Calibration time for cold and hot water meters: calibration intervals and rules for their implementation

What is verification and why is it needed

If the device has not passed the official check in time, its readings are considered invalid.

The procedure is a metrological process for determining the characteristics of the meter, the compliance of the error with the technical requirements. If the device has successfully passed the test, a special holographic sticker is stuck on it - a verification certificate with a validity period.And it can be used further. Or a conclusion about unsuitability is given.

Water meters are subject to two types of examinations:

• next, carried out after the expiration of the certificate and the calibration interval of water meters;
• extraordinary, which is appointed if there is a suspicion of a malfunction or incorrect operation of water meters, if the seal is broken.

The procedure is performed in one of two ways. The first involves a full test in a certified laboratory and is carried out in several stages:

• an authorized installer arrives at the house, removes the meter and installs instead of it a pipe section prepared in advance in size - an insert;
• the water meter is delivered to the metrological laboratory, repaired, cleaned and verified;
• the calibrated device is installed at the insertion point.

This method is mainly used for conducting an extraordinary audit. The owner must be at home for a specialist to have access to the installation site of the water meter.

The second option is used when the verification period is approaching the end. Control over the timeliness of the next verification and accounting of water meters is carried out by the metrological service of the management company or service provider. Checking the water meter is the responsibility of its owner, the consumer must independently initiate it. If the tenant refuses to do this, payment for water is charged according to the standards for each person registered at the address.

Hot water meter verification period

What is the calibration interval of water meters? Simply put, this is the date determined by official documents, until which the water meter must be checked without fail.In the absence of verification or its official confirmation, citizens get themselves the problem of charging them money for providing a resource in accordance with the standards adopted in the housing and communal services system. That is, the equipment begins to be considered inactive.

Recall again: for hot water monitoring devices, the test period is usually set at 4 years. For some foreign manufacturers, it may be a year or two more. Why this time period is shorter for hot meters is explained by the fact that, due to the more aggressive environment, they have higher wear of the materials from which they are made.

When is an early replacement of a meter needed and what is needed for this

The reasons why, despite the fact that, according to the technical characteristics, the service life has not yet expired, but the water meter needs to be replaced, may be different, for example:

• the device is out of order, this is manifested in the fact that the impeller continues to spin with the tap closed and, naturally, the water consumption indicators increase significantly;
• · after the next verification, the water meter did not pass the tests, and its further use was prohibited;
• · The water meter is damaged due to accidental mechanical impact on it (for example, during repairs in the bathroom).

In addition, the homeowner, on his own initiative, can change the meter to a new one ahead of schedule. So if, for example:

• · the term for checking the water meter has come up, instead of waiting for the conclusion of its suitability for further operation, he has the right to install a new device, which takes less time;
• Makes redevelopment in the apartment.

The procedure for reinstalling a water meter ahead of schedule is similar to replacing a meter at the end of its service life.

What to do after the expiration date?

Even if it seems to you that the device is working properly, at the end of its operational period, in order to avoid trouble, so that it does not come as a surprise when making payments for the consumption of hot or cold water, that a recalculation has been made according to the standards, taking into account the number of residents, it is necessary to replace it. When choosing a new water meter, there are no mandatory requirements that it must match the modification with the previous device.

The law does not restrict the right to use the meter according to the manufacturer's brand, cost and other technical conditions.

Responsibility for replacement cold and hot water meters after the expiration of the service life, the user himself shall bear the responsibility for a new one. In this case, you must first apply for a replacement meter, attaching copies of documents confirming the right of ownership or use of housing, a technical passport for a water meter. You can reset your device:

• · on one's own;
• using the services provided by some housing and communal services.

Before putting in a new device, as a rule, an employee of the management company takes the last meter readings, records information about the integrity of the seal. In situations where the reinstallation is performed by an employee of the management company, at the end he will seal the new device.

If you coped with the problem of replacing the meter yourself or with the help of third-party specialists, you need to agree on the day and time when a company representative will come and seal the new device.

Note

Sealing of devices is a free procedure. As practice shows, the management company requires pre-payment of existing debts for water.Legislatively, this is not established anywhere, but until the meter is registered after sealing, the services rendered will be counted according to the current standards, without taking into account the readings of the device.

Timing

The verification procedure must be carried out within a clearly defined time frame.

But there is a certain snag here, since the terms for checking hot and cold water meters can be different, and are set both at the federal and regional levels. There are two main requirements at the federal level: verification of cold water meters should be performed every 6 years, hot - once every 4 years.

The difference is explained by the fact that meters for cold and hot water operate at different temperatures and, although they are generally similar in design, the materials used are different. In addition, a meter working with cold water is less exposed to destructive effects, while a meter measuring hot water is constantly affected by high temperature, which causes an increased degree of wear.

Of course, checking on different dates may not be very convenient, so sometimes consumers decide to check the cold water meter ahead of time, simultaneously with the hot water meter.

And here we come to an important nuance: the prescriptions of the legislation on the terms are not used as a hard rule, but only as a recommendation, which it is desirable to focus on IPU manufacturers

The fact is that Government Decree No. 354 indicates that the verification period can be set by the manufacturer, and for some devices this period is longer, sometimes it can reach up to 8 years, or even up to 15 years.If your device has a longer calibration interval, then at the local level a decision is made to focus on it

But it is still important to keep track of when the deadline will end so as not to miss time.

The terms established by the manufacturer are indicated in the passport of the device, sometimes in other documents - the indication of the terms in the documents attached to the meter is mandatory. Still, periods that are very different from the recommended ones are quite rare, and are primarily characteristic of imported devices. Not all of them are approved for use and included in the register of the State Standard - take this carefully so that you do not have to change the meter to an approved model.

Let's highlight one more significant nuance: although it is sometimes believed that the period for verification should be counted from the date on which the meter was installed and sealed, however, in reality it is counted from the date of manufacture of the device. The fact is that after manufacturing, verification is immediately carried out, and in fact the countdown is carried out precisely from it.

Therefore, when purchasing a stale device, it should be borne in mind that its verification should take place much earlier than the period specified in its passport. The exact date by which it will need to be carried out is easy to calculate: the instrument passport contains the date of the previous verification, and you just need to add the verification interval specified in it or other attached documents to it. This will help you not to overstay and complete everything on time.

7. Question: How to increase the service life of the meter?

Answer: Each apartment includes a pipe with cold and a pipe with hot water. Sometimes there are two such inputs: one in the bathroom, the other in the kitchen.A water meter is installed on each incoming pipe - as a rule, a mechanical (vane) one, with a nominal diameter of 15. We open the tap - the meter spins, close it - it stops.

Our advice:

1. In order for the meter to last longer, it is recommended to install a strainer in front of it;

2. in order for the counter to measure more accurately, it must be located as prescribed by its instructions;

3. and, of course, a hot water meter must be installed on the hot water pipe - these are usually “marked” in red. A cold-water meter (they are blue-marked) on hot water will quickly fail.

Individual metering devices

Saving money with meters has spurred most homeowners to switch to them rather than pay the standard.

This is due both to increased availability and to the deliberate actions of the authorities, spurring a complete transition to the consumption of all resources strictly according to individual metering devices - this leads to considerable savings, because consumers begin to treat them more carefully. As a result, the load on the housing and communal services systems becomes lower, and their maintenance is cheaper.

However, there are certain inconveniences associated with the use of IPUs - one of them is the need to periodically change them, and check even more often to make sure that the meter is working properly and you can get reliable data.

IPUs are installed in the apartment in the following order:

• An application is submitted to the company that manages the house to install a meter and further conduct calculations in accordance with its testimony. A copy of the certificate of ownership or lease agreement is attached to the application.
• An agreement is concluded for the installation and maintenance of IPU with an organization licensed for this activity.
• You need to buy and install a meter. The user will have to pay for both. He can independently choose a counter, but only from among those entered in the register of the State Standard.
• The commissioning certificate is drawn up and signed by the parties, a control seal is installed - after that the meter is officially installed, and the managing organization, starting from the next day, will have to charge a fee precisely according to its testimony.

After installation, the homeowner has the following responsibilities:

• Repair and replacement of the apartment water meter if necessary.
• Carrying out verifications with the necessary frequency will depend on which model of the IPU is installed.
• Providing the management company with the opportunity to check the data regarding the consumption of resources. Typically, such checks are carried out every six months or a year, the inspector records the readings of the device, after which they are compared with those indicated on the receipt.

What to do in case of loss of the meter passport

It often turns out that the passport and other documentation on the water meter is lost. This can happen through the fault of the owner or in the case of buying an apartment, if the previous owner did not transfer the papers in full.

To resolve this issue, the consumer must contact the management or utility company. Perhaps these organizations have documents for this device or will help restore the papers.

An alternative way out of the situation is to send a request to the manufacturer of an individual meter.

• the name of the model indicated on the dial of the water meter;
• the individual number of the device marked there;
• data from the device seal supplied by the manufacturer;
• close-up photographs of the product and places of applying factory seals;
• contact details.

After clarification of all circumstances, a duplicate of the passport can be sent by mail to the address of the applicant.

It is important for the user to know the timing of the upcoming verification of water meters, since in the event of their expiration, the meter readings are invalidated. But it is necessary to take a responsible approach to the choice of the contractor so that the utility organization does not have questions about the legality of performing these works.

Types of verification

The service life of water meters is approximately 10 years, but about half of them fail in the first 4-6 years. This is the basis for the values ​​of the calibration intervals. Many foreign manufacturers indicate long calibration intervals for their products - up to 10-15 years, but in this case the principle "more often, less often - not" applies.

Of great importance is the date of verification of water meters, more precisely, from what period the interval countdown began. Verification can be done in different ways and under different conditions. It depends on the reasons for its implementation, the type and on who exactly produces it. There are the following types of verifications:

Primary

This verification is carried out by the manufacturer in the factory laboratory. Devices that do not pass such tests are considered defective and are not sold. Those who have passed verification are sent for sale with the appropriate marks in the passport about the time of work, the recommended value of the verification interval, etc.

periodic

the device is disconnected from the water supply network and delivered to the laboratory, where it is verified according to a certain method.

The results are recorded in the passport of the device - either with a mark on the date of verification, or by canceling the previous stamp and a record of the unsuitability of the device for use.

There is another option - outbound. It is more convenient for users, since it does not require disconnecting the devices from the water supply network and delivering them to the laboratory - the specialist himself comes to the house and performs all the necessary actions. At the same time, it is necessary to check their eligibility - sometimes such actions are performed by scammers.

In quarantine, you can not check devices

Regulations that determine the need for verification of water, electricity, gas, heat meters:

1. Housing Code of the Russian Federation, namely, art. 157, which states that the owners of residential premises must install metering devices.
2. Federal Law No. 102-FZ dated June 26, 2008. It establishes the unity of all measuring instruments, the protection of the rights and interests of citizens from inaccurate measurements.
3. Rules for the provision of utilities to owners ..., approved. Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of May 6, 2011 No. 354 (Rules 354). They describe in detail the procedure for charging fees for the consumed resource, the obligation of the consumer to independently install the metering device, monitor it and carry out its verification.

However Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 04/02/2020 No. 424, amendments were made to a number of regulations regarding the provision of utility services and the calculation of fees for their consumption.

It is important to know that innovations do not establish the complete abolition of previously existing norms, but only temporarily suspend their operation. The main innovations that affected Russian citizens:

The main innovations that affected Russian citizens:

1. The verification of all measuring devices until the beginning of 2021 has been canceled, even those who knew in advance the expiration of the calibration interval.
2. The operation of the norm regulating the special procedure for charging fees under the law on a meter whose verification period has expired has been suspended.
3. All penalties in 2020, which were supposed to accrue for late payment for consumed communal resources, as well as garbage disposal services, have been canceled. That is, if the consumer did not pay the receipt on time, fines and penalties will not be charged.

The need to adopt these innovations was due to only one goal: to reduce the spread of coronavirus infection. Public service workers, along with consumers, could become carriers and spreaders of this infection. Therefore, the authorities adopted these relaxing regulations.

How much and where to order?

Payment for the assessment of the correctness of the instrument readings depends on several reasons:

• on the type of the meter itself, it is indicated in the technical data sheet;
• on the degree of deterioration of the device, affecting the method of verification (with dismantling or at home);
• from the choice of the company carrying out the work (for commercial organizations, the prices for verification services are higher).

The range of prices for verification services is significant. Prices also depend on the region of residence of the consumer.

In the case of a laboratory check, taking into account cleaning the filter and correcting the internal structure of the device, the calibration service can cost on average from 1,500 to 2,000 rubles, including dismantling the device and reinstalling it.

In state-owned companies, working from home usually averages 500-650 rubles. Commercial organizations may request more.

Reference! Usually, accredited state organizations from Vodokanal carry out verification inexpensively.

More information about the cost of verification and at whose expense it is carried out can be found here.

How much does the procedure cost?

The cost of the service depends on a number of factors. For the consumer, it can be carried out free of charge or for a fee, but with the subsequent right to reimbursement of expenses.

But this only applies to cases where the tenant is not the owner of the apartment in which the DHW meter is installed. If a citizen lives in a municipal apartment, then the municipality will have to pay for the verification of meters.

If a tenant rents a house, then it is not he who is obliged to pay for the verification procedure, but the owner, that is, the landlord.

If the consumer is the owner of the apartment, then for him the verification service will be paid. Its average cost is 400-600 rubles. This applies to checking water meters without removal.

If during the procedure it is expected to dismantle the device, then its cost will be higher (from 800 to 1200 rubles).

Legislation on water meters in housing of citizens of the Russian Federation

Legislation on the installation of water meters, their service life and the procedure for their replacement. Photo No. 1

Water meters are the main metering device for water entering citizens' housing through pipelines. Based on the indicators from the water meter display, the formation and calculation of utility payments takes place.

If such a meter is not available in the apartment or private house of a particular citizen, then the latter harms, first of all, himself, because in this case, the calculation of the amount payable for water entering his housing is carried out according to the average in the Russian Federation, which is often higher than that amount than the citizen himself consumes.

More precisely, the current legislation of the Russian Federation states that:

1. The water meter must be replaced if:

• according to the results of a qualified check, the metering device was recognized as unsuitable for operation;
• the technical documentation attached to the water meter determined the need to replace it due to the expired service life (in such a situation, it is permissible to check the device for normal operation and, if it is proved, then the meter can not be changed for another certain period);
• the homeowner decided to change the water meter for his own reasons (repair, redevelopment, etc.).

Conditions for replacing water meters. Photo #2

1. There is no general obligation to replace and check water meters in a timely manner. In this regard, the legislator only gives recommendations on the use of metering devices, and also determines what will happen if citizens do not adhere to them. That is, any resident of the Russian Federation has the right to refuse a paid check of the water meter in his house, and the inspectors, in the presence of such circumstances, have every right to recognize the device as unsuitable for use and not take into account its readings when calculating the cost of utilities for water supply. Such a measure, by the way, is unprofitable for the citizen himself, because the calculation in such a situation will be relative and extremely subjective.
2. Inspection and replacement of water meters should be carried out at the initiative of the citizens themselves and at their own expense. As noted earlier, any citizen of the Russian Federation has the right to refuse these procedures. It is also worth noting that in some regions of Russia, meters are checked by management companies for free, but this practice, unfortunately, is quite rare. Replacement of metering devices is always carried out by homeowners at their own expense. The legislation of the Russian Federation does not provide for any benefits and state support in this aspect of the housing sector.

This is interesting: How is the agenda of the general meeting of owners of an apartment building formed?

In terms of the operation of water meters, the legislator also does not oblige citizens to do anything, but again gives some recommendations. In general, they consist in the fact that it is desirable for a citizen to:

• use only serviceable water meters;
• not make any changes to their design that could adversely affect the accuracy of their readings;
• timely check and replace water meters.

The procedure for checking water meters

How are water meters tested? Since it is necessary to carry out verification only with the help of special equipment, not everyone knows that verification can be carried out not only in stationary conditions, but also on the spot.

To carry out work, citizens independently choose an organization that has the necessary permits.

How to replace a water meter?

1. Before starting work, it is necessary to take care of turning off the water, having coordinated this with the Housing Office;
2. Provide access to water pipes;
3. Pipes must be in satisfactory condition;
4. Taps (valves, ball valves) must completely shut off the water in the apartment.

Verification can be done in several ways:

• With the removal of metering devices
• Without removing metering devices

If the verification will be carried out by a specialized company, then you should call the plumber serving the house to remove the meter. The dismantled device will be put into operation, drawing up an act of withdrawal, indicating the brand and serial numbers. You need to have a document for a water meter with you - a passport and your passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation.

For the verification procedure, they use special calibration settings that allow you to accurately verify the correctness of the readings.

Read the article who is eligible for subsidies for housing and communal services here.

After receiving back his accounting equipment after some time, from several hours to several days, the consumer will receive the following documents:

1. Agreement on the installation of water meters;
2. Certificate of completion;
3. The act of commissioning a water meter;
4. Passport for a cold water meter
5. Passport to the hot water meter
6. Certificate for counters
7. Maintenance contract.

A water meter recognized as unsuitable will have to be changed, a serviceable one must be installed in its original place and used until the turn of the next check comes.

There are methods in which the removal of meters is not required - verification will be done right on the spot.

It is necessary to make sure that the company is accredited, and its employees have attestation.

How is a water meter checked? We invite you to watch the video.

Of course, this verification method is extremely convenient. Representatives of the company will contact the supplier themselves and remove the issue of verification. The consumer of the service will receive a paper on the date and results of the procedure.

This method also has disadvantages. In order to make an accurate calibration, about 250 liters must pass through the device connected to the tap. water, for which the owner of the apartment will have to pay.

If an error is found on the water meter, you will not have the opportunity to repair or correct the device on the spot. The device will still have to be removed.

The order of the procedure

Verification is carried out in several stages, involving:

• selection of documentation for the water meter;
• calling a controller from a communal organization to record readings;
• dismantling the product and handing it over for inspection or carrying out work on site, without removing the device;
• obtaining documentation confirming the fact of verification and installation of the meter.

More details about the features of the work.

Documentation

The consumer is required to prepare the following documentation for an individual meter:

• manufacturer's passport with a mark of commissioning;
• an act confirming the fact of installing the meter;
• certificates of previous verification, if the work is repeated.

It is also necessary to verify the integrity of the seals of the manufacturer and the controlling organization on the meter itself and the connection points.

Controller call

An inspector will need to be called if the product is to be dismantled for delivery to a verification company.

The phone number can be specified in the concluded agreement on the provision of water supply services or in the management company. An additional source of information is reference sites on the Internet, representing the telephone numbers of the municipal services of the locality.

At the time of dismantling the meter for verification, payment is made according to the average payments for the use of water during the previous three months. But if the consumer does not timely worry about extending the life of the water meter, the amount will be calculated according to the standards that take into account the number of people registered in this living space, which is significantly higher than payment according to the readings of an individual meter.

The representative of the controlling organization records the current readings of the meter, with the preparation of the relevant act, after which it is allowed to dismantle the device to transfer it to the verification company.

Carrying out work

Verification can be done in two ways:

• providing a removed meter to a company providing such services. This will cost the consumer about three hundred rubles and take from several days to two weeks;
• by calling specialists at home to carry out verification without dismantling the product. Such services are somewhat more expensive - from 800 to 1700 rubles.

The work is done by the owner. The cost of verification is the same for metering devices operated in cold or hot water supply networks. If a specialist is called to the house, the owner, in addition to preparing documentation, must provide free access to the device for testing.

If in the end it turns out that the meter does not meet the necessary requirements, the owner will have to purchase and install a new water meter. In this case, it will not be possible to avoid dismantling the device.

Checking the water meter at home:

Checking the water meter in the company:

At the final stage, you need to include the document

The results of the equipment check are confirmed by the following documentation issued to the owner:

• a certificate indicating the permissible service life of the product until the next verification. The document is certified by the personal signature of the employee who performed the work and a special verification mark;
• an act of work performed attached to the contract for the provision of relevant services concluded between the customer and the trusting company;
• entry in the product passport.

The listed papers, including the original passport of the water meter, must be submitted to the consumer by the management or supply company.

After that, the device is installed at the place of operation, with the preparation of the relevant act and the imposition of seals.

What is more profitable to replace the meter or to check the device:

In what cases is it necessary to replace a water meter instead of checking

The frequency of verification of cold and hot water meters is 4 or 6 years, however, situations often arise when replacement of the IPU is required.

Foundations

Replacing a water meter instead of a scheduled check is carried out as follows:

1. Failure of the device, about which it is necessary to notify the Criminal Code or the HOA. The application should include information from the device at the time the breakdown was discovered.
2. Preparation by the consumer of a notice on the date of dismantling of the unit. This must be done in the presence of an employee of the organization.
3. The mechanism is being replaced. Manipulations can be carried out by the same employee of the Criminal Code or directly by the owner of the premises, since a license for such work is not required. You need to purchase a suitable device and take it to registration with the managing organization.
4. Drawing up an application for the commissioning of a water meter.
5. Checking the installation of the device, sealing and registration of the act.

After these actions, the individual meter is considered to be working, and it is allowed to be used for settlements with RCO.

Grounds for refusal of commissioning, i.e. when a replacement is required instead of a check:

• does not work;
• non-compliance with standards;
• incorrect installation;
• incomplete set.

The nuances of checking cold water and hot water meters

The consumer has the right to refuse to check the DHW and cold water meters. But in this case, a replacement for new devices will be required. Such a requirement is established so that inspection, installation and dismantling have a similar price. The regulation is enshrined in the current laws of Russia. Therefore, in order to avoid overpayments, experts recommend immediately changing to a working meter.

For replacement, you need to contact a special organization that will record the readings and remove the seal. Only after these measures is it possible to eliminate the old IPU.

At the time of the procedure, the owner must submit papers for an apartment or a lease agreement, checks for payment for utility services. Otherwise, the verification or replacement of metering devices will be denied.

Self-inspection and troubleshooting of the water meter

The fact of the installation is recorded in a special journal. An employee of the Criminal Code or HOA installs a seal on the unit, enters the testimony in the register. In the future, all accruals for maintenance are carried out according to information from the new equipment.

As a rule, about 85% of the devices to be checked are faulty. If the consumer installed the device a long time ago, then you need to independently monitor its condition and control intervals. It is noteworthy that installation of a new meter happens faster, and the cost of services will be the same as checking with a third-party company.

Selection of a new meter for cold water and hot water

The period of checking water meters does not begin from the date of installation and commissioning, but from the date of release from production. The information is on the box.

Therefore, the purchase of a water meter that has been in a storage warehouse for 1-2 years entails submitting an application for verification after 24-36 months. Therefore, the owner, when buying measuring devices, must first of all carefully study the date of production, thereby leveling premature expenses and contacting the management company.

Often, during the verification process, the master issues a verdict about the malfunction of the mechanism and the need to replace it with a new unit. In this case, the procedure can be carried out on the spot.