The problem of centralized heating is that, no matter how hard the tenants try to insulate their apartment, they cannot pay for the amount of heat actually consumed until communal heating meters are installed in apartment buildings. With the help of various energy-saving resources, you can increase the temperature in the apartment, but this will not help reduce the amount of heat supply payment. The role of common house meters for heating, their varieties and other things will be discussed below.
Common house meter: benefits
This mechanism is used to fix the heat coming directly into the apartment building. What are his virtues?
- The main advantage of a common house meter is the financial benefit - the cost of such a device is quite high for the owner of one apartment, but when the device is installed collectively, the price is divided among all residents, which is undoubtedly beneficial.
- Common house metering equipment significantly increasesIt is the responsibility of each occupant to keep the building warm, which helps reduce damage to common property such as an unlocked driveway or a broken window.
Flaws
Just like everywhere else, meters have their drawbacks:
- The main disadvantage of a common house meter is the high cost of equipment and installation, which will have to be paid by apartment owners.
- During use, the meter may fail, and therefore it is necessary to carry out repairs, the cost of which is also paid by the owners.
- If a common house heat meter is installed in an apartment building, then the owner of the apartment will not be able to save on payments by reducing heat consumption. Payment for the used heat energy is carried out depending on the area of the heated premises.
The importance of accounting for consumed heat energy
From the above, it is already clear that any action aimed at reducing the cost of heating should begin with the accounting of energy costs. Until recently, the norms in accordance with which heat supply was paid were the same for everyone and have been in force since the days of the USSR. Their principle is elementary - the supplier company approved the tariff rate per 1 sq. m. m, taking into account all costs and profits of the enterprise. Calculation of heating according to a common house meter in an apartment building is necessary in order to obtain information on real heat consumption and makepayment according to the information provided. Having a common house node, you can start upgrading the house, since the improvement of thermal data will certainly affect heat consumption, which will be taken into account by the installations. In addition, the introduction of the node will make it possible to remove heat networks, which previously also had to be paid, since this was included in the tariff.
Important! Installed common house heating meters for apartment buildings enable residents to save from 25 to 40%.
The need to install a heat meter
The fact is that since the summer of 2012, the installation of heating meters throughout the Russian Federation has become mandatory, but the amount of payment will only become lower after a number of measures are completed, such as:
- Quality building insulation.
- Full glazing at home.
- Replacing wooden windows with metal-plastic ones.
- Insulation of the facade of the house with a "fur coat" made of mineral wool or polystyrene foam.
Residents who use district heating services need to understand that regardless of whether they consider the installation of meters profitable or not, this does not affect the need for their installation, since, in accordance with federal law No. 261, apartment buildings must be equipped with meters without fail. This law was passed for several reasons:
- Ensure a more accurate and fair distribution of pay amounts.
- Incentivize ownersapartments to treat heat supply more economically. Financial leverage is more effective than persuasion. When a person knows that an open front door or broken glass in the entrance will affect the family's budget, he will take better care of the common property of the residents.
Now the concerns about the condition of the house and entrances have fallen on the shoulders of the apartment owners, and not on the utilities, as before.
Who installs the counter
This question can be answered only after studying the legislative acts in force in a particular state. If we talk about the territory of Russia, then the installation of metering devices is strictly mandatory, and many people have a natural question about who should install a common house meter for heating. The task should be performed by the organization supplying heat to residential buildings, and they are also responsible for maintaining and calibrating heat meters until the residents organize their own association of co-owners.
Important! The organization assumes the main amount of the cost of equipment and its installation, but in the future these costs will be compensated by collecting additional funds from residents over several years.
Installation of a common building meter for heating
You can get information about the possibility of installing metering devices in your management company or in the design office. But you need to take into account the fact that the installation of such equipment is associated with the solution of organizational issues - the owners of some apartments may refuse additionalexpenses.
Sometimes common building meters for heating are installed for general control over the consumption of heat energy in the presence of their own meters in each apartment. In this case, tenants pay according to the meters both in the apartment and in common areas (for example, in the entrance).
Installation order
First of all, it is required to hold a meeting of residents, where a responsible person is selected who needs:
- Get permission from the heat supplier.
- Conclude an agreement with a licensed company to carry out design work.
- Based on the project, determine the cost of equipment and its installation.
- Raise funds.
- Coordinate the project with the heat supply company.
- Purchase appliances and find a contractor to install them.
- Hand over the device for work.
Metering device
Regardless of the type of flow meter units, their principle of operation is similar and looks like this: an electronic calculator collects information from two sources - a flow meter that is built into the supply pipeline, and from temperature sensors. Based on the data received, the calculator calculates the consumed heat, after which the readings of the common house heating meter are displayed on the screen. In the presence of more complex nodes, two sources and a pressure sensor are used.
The main types of counters are distinguished, there are three of them:
- Turbine (tachometric). They definethe amount of flowing coolant with the help of a mechanical impeller contained inside the flow.
- Ultrasonic. Measurements of heat consumption are based on the speed of the water flow through ultrasound.
- Electromagnetic. The consumption of heat energy is determined by changes in the magnetic field, which is formed near the measuring section.
Turbine metering devices are the most economical, but at the same time give the greatest inaccuracy. In addition, they require periodic filter cleaning and frequent maintenance. This type of flowmeter is very sensitive to the presence of suspended solids in the coolant, creates hydraulic resistance to flow, therefore it is rarely used as general house heating meters.
Ultrasonic meters are more expensive, but more reliable in operation and determine the flow more accurately. The device does not require frequent maintenance, does not create resistance, but it needs a certain space (a straight section of a set length in front of and behind it). If not quite clean water flows in the pipeline, then the measurement error increases.
Electromagnetic meters also react to the quality of the supplied water, but very slightly, do not require direct measuring sections. Such metering devices are mainly used in apartment buildings as collective ones.
Connection and verification of the meter
In order to understand whether the installation of a heat meter is profitable, you need to know the exact cost of the equipment and all relatedexpenses. The price of equipment depends on the type of flowmeter. Final price includes:
- Device.
- Accessories for it.
- Installation costs.
Only an organization that has all the permissions required for this has the right to install the meter. After completing all the installation steps, an employee of the company seals it. Further, it is necessary to calibrate the device every four years. The service is paid. As a result, the cost of installing a heat meter increases significantly, but the costs pay off over time due to savings on utility bills.
Who checks the meter
The new technique has already been tested, this is confirmed by the record on the block, and the information is duplicated in the accompanying documentation. Basic verification is carried out at the factory. Upon the next verification period, the owner of the equipment can contact the following organizations:
- To a company that installs common building meters for heating. In most cases, an agreement on further maintenance is drawn up immediately, and the company's employees take care of all issues related to verification.
- To the local branch of the government agency that certifies and calibrates measuring equipment.
- To the service center of the meter manufacturer.
Calculation of heating in an apartment with a common house meter
In this case, accruals occur on the basis of meter readings taken for a specified timeperiod is usually a month.
In the total consumption of heat energy, the part that falls on your living space is calculated, then it is multiplied by the established tariff. The formula for calculating heating according to a common house meter is as follows:
P=Q totalS/S totalT, where:
- Q total - the amount of heat consumed according to the readings of the metering device in Gcal.
- S total - the area of all residential, free and service premises in the house in sq. m.
- S - heated area in sq. m. It does not include balconies, loggias, terraces and verandas.
- T is the heating tariff set in the region.
It is worth noting that the recalculation of heating according to the common house meter should be carried out in any case based on the average temperature regime for the heating season. Then, upon its completion, part of the funds is returned to the tenants as an advance payment for future maintenance or an invoice is issued for an additional payment.
Paying for heating in the summer season
In accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, it is allowed to charge for heating all year round, that is, for 12 months, both in winter and in summer. However, the adoption of these rules depends solely on the local authorities, who have the right to enact them by their decree. For example, on the territory of the Russian Federation there are two orders in parallel - No. 307 and 354. The first prescribes to make accruals constantly, and the second - only during the heating season.
Implement the firstthe method is very simple - the same formulas are used, but the indicators in them are substituted in accordance with the previous year, distributed over 12 months. After that, the standards are recalculated and adjusted, which will be applied next year. On the one hand, payment in the summer period reduces the amount of the monthly payment for utilities, and on the other hand, it makes the entire accrual system complicated and incomprehensible.
Conclusion
Many residents of apartment buildings are familiar with various errors or it is not clear where the numbers that appeared in utility bills came from. Today, when these amounts are very impressive, awareness in this matter is very important, and now you know how the common house heating meter counts. In addition, it is recommended to obtain accurate data on norms and tariffs from heat supply providers in order to check the correctness of charges.
