For a while, utilities were quite affordable, but now they can hit a family budget hard. It will be good if finances remain for other necessary needs. In such cases, you have to save money, and in some situations, install heat meters for heating, since most of the money is spent on this type of utilities.
But how much can you save on such heat metering devices? What are the varieties and is it possible to carry out independent installation or is it better to entrust this work to experienced specialists? Let's try to understand these and some other issues.
The increased cost of heating is forcing many apartment owners to install heat meters. And if earlier they were installed by a few consumers out of need, now there are more people who want to save money. In addition, no one can guarantee that after a while the cost of heating will not rise again. It only grows every year. Thus, it becomes clear that this is a necessary measure.
The installation of such devices as heat meters for heating is also relevant for the simple reason that utilities form tariffs according to approved standards, and not upon use. With the meter, the monthly payment will be calculated at the current tariffs according to its readings.
In addition to the fact that the heat meter allows you to pay in accordance with the readings, it also has some other advantages. Typical benefits include the following:
It is worth considering that installed heat meters for heating in an apartment building do not make it possible to save on heat carrier. Their main purpose is to save money. That is, to make a payment exactly for the amount of heat that is consumed. The size of this savings can range from 25 to 50%.
If there is a desire to install heat meters, it does not hurt to find out what types of them exist. But first, it is worth clarifying that almost any device consists of several components:
The composition for each specific kit is determined and approved on an individual basis.
The rest of the counters are divided into the following types:
In addition, based on the field of application, meters can be residential (industrial) and apartment. Let's consider them in more detail to understand how they work.
The principle of operation of a heat meter for heating an apartment building is based on a phenomenon called electromagnetic induction. The design of the device includes several magnets that create a field of the same name, and a liquid coolant enters it. As you know from school, water is a dielectric only in its pure form, which practically does not happen in nature. A liquid flows in the heating pipes, which contains some elements from the periodic system. This means that it is already a conductor.
When the coolant passes through the magnetic field, an electric current is formed. Moreover, its value is proportional to the fluid flow rate. The resulting current flows through the wires to the computing device. And since the water flow is determined by him by measuring the difference in current values (they are usually small), such devices need to be correctly installed.
But in addition to correct installation, it is important for them to have special operating conditions. The readings will turn out to be inaccurate if the heat meters for heating in an apartment building are poorly connected or additional resistance will arise at the junction of the wires. Also, the readings are affected by the content of iron inclusions in the coolant.
Despite these disadvantages, there are still advantages. First of all, such devices do not in any way affect the flow pressure in the heating system. And the measurement accuracy is quite high, due to which the devices are very popular.
The simplest devices are mechanical, which outperform their competitors. Their principle of operation is easy to understand: a rotating element (an impeller or a small turbine) acts as a meter.
It is set in motion by the flow of the coolant, due to which the flow of water is taken into account. Most mechanical meters are equipped with two flow meters (inlet and outlet), resistance thermometers and a heat meter. If necessary, the devices are equipped with pressure sensors.
Unfortunately, these heat meters for heating in an apartment are not without some disadvantages. First, it is imperative to install a filter in front of the device. Secondly, significant hydraulic losses occur in comparison with other analogs. Thirdly, mechanical meters are most sensitive to the quality of the coolant. That is, if the water is hard, then it is not recommended to use these devices. Otherwise, particles of scale, rust or scale will quickly clog the filter or completely disable the device.
Ultrasonic analogs are distinguished by their high cost and original operating principle. It is based on measuring the speed of passage of an ultrasonic wave through the water column, depending on the flow rate of the coolant. That is, the flow rate is determined by the time it takes for the signal to travel from the transmitter to the receiver. In such devices, it is important that the two devices are located strictly opposite each other.
Despite the high cost, such heat meters for heating in an apartment are in great demand. And all due to the characteristic advantages - pressure losses in the heating system are practically not observed or they are negligible, since there is no resistance to the movement of the water flow. They have high measurement accuracy, which is important.
The disadvantages include some points:
The presence of dirt and scale can greatly affect the final reading of the meter. As practice shows, such metering devices are relevant at facilities with large-diameter pipelines (boiler rooms, for example).
Vortex heat metering devices are distinguished by a special structure. There is a prism across the flowmeter pipe, which is an obstacle in the path of the coolant fluid. In this case, vortices are formed, the number of which directly depends on the speed of the water flow. The number of vortices is recorded by sensors located a little further than the prism. And the faster the flow, the more vortices are formed. This is the basis of the principle of operation of a heat meter for heating of this type.
The disadvantages of these devices are the presence of a prism and the requirement for water quality. Moreover, due to the triangular obstacle, there is a loss of pressure in the heat supply system. This is probably the reason why such meters are less common than others.
Such meters have a small channel diameter, which does not exceed 20 mm. The measuring range is in the range from 0.6 to 2.5 m 3 / h, the accuracy of the readings is very high. They can be installed in apartments or houses with individual heating. The device of any device includes a heat meter and a hot water meter, which complement each other.
The measurement is made based on the flow rate of the heating medium, as well as the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet pipes of the heating. This is done as follows: a heat meter is installed on the water meter, from which two wires with temperature sensors are taken off. One of the sensors is installed on the inlet pipe, and the other on the outlet pipe. As a result, the device, collecting the necessary information, with the help of special calculations, makes an accurate determination of the amount of heat consumed.
Household heat meters for heating are usually installed in industrial facilities or residential buildings with a central heating system. In terms of their structure, they are similar to apartment heat meters. The calculation of the flow rate of the coolant is carried out according to a similar scheme, only not for a separate apartment, but for the whole house or a specific entrance.
Such meters, unlike apartment meters, have a larger channel diameter (about 300 mm), and, accordingly, they are larger in size. But this is where the differences end, in everything else they are similar, including such a parameter as the measurement range.
The installation of household appliances has several advantages. Of course, the cost of such a meter is an order of magnitude higher than an individual one, but in this case, the costs are divided between the residents of the whole house or entrance, which implies a benefit for everyone. The readings of the device will also be calculated depending on the number of residents.
The decision to install house heat meters for heating is usually made at a meeting at which the person responsible for the purchase of the meter and its installation is selected. He is also responsible for collecting the monthly payment and transferring it to the utilities.
The immediate installation process is not that complicated and you can do it yourself. But first you need to draw up some documents so that everything is legally. First of all, you need to contact the house service company to obtain permission to install a heat meter. In addition to the application itself, a number of papers are needed:
Next, you need to obtain TU (technical specifications) from the organization that supplies heat to the building. The document reflects the requirements necessary to connect the meter. It should also indicate the parameters of the coolant (temperature, pressure). This will help determine the choice of device.
A heat meter for heating an apartment should be purchased from a trusted company, which, upon request, can present a quality certificate. In the course of making a purchase, do not forget about the sales receipt and cashier's receipt.
In the future, it will be necessary to develop an individual project and prepare technical documentation. To resolve this issue, it is worth engaging a responsible company. For reliability, it is worth asking its owner whether the appropriate license is available. After preparing the project, you need to coordinate the entire package of documents with the company supplying the house with heat. After that, you can install the device by the same organization that made the project, or contact another. She must also have a license for this type of work.
After installation, a new contract should be drawn up with the heat supply service in connection with the new tariff. It is also necessary for an employee of the management company (housing office or homeowners association) to seal the heat meter and sign the device acceptance certificate.
You can save time and contact one organization for the preparation of the necessary package of documents, which is engaged in such activities. However, this will require significant financial costs, and if there is time, it is better to prepare all the documents yourself.
Installation of heat meters for heating in an apartment building consists of several sequential operations. First you need to flush the pipeline well to remove any blockages. And only after that you can proceed to the installation of the flow part of the device. The device is mounted on a horizontal or vertical pipe section. If the pipe diameter does not coincide with the dimensions of the device channel, use adapters.
The supply device must be positioned so that the direction of the arrow coincides with the direction of the fluid flow. The joints must be tight to withstand a pressure of 1.6 MPa to avoid leakage. To do this, only use new gaskets and seals.
When installing the measuring unit, make sure that there is no water and pressure in the heating system, and the shut-off valves must be closed. It is worth taking care of the installation of ball valves before and after the meter. Care should be taken with this element of the device, which is placed in the flow path.
Finally, it remains to install both thermal converters. One of them is mounted in a measuring chuck, and the other in a sleeve using heat-conducting paste. The installation of heat meters for heating is completed by sealing the device and issuing an acceptance certificate.
Now you can pay for heat according to the readings of the installed meter. Finally, it should be said that it is more rational to entrust the installation to qualified specialists in order to avoid all sorts of unpleasant nuances.
Apartment heating meters allow you to strictly monitor the real consumption of heat energy, therefore, when paying for the consumed heat, significant savings are achieved. When installing an individual measuring device, apartment owners become interested in the economical use of heat resources, as well as in taking measures to insulate their homes. The benefits are so obvious that many are thinking about how to put the meter on heating in their apartment. Naturally, citizens are concerned about the price of the issue, as well as the payback period of funds invested in the installation of a heat meter.
The essence of the meter's work is to take into account thermal energy by measuring the temperature difference and the volume of the coolant flow. There are two main methods for making flow measurements: tachometric and ultrasonic. For each of them, manufacturers produce different types of household meters that can keep track of heat energy. Ultrasonic models are more reliable in operation, more accurate and more durable. Tachometric instruments are inferior in terms of these indicators, and therefore cheaper.
So how much does a heating meter cost? The price of the measuring device itself, including a control valve, filter and shut-off valves, averages about 9,000 rubles. However, to this amount it is necessary to add the costs of installing measuring equipment, which must be carried out by a company that has all the necessary permits for the implementation of this type of service. Therefore, the costs increase to 18-20 thousand rubles.
It looks like a heat meter - the main components
Important! Please note that meters for heating in an apartment must have passports and certificates, like any other measuring device. After the completion of the installation work, the meter must be sealed. It is also necessary to carry out periodic verification of the device. Usually this operation is performed after four years.
Unfortunately, almost all old buildings have a vertical heating pipe distribution system. This means that several risers pass through the apartment and, of course, it is not profitable to put a separate meter on each of them. For such a heating system, manufacturers of metering devices propose to install distributors that measure the flow rate of the coolant based on the difference in air temperatures in the room and on the surface of the radiator. The price of one such distributor ranges from one thousand rubles. Installation costs can be 2-6 thousand rubles, depending on the configuration.
In apartment buildings built in recent years, it is planned to install a horizontal heating pipe distribution system during construction. Therefore, one heat meter is installed in such apartments. Compact models of heat meters are usually mounted on a straight pipe through which the coolant is supplied to the apartment. In some cases, installation on the return pipeline is also possible.
Here you see a correctly set counter
If heat meters for heating are installed by a specialized organization that professionally deals with the design, installation and subsequent maintenance of heat metering devices, then its specialists:
The readings of the heat meter are taken in the same way as from the electric meter. Next, a receipt is filled out, in which the difference in readings is indicated and multiplied by the current tariff. They pay at the branches of Sberbank, indicating the heat supply organization as the recipient of the funds.
A new residential heating meter must be sold with an initial calibration carried out at the factory. Confirmation of the initial verification is a stamp, a special sticker, a corresponding entry indicated both on the device itself and in the documentation accompanying the heat meter.
The next verification of the device is carried out after the expiration of the established calibration interval. Why the owner of the apartment should contact:
Important! Many companies offering the installation of metering devices carry out further maintenance. At the same time, the specialists of the companies undertake the next verification.
When choosing a company for installing a heat metering meter, pay attention to the following points:
It is possible and necessary to tame the growth of tariffs for housing and communal services. And not by complaints to higher authorities, but by real deeds, which include the installation of individual metering devices. If all citizens start paying according to the readings of their meters, then the utilities will have to put things in order in their farms, since there will be no one to write off the losses. Controlling costs and defending their interests will force housing and communal services workers to reckon with each consumer, delivering quality services.
Payment for heating by the meter allows each citizen to save the family budget by channeling the released funds for other purposes. Even the installation of a general house meter allows you to achieve savings, provided that the apartment building is managed by an honest company that competently directs cash flows for the benefit of all residents.
The Constitutional Court has dealt with the payment for heating in apartments. Now, residents of all houses built or overhauled since 2012 will pay according to their meters, and not according to the standards. The norm, due to which everyone was forced to pay without taking into account the readings of the meters in the apartments, was declared unconstitutional. Although it was approved by the government in due time and registered in the housing code.
All this time, the norm violated the rights of the owners, and they overpaid. And one owner did not put up with this, went through several instances, reached the Constitutional Court and achieved justice for everyone. Now the law will be changed, but you can save money now: in some regions for heating
Ekaterina Miroshkina
economist
If there are no heating meters in the house, everyone pays according to the regulations. Then they don't count at all how much energy was spent on a particular house and apartment.
For houses with a common meter, there are two options for calculating payments for heating in apartments.
If there are heating meters in every apartment. All tenants pay according to their testimony. They will not be imposed standards and will not distribute the total amount of resources in proportion to the area. How much heat energy is spent, so much must be paid. Someone left or likes it to be cool - then they will pay less. And someone has small children and a corner apartment, so they need hot pipes, which means they will have to pay more.
If there are no meters in all apartments. For example, if they are not present in at least two apartments, then general readings are taken and divided into all apartments. They do not count who spent how much: the larger the apartment, the more you need to pay. Even if no one has lived in the apartment all winter, you still need to pay in full.
The problem was with those tenants who installed meters for themselves or immediately bought an apartment in a new building with heating meters. For example, according to the law, all houses built since 2012, or if major repairs have been made in them, are necessarily equipped with individual heating meters - each apartment.
And so all the tenants pay themselves according to their testimony. And then their cunning neighbors take and dismantle the meters. And they have no more metering devices and readings.
For those tenants who continued to conserve heat and save money, the payment formula was instantly changed. They could no longer pay according to their readings, because now not all apartments in the house were equipped with meters. And the rules say so: according to your testimony, you can pay only if the meters are in all apartments.
Due to several uneconomical neighbors, the rest began to overpay. Now the readings of the general house meter were divided proportionally for all apartments.
It is this rule that one of the tenants of such a house decided to appeal. He did not want to overpay because of the neighbors and went to the authorities. He demanded that the management company recalculate the heating bills for him and take into account the readings of his meter. The man was denied everywhere, even in the Supreme Court. Everyone said the same thing: there is a law, there are rules, they must be observed. Sorry, sorry, we can't help, because of the neighbors, you will pay not only for yourself, but also for that guy.
It is possible to appeal to the Constitutional Court not with any complaint and not for any reason, but there were grounds for it. This time the owner asked to recognize the formula for calculating heating unconstitutional. It turns out that due to the cunning of some people, others suffer - economical and law-abiding. And the current legislation infringes on their interests.
Here are the conclusions made by the Constitutional Court:
Bottom line. It is necessary to change the law and rules. Those who have heating meters should pay according to their readings and not depend on cunning neighbors.
So far, the law has not been changed, but the conclusions of the Constitutional Court are already valid now, before the amendments.
If all apartments in the house were originally equipped with heating meters, and then one of the tenants dismantled it, then payments will be calculated as follows.
For apartments with meters- according to individual indications. Now it doesn't matter that the neighbors don't have them, although they used to be.
For apartments without meters- according to the standards. That is, not even according to general indications, divided into all apartments, but as if there is no meter at all in the whole house.
No, the decision of the Constitutional Court applies only to those houses that have been rented or renovated since 2012. They are legally required to have meters, and residents are required to keep them. Those who have not saved will now pay.
If there were no heating meters in the house and everyone paid in proportion to the area of the apartment, you simply cannot install a meter and pay according to your readings. For such cases, the formula from paragraph 42.1 of Regulation No. 354 will continue to operate. So far, it has been recognized as illegal only for specific cases with cunning neighbors.
No, everyone will have to pay for general household needs. The Constitutional Court also considered this issue.
He explained that it is important for everyone to heat the entrance and non-residential premises. This is done not only for heating, but also to maintain structures and communications in good condition. Even if the tenants have left for the whole winter, they still have to pay for the maintenance of the common property. Due to this, the house will have serviceable pipes, dry walls and reliable floors.
An individual metering device cannot show how much heat energy was spent on general household needs per apartment. Therefore, they are guided by general counters. It is impossible to refuse to pay for heating for general house needs, to recalculate it at the time of departure - too. Everything is legal here.
The payment calculation formula will not change. It will simply be clarified or a new one will be added, especially for houses that should already have meters by law. If your house is not one of those, you cannot force all tenants to install meters: you need to hold a meeting, and then pay for it all. Installation of meters in apartments is always at the expense of the owners. By law, there is an installment plan, but it depends on the management company.
In order for everyone to pay according to the counters, the management company must carry out work. It is her duty under the law: to make the house save resources. Therefore, it is best to start by contacting a management company. They will explain what to do in order to pay on the meters even for heating. But counters by themselves will not appear in apartments.
It always makes sense to deal with payments for utility services. Even if it is not possible to install heat meters in apartments, it may turn out that you pay for the whole house according to the standards, although there is a common meter
Heating bills have become more and more daunting in recent years and we really want to reduce them. Perhaps, at the moment, the only way to save money is to put a meter for heating in the apartment. But this is not always possible - this is the modern legislative framework.
Heating charges in recent years have become more and more, and many are thinking about installing a meter for heating in an apartment. This is possible if your house has a common house heat metering unit and the management company / TZhS / ZhEK keeps records on individual meters. The second condition is horizontal heating distribution in the apartment. Unfortunately, most multi-storey buildings have vertical wiring - in every or almost every room there is a riser from which radiators are powered. With this type of wiring, meters will have to be installed on each riser, and this is not cheap and this event will pay off for a long time.
If you are fortunate enough to have horizontal wiring in your house, it is certainly beneficial to put the meter on heating. How much depends on how much heat loss is in your apartment. If the apartment is "internal", has few walls facing the street and / or these walls are insulated, if there are plastic windows or wooden, but new and windproof, if the doors are insulated - the benefit can be very large. After installing the heat meter, it may turn out that you pay only a small part of the previous charges on a general basis.
But that's not all: at the moment, heating bills will be charged by individual heat meters only if they are installed and put into operation in 100% of residential and non-residential premises of the house. This is real only in new buildings, which are handed over immediately with metering devices. In other homes, such cases are extremely rare, which casts doubt on the appropriateness of the installation.
To install a heat meter in an apartment for the heating season, you need to start acting ahead of time, better before the end of the heating season. The procedure is as follows:
The whole process may take two to three months or even more - therefore it is better to start acting in advance in order to be in time before the start of the heating season. In principle, in every more or less large city there are organizations that will do all this for you, but their services are far from cheap.
If you need the names of the regulations governing the conditions for the provision of utilities, here are the regulations in force today:
The procedure for calculating payment for heat, determining tariffs - all this is determined by the regional authorities, in order to know exactly how things are in your region, you need to study the regulatory framework of your specific region. The only thing that is valid throughout Russia is the need to install metering for general house meters.
In fact, this is a difficult question - there are different types of heat energy meters and the procedure for taking readings from them is very different. It is described in detail in the instruction manual, which you should have.
By the way, according to the latest decree (No. 344 of 04/16/2013), you must not submit your testimony every month. You must do this every six months, and the organization must recalculate according to the testimony you provided.
The primary verification of the meter for heating in the apartment is carried out at its factory, which is mandatory for a mark in the product passport. A note is also made on the front panel of the instrument. The frequency of further checks depends on the type of meter, the calibration interval is also recorded in the passport. On average, it is 3-5 years.
If your thermal energy meter needs to be put in check, it is better to do this immediately after the end of the heating season, since the procedure can take several months. Before removing the meter, you need to notify the UK / HOA, they will come and record the readings. Then you can remove the device. After verification, you put the meter back in place, call the UK again, wait for them to come and seal the meter. At this point, the verification can be considered complete. It remains only to figure out where to give the heat meter for verification. There are only three options:
An individual heat meter can be verified in any of these organizations. Beforehand, you can inquire about the terms and prices and choose the most suitable option.
There are several types of heating meters for the apartment. Each of them has some flaws, there is no ideal, but you still have to choose. Let's take a quick look at the characteristics and features of each type:
When buying a meter for heating in an apartment, pay attention to the fact that it has a quality certificate, which should contain data on its verification. There should be the date and name of the organization that performed the verification.
Summing up, it is worth saying that the meter for heating to the apartment is beneficial if you have eliminated all possible heat leaks.
Nikitina Svetlana, Leading Specialist for Individual Heat Metering, Danfoss LLC
The relevance of the introduction of individual metering of heat energy consumption is obvious not only to specialists, but also to residents of apartment buildings. Heating tariffs are constantly growing and the only way to save money is to start regulating heat consumption and pay for individual appliances. Experts are well aware that the housing stock consumes almost twice as much heat as in Europe. And this problem also requires a solution.
The law provides
Individual accounting became mandatory with the adoption of Law No. 261-FZ “On Energy Saving”. Part 7 of Article 13 prescribes the mandatory installation of individual heat meters in new construction and reconstruction from January 1, 2012.
The provisions of the federal law detail the Code of Rules SP 60-13330.2012 "Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning". According to Clause 6.1.3, “In residential multi-apartment buildings, it is necessary to provide for commercial metering of heat consumption in the internal heat supply systems for the building, as well as metering and regulation of heat consumption for each apartment; in buildings with a vertical distribution of the heating system, it is necessary to provide for the organization of apartment heat consumption metering (installation of radiator heat distributors and other similar devices). "
Room-by-door accounting can be achieved in two ways. In buildings with horizontal distribution of heating systems - by installing apartment heat meters at the input to each apartment. In buildings with vertical wiring - by installing radiator distributors on each radiator. Other methods and developments known among specialists are not yet suitable for mass adoption.
Features of radiator distributors
The advantages of radiator distributors are ease of installation and maintenance, reliability, lack of direct contact with the coolant and a long service life (10 years or more) without intermediate verification.
The disadvantages of these devices could be attributed to an indirect method of measurement, which does not directly measure the amount of heat consumed, but only the share of consumption of each room in the total amount of heat consumed by the entire building. In this case, ideally, for the correct distribution in the same units, the shares of all rooms should be measured, since only in this case it is possible to accurately recalculate these units into physical units of heat, based on the readings of the general house device.
When installing the distributors, the types and sizes of the heating devices on which the distributors are installed must be recorded in writing. These data are used to determine the radiator coefficients for each heater provided by the distributor manufacturer. The radiator coefficients must either be directly programmed into each valve or taken into account in the calculation for each room in the software. This procedure has been worked out by every manufacturer, but it must be followed exactly.
The existing methods in accordance with the "Rules for the provision of communal services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings" (approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354, with subsequent amendments and additions) allow up to 50% of unequipped premises in calculations for distributors (in relation to the total area of the house). Such a norm, of course, introduces errors in the calculation of individual consumption values. This assumption is justified only by the impossibility in practice to equip with devices and collect readings from all 100% of the heated rooms of an apartment building even with automated reading of readings. This is especially true of the already existing housing stock, built before the entry into force of Federal Law No. 261.
First there was a modernization
In general, there is a special conversation about the old housing stock. Unfortunately, in the overwhelming majority of apartment buildings, not only individual metering is missing, but also weather regulation at the entrance to the building, and individual regulation in the form of thermostats on heating devices, and balancing of risers, and, often, commercial metering at the entrance to buildings.
Without all this equipment, setting up individual metering is meaningless. At the same time, the whole range of measures is quite costly. In terms of one apartment, this can amount to several tens of thousands of rubles.
Such modernization requires special financial and organizational schemes, for example, energy service. The process today is hampered by the lack of affordable lending, special funds for targeted support of these activities, and an unfinished regulatory framework. Weak self-organization of residents of apartment buildings and an insufficient number of competent specialists in housing and communal services also limit the practice of modernizing existing housing.
In this direction, further concerted efforts of residents, the state, business and specialists are needed. Danfoss is doing a lot in this direction, organizing training seminars for specialists from partner companies, advising government agencies, and educating end users. We call on everyone who understands the importance and relevance of these events to cooperate.
When the law is bypassed
In new construction, the introduction of individual accounting is going on actively, despite the fact that in a number of regions, developers manage to bypass the provisions of Federal Law No. 261 under various pretexts. One of such pretexts was the alleged lack of technical ability to install individual metering devices with vertical wiring, since the distributors were not interpreted as metering devices.
The Ministry of Regional Development of Russia, at the request of the Department of Urban Development Policy of Moscow dated August 12, 2013, explained that the set of distributors installed in an apartment building are individual metering devices, since they allow determining the amount of consumption of each room, subject to the availability of a common house device. Thus, distributors should be installed in new buildings with vertical distribution of heating systems. The same applies to buildings under reconstruction.
Settlement rules
After the commissioning of buildings equipped with individual heat metering devices, the question of organizing calculations arises. With individual heat meters, everything is simple: they show the direct heat consumption in each apartment. A little more complicated, this process is organized by distributors.
The legal basis for such calculations is the "Rules for the provision of communal services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings." The document contains the necessary formulas and defines the procedure for payment for heating by individual devices, including distributors. To calculate payments, the software of management companies and settlement centers must be adapted to such a calculation scheme.
As a solution, Danfoss LLC offers software for its devices that allows you to maintain a database of readings of individual devices, read these readings, recalculate into physical units of heat for each apartment, print the results of calculations in various forms - including an individual calculation of an apartment ... This software is provided free of charge and has a flexible output file format and can be easily integrated into various systems. To master the accounting system based on Danfoss equipment and software, regular free training seminars are held for specialists of management companies and service organizations.
The question often arises of what to do when payments for heating are charged not by the management company, but directly by heat supply organizations, in the presence of direct contracts with residents. The answer is contained in the "Rules for the provision of utilities". In this case, the heat supply organization acts as an executor of the heating utility service, and all rights and obligations of the contractor apply to it (Section IV of the "Rules"). In particular, the contractor is obliged to take into operation individual metering devices (including distributors) installed in apartments and charge them in accordance with the "Rules".
Thus, heat supply organizations that conclude contracts for the maintenance of houses in which distributors or apartment meters are installed must ensure the conduct of calculations for individual devices - install the necessary software, send specialists for training, ensure the reading and charging of payments in the prescribed manner.
Commercial accounting and apartment accounting should not be confused here. Under the definition of commercial accounting in accordance with the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, only accounting at the border of the balance sheet between the supplier and the consumer falls, provided that the consumer has receiving devices connected directly to the supplier's networks. Residents of an apartment building do not have such devices, they are available only at the entrance to the building. Therefore, the "Rules for the commercial accounting of the coolant", but only the "Rules for the provision of utilities", do not apply to apartment accounting.
Application features
It should be noted a number of shortcomings of the "Rules" that emerged in practice when introducing individual accounting. Paragraph 42 (1) (in accordance with the amendments made by the Resolution No. 344) states the following:
“In an apartment building, which is equipped with a collective (common house) metering device for heat energy and in which not all residential or non-residential premises are equipped with individual and (or) general (apartment) metering devices (distributors) of heat energy, the amount of payment for a utility service for heating in residential premises are determined in accordance with formula 3 of Appendix No. 2 to these Rules based on the indications of the collective (common house) heat energy meter. "
Accordingly, formula 3 from Appendix No. 2 contains the calculation of the consumption of an apartment by its area based on the average indicator for a common household appliance per 1 sq. meter of area of apartments at home Thus, if all 100% of the readings of individual devices are not collected, then their readings are not accepted for calculation. In practice, any management company can confirm that 100% of the readings are almost never obtained. With this approach, the installation of individual devices actually makes no sense, since calculations on them cannot be carried out.
In the case of distributors, the "Rules" provide for an additional requirement in clause 53, which prescribe at the end of the year to adjust payments taking into account the readings of the distributors (according to formula 6 of Appendix No. 2), which ultimately allows an economical return of the saved funds, and "wasteful" apartments - to charge additional payments for excess consumption. However, in the case of apartment meters, no further adjustment is required. In our opinion, this situation should be corrected as soon as possible, since it conflicts with Federal Law No. 261 and prevents the normal course of implementation of individual accounting.
Deficiencies in calculation formulas
When calculating by distributors, apartments without appliances are calculated by area according to the average consumption per 1 sq. meter. This does not stimulate residents to install and maintain the safety of devices. In fact, in apartments without meters, as a rule, they do not care about saving and consume obviously more than the average household. Consequently, they are underpaid, and their payment falls on the apartments with meters. As a result, some apartments with meters - not the most economical ones, but those who have installed appliances - will have to pay more than apartments without appliances.
This situation could be corrected by introducing increasing coefficients for apartments without appliances - at least for those buildings in which individual appliances were installed during construction or by the decision of the majority of the inhabitants of the house. The coefficients can be entered according to the same scheme that was introduced for the apartment metering of water and other energy resources. This would restore fairness in payments and encourage residents to install appliances in their apartments.
We see another drawback in the absence of a share of common house costs (unregulated costs), distributed by area, in the formulas of Appendix No. 2 for distributors. The fact is that, in contrast to water supply, the share of such costs, not measured by distributors and not regulated by residents, in heating systems is quite large - at least 30%. This is especially true for vertical one-pipe heating systems with non-insulated risers, in which apartments receive a significant share of heat from the risers. In European standards, it is recommended for such heating systems when using distributors to increase the share of unregulated (fixed) costs in the calculation formula up to 50%. This increases the accuracy of the calculation and eliminates situations when the apartment is heated from risers and may not pay for heating.
Despite these shortcomings, which undoubtedly require adjustments, the "Rules" nevertheless oblige and make it possible to switch to apartment registration in houses equipped with distributors. Residents have every right to demand the transition to individual registration in those houses where the necessary equipment is installed.
