Installing water meters

Each consumer of water from the central water supply system can have a separate meter, whether he is a resident of an apartment or a private house. In the absence of a meter, special coefficients are applied, which significantly increase the water fee. But many citizens even before the law came into force installed such a meter, because it really saves money.

The increased coefficients for those who did not want to install meters will be just to finance the installation of meters for people with disabilities. In addition, the meters do not need to be installed and the tenants of emergency buildings.

If you are not completely convinced of the economic feasibility of installing a meter, you can do a little arithmetic. So, if there are four people officially registered in the apartment, but two people live there, you should not doubt the advisability of installing a meter. In this case, you pay the average amount of water for each registered person. If you use 5 cubic meters of water per month, you will have to pay 20 or more. Even if the actual number of residents is the same as the number of those registered, you usually have to pay about 20-25% less. Of course, this is with economical use of the resource.

It may not be profitable to live more people than the number of people registered.

The layout of the apartment affects the amount to pay for water. In some multi-storey buildings with a Soviet layout, there are 2 separate pipes for the bathroom for cold and hot water, 2 more for the kitchen, and 1 more for the toilet. The meter is installed on each pipe, in which case you need to install 5 meters for 1 apartment at once. Of course, this option is not cost-effective and will never pay for itself.

Many buildings have a common meter installed on the main line. The principle of charging fees in this case is as follows. From the amount of water consumed, which is shown by the total water meter, the volume used by the owners of apartments with individual meters is deducted, and the remaining water is divided among the rest of the house consumers. This is not quite fair, because some spend more water, and some spend less. In that case, having your own water meter is a better alternative.

Owners of private households need to think carefully about what is more profitable for them. After all, in the summer, many people irrigate garden plots, small vegetable gardens with water from the central water supply. During such a period, the meter will calculate quite a large payment.

But in the other months there will be significant savings.

A variety of water meters today is very large, and to choose the right one among them is not so easy for the average person. Experts recommend buying mechanical turbine devices. There are also electronic meters, but they cost more and often break down. And if the repair of such a counter is impossible, then it is required to replace it, which means going through the installation procedure from the beginning, including walking through the state instances.

Absolutely all meters differ in their design, adapted only for cold or hot water. They are marked in blue and red for this purpose, so it is impossible to get lost here.

When the meter is installed and sealed, the owner of the home is responsible for its performance.

You should not buy expensive models, because they all count the amount of water in the same way. Making a purchase, you should pay attention to the equipment. Together with the main device must be a filter, connecting elements with nipples, nuts, gaskets and a valve. Chasing the cheapness, some citizens are buying kits at markets, which then turn out to be incomplete. Therefore, it is recommended to go only to trusted stores.

Attention is also paid to the passport of the product. It must be printed, with a stamp of the manufacturer and a serial number that matches the number on the product. Without such a passport it will be difficult to pass the inspection of the state authority.

Installation of the meter is engaged in special organizations. The cost of their services varies and depends on the following criteria:

1. The model of the device.
2. The method of installation.
3. Features of installation.

Depending on them, the cost of installation ranges from 1.5 to 4 thousand rubles. For legal organizations, the price will be higher by about a thousand rubles. Some categories of citizens can count on discounts (pensioners, the disabled, military personnel), or even completely free installation (residents of municipal buildings, receiving subsidies and others).

Since you often have to install more than one meter, many people prefer to perform this procedure on their own. And it is not strange, because there is nothing complicated about it. Much more time and headache is spent on obtaining permits from government agencies.

Many people legitimately have a question about whether it is possible to install a water meter for one pipe. Most often prefer to install a meter only for hot water, which is used less than the amount charged at the standard rate. For cold water it is not installed, because it costs much less, and the installation of the counter for it may not pay off soon. This option is quite possible, because there are no prohibitive regulations in most regions.

The standard scheme of installation consists of:

1. Shut-off elements.
2. Cleaning filter.
3. Counter.
4. Check valve.

How and in what order these elements are mounted is influenced by the condition of the work site, the section of the pipe, the availability of space and so on.

The above sequence is used for horizontal and vertical sections. In the latter case, the water comes from the top down, so the tap is mounted directly in front of the meter. This is stipulated by the regulations, because the impeller of the device must always be in the water.

As a rule, there is nothing complicated about installing a water meter. But in some cases, without the help of a specialist can not do. Such a case may be the presence of 2-pipe DHW or fire hydrant, greatly complicating the installation process. A specialist can be called from the local water supply company or private organizations, which are available in all large cities.

If you decide to use the services of a specialist to carry out the installation, you should make a careful selection. The fact that the contractor can be trusted is evidenced by such facts:

1. License to operate. If it is there, you can assume that the contractor's employees have the required skills and have special tools.
2. Work warranty. Qualified contractors should provide a warranty for the work performed, under which they undertake to make free repairs in the event of a system failure.
3. Documentation. Documents should be provided on the work performed, namely a deed or contract, under which the service is then conducted.

Contractor with a valid license, responsible for the correctness of all work. If necessary, the client can demand full implementation of their obligations from the company. Applying to them guarantees a fast and correct installation of a water meter in accordance with the law.

After all the work on the installation of the meter is completed, an acceptance certificate is drawn up. It lists all the data about the device, the water consumer and the installer. The document is signed by all the participants. In addition to it, the homeowner is left with:

1. The technical passport of the meter.
2. The act of checking the meter. It additionally specifies the date of the future inspection of the device.

To check the device, it is necessary to remove it and take it to a specialized company. This procedure is carried out once every 4-6 years.

Before installing the meter with your own hands, we advise you to watch the following video. In it you will learn about the basic principles of installation.

Self-installation of the meter consists of the following steps.

In total, there are three such requirements:

• According to the first, the meter must be protected from various debris and large particles that are in the water. To do this, a coarse filter is installed in front of it, increasing the service life of the device. In addition, the meter must be on the list of approved for use.
• According to the second requirement, it is necessary to install a check valve after the device, so that no one can let air into the water pipe, thus blowing the filter.
• The last requirement is the sealing of meters, which is carried out by employees of the water supply company. They also check that all the work is done correctly.

The device should be placed as close as possible to the entrance of the pipeline into the room. An experienced specialist will be able to quickly determine the place of installation. To solve this issue in an apartment is easier than in a private home. As a rule, in apartments, the standard place of installation is the toilet. But in the house counter should be located at more than 20 cm from the exit pipe from the surface. Special requirements are in the presence of the water well, which is also sealed.

Before the meter is installed, a filter is connected to the meter, followed by a non-return valve. Without the latter, it is not possible to put the water meter into operation. It is necessary to make sure that there are fasteners, nuts, seals and special tools. Also, check the tightness of all pipes, reliability of the shut-off valve.

The installation process depends largely on the state of the plumbing itself and the materials of the pipes. Much easier if it is plastic or polypropylene pipes, which are easily cut and connected with a special soldering iron. In this case, the installation consists of the following steps:

• in a pre-marked place the pipe is cut and the meter is connected. In this case, the water meter with a blue mark is placed on the cold pipe, with a red - on a hot pipe. Binder is used to seal the joints;
• The place of the counter thread is measured;
• Excess pipe parts are discarded, threaded or mounted fitting. Soldering iron is connected plastic sections;
• disconnect the check valve from the meter and screw it to the pre-prepared end of the pipe;
• finally connect all elements of the meter to each other;
• unscrew the previously closed water tap to check for leaks.

If there are no water leaks, then the installation of the device was successful. You only need to have it sealed by a water utility specialist. As a rule, after the application, the specialist comes within a few days and fairly quickly draw up an act. To do this, the customer should prepare documentation about the installation, the passport of the device in advance. Responsible employee writes down in the act readings of the water meter, conducts sealing and draws up a contract for the service. From that moment, the client begins to pay for water according to the meter.

In some cases, there are problems with the plumbing or the meter itself after installation:

1. Poor water pressure. This can be caused by a clogged filter. Do not clean it yourself, because you have to tear off the seal. For this purpose, a water utility specialist is summoned.
2. Accidental breaking of the seal. If you accidentally break the seal, you must report it to the water company on the same day. You will have to pay a small fee for a new seal. But if a specialist during a routine inspection discovers a breakage, then there is a big fine.
3. High water consumption. Some users notice that the meter counts an exorbitant amount of water consumption. In this case, the customer is entitled to an unscheduled free inspection of the system.

Thus, the water meter is a necessary device in apartments and private homes to save money. You can install it yourself, after obtaining the necessary permits and making thorough preparations.