when installing the meter on his own, forgets to fulfill this mandatory requirement of the water utility or does it deliberately, out of a desire to save money.

Check valve installation diagram

If a malfunction of the device is detected, it is necessary to call a representative of the management company or water supplier. The specialist will check the device with the drawing up of an act fixing the reason for the deviation from the normal operation of the device, and eliminate the malfunction, if possible. In the absence of a check valve or incorrect installation of the product, the problem is easily solved after installing this device and connecting the meter correctly.

If the water meter is physically out of order, it will need to be replaced. In this case, the owner will have to purchase a new product and put it into operation in the prescribed manner.

In any case, to fix the problem, damage to the seals of the controlling organization cannot be avoided, so it is necessary to act in an official way.

Stopped turning the hot water meter

Knocking is useless - it is unlikely to help. This usually happens due to poor water quality - dirt got into it. Although a filter is installed in front of the counter, it does not pass only large fractions. It is useless to carry the meter for repair: the cost of repair and subsequent verification will be higher than the cost of the meter itself, and it is unlikely that they will undertake repairs. You can remove it and blow it with something, for example, with a compressor, but it is also often effective.If it is possible for yourself or a familiar plumber, which is cheaper, to change the meter, then do so. You buy a new one, call the representatives of the accounting organization, they draw up an act and old readings - then they will calculate the payment at the rate without a metering device (the call is free). Then you change the meter and again call them for sealing, they will seal the new device, take the initial readings and the next receipt will come with new readings. This call is paid, and the tariff is fixed. Do not forget to put a stamp on the counter in your passport with the date of sealing - from this date the date of the next check will be calculated, and not from date of manufacture counter.

Generally-then such a case should rather please than bring some complications to life. After all, you pay for the consumed water according to the indicators of this particular meter. Of course, the correct and legal action would be to call a representative of the organization that gives you this water. It is he who must determine the malfunction of the equipment and decide on its removal. For repair or replacement. Moreover, all this must be documented by the relevant act. Well, how you do it is up to you to decide. After all, you can act according to the law, or you can swindle, saving the family budget. You can declare in a month, in three, in six months.

The beginning of the heating season: influencing factors

The beginning of the heating season is the day when the heating is turned on for the first time. By this time, utilities must carry out all repairs and prepare the heating for switching on. Therefore, usually the state announces in advance what date the first electricity will be turned on.

Previously, the month of October was considered the beginning of the heating season, but over time, people realized that in our country, in different regions, the heating season cannot begin at the same time. The fact is that we have regions where it is warm most of the year, and there are cities where summer lasts only two months. Because of this, the established orders had to be revised.

At the moment, the heating season in each region begins at different times. By law, utilities must turn on heating if the temperature outside has not risen above +8 degrees for five days. However, other factors may also influence the beginning of the heating season.

Factors affecting the beginning of the heating season:

1. First of all, of course, the temperature outside is taken into account. As you already know, heating must be turned on if the temperature outside has not exceeded +8 degrees for five days.
2. Also, weather forecasts affect the timing of the start of the heating season. If they report that cold days will last no more than a week, then the heating may not be turned on.
3. The most favorable beginning of the season is calculated, taking temperature readings several times a day, for five days.

According to these factors, the beginning of the heating season is calculated. The main value, of course, is given to the temperature, which is kept at a low level for a long time.

Contrary to the opinion of many people who argue that it is beneficial for public utilities to turn on heating later than the due date, an incorrect calculation of the heating season is fraught with bad consequences for employees in this area. The fact is that if the heating system does not work in cold weather, then its components can break down.This will lead to the need to make expensive repairs, at the expense of an overlooked service.

What is considered broken

The regulations contain a complete specification of the process of working with hot and cold water meters. This means that the text deals with possible problems in the operation of devices and their causes. So, paragraph 81 (12) contains the following options for the meter to fail:

• not displaying data;
• violation of the integrity of the seals (occurs quite often);
• mechanical damage to parts or the body of the equipment;
• deviation of the measurement error over the allowable;
• the end of the instrument's service life without verification.

Attention: the owner of the premises in which the latter is installed is responsible for the integrity of the equipment. Download for viewing and printing:

Technical problems with appliances and the water supply system

Failure of water meters is not only possible, but also a fairly common cause. It can also give a difference in the readings for hot water and cold water in favor of the first. However, taking into account the fact that this option is assumed by water users in the first place, it is easily checked and quickly detected by a test check with a known volume of capacity and fixing the meter readings “before” and “after”.

If the serviceability of the meters is confirmed, it is necessary to check if there is a flow from one riser to another, which is possible when the pressure in the DHW network significantly exceeds the pressure in the cold water supply (as a rule, this happens). In this case, hot water can overflow through the mixer into the "cold" pipeline, with simultaneous "unscrewing back" and reducing the readings on the cold water supply. In the cold water pipe, boiling water cools down, and then it is used again as a “cold” water resource.

Such "overflows" between pipes are possible in the following cases:

• Misalignment of the F-shaped rubber gasket in herringbone mixers.
• Connecting a hot water heater or hygienic toilet mixer tap without installing a non-return valve.
• A design flaw of some “one-handed” mixers, in which, when the regulator is not completely lowered, the hydraulic flow no longer flows out, but in the absence of isolation of two supplies, flow occurs towards higher pressure.

Symptoms of this problem include:

• reverse winding of a "cold" water meter (if its design does not provide for a limiter),
• an increase in the temperature of the water flush when lowering the toilet tank (with prolonged overflow),
• the possibility of a “hot” jet flowing out of a “cold” tap even from neighbors,
• excess of hot water consumption readings for cold water in the entire apartment - both in the kitchen and in the bathroom.

To eliminate the shortcomings of the system, experts recommend:

• slightly open the shut-off valve to reduce the pressure in the DHW and equalize the balance,
• install a check valve in front of the "cold" meter,
• replace, if necessary, an imperfect mixer system.

Such an improvement in the water supply system of an apartment or house is often accompanied by a simultaneous revision of the overall savings strategy with the installation of water savers, economical cisterns with a double flush system, improved aerator nozzles for the shower.

Read more