Like any measuring equipment, a water meter needs to be verified. The error and the overall performance of the counter in many modes are determined. It must work stably in various conditions. At the end of the verification, a conclusion is made about the possibility of continuing the operation of the named device.
The verification procedure in Moscow is understandable and based on norms that explain its meaning. A list of specialists who have the right to carry out verification has been determined.
Applications continue to be received regarding the expediency of installing the above-mentioned installations and about their verification on time. A message appears that the water device diagnosis has already been cancelled. Each of these points deserves a separate explanation.
Periodicity
It is necessary to explain what the verification of water meters consists of. This is a metrological process, thanks to which a resident operating an ISP of water receives legal documents for its further use.
The water meter can last up to twelve years. But the whole period should be carried out diagnostics. Carrying out work with the counter hot water held once every four years, and cold - every six years.
It must be borne in mind that the countdown of the operating time is not from the date of installation, but from the moment of production. The first verification takes place at the manufacturing plant. In some cases, an extraordinary procedure is needed. To do this, you need to apply to a specialized office. They will review it and take the appropriate steps.
Law
People are often interested in why such meter check intervals appeared. This happened in the winter of 2004. Then the Moscow government issued Decree No. 77-PP. It talks about improving measures to save resource consumption. It was said that the meter for cold water, according to the State Standard, is checked at least once every four years, hot - at least five years. The verification of cold water meters in Moscow began to be carried out precisely according to such rules and a decree on the timing. Gradually, these terms began to be practiced constantly. If a person did not check the water meter according to the defined rules, he received a payment with the existing standards.
The question immediately arose: what kind of Gosstandarts did Moscow officials refer to in 2004? Legal practice has shown that there is no exact explanation for this. Rosstandart says they have no data on inspections of Russian and foreign water meters. As a result, the previous verification dates were canceled from the beginning of 2013. The prosecutor's office found that the analysis was illegal. The main supervisory authority was able to change these rules.
Now the calibration periods of meters are set by the manufacturer. By the way, they often coincide with those that were once introduced by officials. That is, the same rules that we wrote about above, corresponding to the Gosstandarts promulgated by Moscow officials.
Verification procedure
There are several options for measuring device performance:
- The first one is being phased in. A specialist from the organization that manages your housing comes and creates a temporary bow instead of a water meter, prepared by the master initially. The replacement operation requires the presence of the owner of the water meter. The device itself is transferred to a specialized metrological service, where it is served by doing . The wizard then returns it to where it was originally mounted. All relevant documents are handed over to the owner.
- Another method involves replacing the used water meter with a verified one. This process guarantees less money spent. In this case, the customer must understand that the newly tested unit was in operation. This reduces the time and guarantees of its work.
What to do after verification?
Many citizens have heard that someone canceled the verification for some reason. There is a lively discussion about this in society today. And if there is doubt, then there will always be those who will not carry out these actions. You can leave it to their conscience and speculation. But there are facts that are not in doubt.
Representatives of various companies operating housing in the housing and communal services system argue that the verification of water meters is mandatory. Its absence is a signal that the readings of the device are considered invalid. This entails an increase in cash spending on the services of supplying organizations.
The payment for the used water will be charged according to the standards. per living person. As practice shows, such accruals can be made retroactively. The norms given by housing office managers in Moscow do not take into account real consumption, which is what the meter does. For this reason, the rules for when payment for water will be charged are not so important.
The statute of limitations is now three years. The office operating the housing can withstand this time, after which it will present the recalculation to the owner who has not done the verification. And this will result in a large amount of overpayment for water consumption.
Cost of services
In order not to spend extra money from the family or enterprise budget on idle, most residents purchase an IPA for themselves to save resources. They make significant savings. People pay for the actual water consumption according to the meter. In its absence, payment is made according to the norms that are presented independently of the residents by the management company.
Water meters - a mechanism that calculates the amount of water used in an apartment or house. This device pays off literally within a year, and helps to save a significant amount on paying for cold and hot water. However, simply “install and forget” the meter will not work - according to current laws, it must be checked regularly. In this article, you can learn how to calculate the calibration period for hot and cold water meters, what to do if the period has expired.
What is verification?
Verification is a procedure for checking a water meter, which must be carried out within the time limits established by the regulations. Like any mechanism, this device has its own service life, during which manufacturers guarantee its accurate operation. At the end of this period, the meter must be checked for accuracy of reading data and technical safety, otherwise the housing and communal services will not be able to consider the readings of the device as valid. If during the check by specialists the meter shows a small error within the limits indicated in the passport, then it can be left and used until the next verification. Otherwise, the device must be replaced.
What is a verification interval?
This is the time period during which the data provided by the device will be considered reliable by the management company and invoices will be issued based on them. The calibration interval, according to the latest legislative acts, is set by the meter manufacturer. Factors affecting the operation of the mechanism include:
- the principle of operation of the counter,
- features of its design,
- operating conditions - in particular, a device designed for metering hot water has a shorter calibration interval, since it can be affected by various impurities used in the supply of hot water.
IN Russian Federation tachometric counters are now most commonly used, The frequency of verifications is:
- 4 years for hot;
- 6 years for cold water.
Nevertheless, these terms must be clarified according to the instrument's passport, especially when it comes to a foreign-made counter.
How to calculate the calibration interval?
A common mistake is to count this period of time from the day of sealing, or from the date when the device was installed.
The beginning of the calibration interval is the day of the previous calibration. If the meter has not been used before, verification takes place at the factory to confirm readiness for operation. This date can be seen in the meter's passport.
That is, if you buy a device that was manufactured 3 years ago, then the time for its verification is much closer than that of a meter manufactured last year.
Is it possible to not be trusted?
No you can not. Verification provided normative documents on the counter, and also spelled out in the laws in force on state level. If the verification date is overdue, then all data provided by the meter after it is considered invalid. Invoices by the management company will be issued according to the average standard, and the total amount per month may exceed your usual amount by 3-5 times.
If the verification made after a few months confirms the device is in good condition, these several months will not be recalculated according to the readings, the payment for them will still be calculated for the first three months - according to the average readings, and for the subsequent ones - according to consumption standards per person.
Who is obliged to warn the owner about the approaching verification period?
Nobody is obliged. Many service providers maintain such records and they may, but are not required to, this is the responsibility of the consumer under applicable laws. Therefore, it is better to look into the device passport in advance, and mark the date of the upcoming verification on the calendar.
How to make a trust?
You can perform this procedure in three ways:
- Through the municipal water supply. To do this, you will have to dismantle the device, the verification of which will be carried out in the laboratory.
- Through an accredited company. In this case, you can also dismantle the counter and bring it to the laboratory, where a check will be made in 1-2 days. During this time, the company will provide a replacement for the device.
- Also, through an accredited company, you can order verification of the meter at home without removal. Such companies use professional mobile equipment, and all procedures are carried out with the signing of the necessary documents.
Make sure that the specialist put a mark in the device passport about passing the verification!
After verification, you can forget about this procedure for 2 years - until the next date. Be aware of different calibration intervals for different meters.
Video: Checking water meters at home
When water meters are installed in the apartment, you want and must be sure that their readings are correct. To do this, check them in a timely manner. This is a standard procedure by which the level of error is determined.
The manufacturer provides a warranty for the manufactured device. Over time, the equipment wears out and simply shows incorrect numbers. To avoid overpayment, after the period specified by the plant, it is necessary to carry out control measurements - verification.
This is done by organizations that have accumulated extensive practical experience and are accredited to carry out such work. IN Russian legislation it is written that all individual appliances control of cold and hot water must be checked for accuracy.
The date of checking water meters in Moscow is set by the manufacturer. On average, control is carried out 4 and 6 years after the water meter left the assembly line, but perhaps more, for example, despite the fact that you have a foreign mechanism. Of course, it all depends on the brand of your unit.
As well as intertest distances are indicated in the technical guide. This document is included in the kit, or is handed out by the organization that produced it.
Additionally, the inspection periods relating to water meters are established by law and are prescribed in the commissioning act. This paper is also issued by the company that did the installation work on the territory of your apartment.
How is the procedure carried out?
Two ways:
1) The equipment is removed and just in time transferred to the meteorological laboratory directly by the owner. It's long and expensive. You need to do the following:
- Record indicators.
- Remove the unit.
- Take the "controller" to the laboratory.
- Fill out an application and make payment.
This method should be resorted to only in extreme cases, as it will take you too much time and money.
2) At home, without replacement and removal. To do this, you need to call an accredited specialist. He will do everything on his own and on time, using a portable verification station. After completion of all work, the metrologist will provide you with an official conclusion on the operability of the installation, the reliability, and correctness of its data. If the indicated error does not exceed the permissible threshold, then the life of the water meter is extended for a certain time.
When the device is installed in the dwelling, the following data must be given to you:
- installation contract;
- verification agreement;
- act of commissioning.
It is advisable to conduct independent monitoring of water data. Monthly check the correctness of all data. After all, no one wants to pay. Moreover, the funds spent cannot be returned. This is an important factor .
If you find the slightest inconsistencies, a sharp deviation from the norm, immediately call the master and, if necessary, replace the faulty meter on time. This applies to both hot and cold faucets.
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 interval 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.
Cold water meter verification period
The frequency of verification of water meters is determined by the manufacturer. Today, it is virtually identical to the calibration interval and for cold water IPU in the vast majority is determined at 6 years.
Here, too, one can say, as well as about a hot one, that if they don’t believe him, then the citizen will be expected to spend extra money. In other words, people are starting to pay more for water, according to the standards that the management company will indicate in the payment papers.
Service life of meters according to GOST
The process of functioning of water equipment is regulated by various regulations. The calibration interval for meters of cold and hot water supply of domestic production is fixed by GOST and, accordingly, is measured 4 years - for hot and 6 - for cold. For imported models, this period can be extended for water up to 7-8, respectively.
Some time ago, the time intervals for verification were established by various laws and regulations. But since 2017 in Moscow, the frequency of verification of cold and hot water meters has been established by technical documentation, which is issued together.
It makes no sense to be ironic about GOSTs. Also, rather complex mechanisms should not be confused with sausage. In their production, it is not enough to simply have specifications. This is a whole process that provides for strict accuracy of execution. The maximum possible operating conditions of products, their testing in various modes of water heating are taken into account.
The main types of counters
We have already indicated the verification dates and expiration dates of the meters above. The only thing that can be added is that occasionally an imported model is also indicated by a shelf life of up to 15 years. But this is rather an exception to the rule.
To fix the amount of cold and hot water, the same types of flow meters are used.
There is almost no limit to the variety of domestic and imported hot and cold water meters today. Choosing the right metering device of appropriate quality is half the battle. But for the water meter to work long years ok, it needs to be installed properly.
Today, over 500 types of such equipment of all types are represented in Russia. If desired, you can put the unit with remote transmission of readings.
When buying a water meter in Moscow (it is clear that there is more choice in the capital than in the regions), keep in mind that these water devices come in different accuracy classes - the simplest and "advanced".
Why keep the deadlines for checking water meters? After all, no one will know that you did not submit your meter for control on time. In fact, such a number will not work. After installation, you refer all available documents to the Criminal Code or the Homeowners Association of your home. These departments strictly monitor the frequency of verification.
If the deadlines are violated, then you will definitely be informed about this and asked to correct the situation and carry out all activities as soon as possible by any convenient method. Therefore, this issue must be approached as carefully and responsibly as possible. Remember, verification is not a recommendation, but an obligation, which is indicated in legislative framework. If you ignore the work, non-compliance with the established time periods, certain sanctions may be imposed on you.
As for the shelf life of water meters, each manufacturer determines it himself. On average, the manufacturer indicates a figure for hot and cold water - 12 years, provided that the verifications are carried out on time.
But sometimes the real time is greatly reduced, for example, due to poor water quality or a simple filter.
What to do if the verification of the water meter is overdue
What threatens the owner if it is overdue and what to do in this situation? After all, starting from the day of verification, the principle of payment for water supply will change and the consumer will be transferred to payment according to the standard tariff.
It is necessary to write an application for verification to the water supply organization and explain in it why this was not done on time for years.
A master will come to you and examine the IPU, after which he will draw up an act of verification.
There can be no penalty for the very fact of untimely verification. However, if it turns out that the IPU recorded the flow of water is much less than the amount that actually flowed through the taps, the owner faces an impressive fine.
If the water meter is operational, continue to use it. Otherwise, of course, it will have to be replaced with a fresh one.
And in order not to create similar problems for yourself in the future, it is better not to forget about the deadline for the next work on checking cold and hot water meters. To do this, simply attach a piece of paper with the control date next to it.
Do you have questions about meter verification?
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