Water supply in houses and apartments is monitored by meters. They have their own operational resource. When this period ends, they need to be verified or replaced with a new device. The question immediately arises: how to change water meters in an apartment yourself. A specialist is expensive. But at the same time, it is not profitable for companies that install or verify meters to have residents install them themselves. Therefore, sometimes companies create additional difficulties for tenants.
Is it possible to change the device in the apartment yourself?
A sealed water meter cannot be replaced independently without notifying the management company .
In accordance with paragraphs. “g” clause 35 of the Rules for the provision of public services, approved by Government Decree No. 354 of 2011, owners of residential premises cannot break the seal without the permission of the authorized organization.
Therefore, you will definitely have to call a housing department employee to remove the seal. Only after this can you replace the water meter yourself.
As for the initial installation, when the device is not sealed, there is no need to call a specialist before dismantling the equipment. The location for the device must meet the technical requirements. Subsequently, you will need to call a housing department employee.
A representative of an authorized organization will conduct an inspection to ensure there are no violations of operating rules. If there are no complaints, a mark is placed in the registration certificate for the IPU and a seal is placed on the meter.
What to do after replacement
To register a newly installed water meter, the owner must contact the Unified Information and Settlement Center or the management company. If the management company has entered into an agreement with the tenant to accept papers for registering water meters, it acts as an intermediary, transferring the documentation to the EIRC.
After the documents are accepted, the readings from the device can be used to pay for consumed water.
Documentation
The owner is required to prepare the following papers:
- factory passport of the device;
- commissioning certificate;
- installation agreement and work acceptance certificate, if the initial installation was carried out;
- act of replacement - if instead of the old one, a new meter is installed;
- certificate of conformity - it must be provided by the organization selling the device along with the passport documentation. A copy of the certificate can be found on the manufacturer’s website; sometimes this document is included in the meter’s passport.
You can find out about the number of copies of documents and the more precise composition of the package of papers by calling the EIRC or the management company.
Rules and procedure for reinstalling a meter yourself
The sequence of actions, features of reinstallation and putting the device into operation are determined taking into account one important fact: whether the device is sealed or not.
Sealed
The general sequence of actions for replacing a sealed meter includes the following steps:
Selecting a suitable device.- Preparatory measures consisting of shutting off the water and notifying the housing department.
- Selection of necessary tools and materials.
- Dismantling the old IPU.
- Installing a new device.
- Commissioning.
To more fully understand the features of the procedure, each stage should be analyzed separately.
What types of water meters are there?
For housing in Russia, it is recommended to choose a tachometer counter. Its advantages:
- has lower requirements for water softness and pipe condition, which is especially important for Russian conditions, therefore it will last longer;
- compact size;
- insignificant error of indications;
- ease of installation.
When choosing, you need to pay attention to a number of parameters:
- For cold or hot water.
- Single-jet or multi-jet type of device. The first option is standard and cheap, the second allows you to increase the accuracy of the displayed information and affects the life cycle.
- With impeller or turbine mechanism. The first type is used for pipelines with a diameter of up to 20 centimeters, the second - up to 4 centimeters.
It is worth noting one more advantage: there is no need to connect additional power sources to the equipment, because measurements are carried out due to the movement of water through the impeller with subsequent transmission of the readings to the counting panel.
How to prepare?
Initially, the apartment owner will need to notify the management company about the replacement of the device.
Taking into account the position of the management of the management company, its representatives may insist on attracting specialists.
You need to understand that independent reinstallation of an IPU with a seal without the approval of an authorized organization implies administrative liability.
Therefore, calling a housing department employee is necessary . His responsibility is to remove the seal and create a special act on the replacement of equipment. It is also needed to shut off the water.
Most modern apartments have taps on the inlet pipes, which allows you to do your own plumbing. However, not all premises have them. In this case, the owners need to contact the housing department and find out when it will be possible to stop the water supply.
What tools and materials are needed?
To complete the work without being distracted by searching for the necessary tools, you should prepare in advance:
- adjustable wrench;
- gaskets;
- a filter necessary to prevent small particles suspended in water from entering the IPU;
- flax or FUM tape as a winding;
- new individual metering device.
It is also a good idea to have a small brush and rag nearby to remove debris or excess moisture.
How to dismantle the old one?
Getting rid of the old IPU is implemented by following a specific sequence of actions:
It is necessary to tighten the nuts that are located on both sides of the device.
Unscrew it counterclockwise. You may have to make an effort if several years have passed since the meter was installed.- Carefully remove the device, then clean the fittings from the remains of old gaskets and rust.
- If corrosion cannot be removed, it is recommended to wipe with a cloth soaked in solvent.
You also need to clean the mesh filter in advance, which is used to protect the IPU mechanisms from the risk of large compounds getting in and to prevent malfunctions in the operation of the device.
How to install a new one?
Before installing the IPU, it is imperative to change the gaskets to new ones:
- rubber;
- paranitaceae;
- silicone.
Silicone gaskets are the most practical. Other options lose their elasticity and shape over time, which causes leaks and difficulties with twisting the nuts. In addition, tape or linen should be used.
The installation process itself includes the following steps:
- Screw the strainer onto the external thread of the stopcock so that the arrow on the body coincides with the direction of water supply.
- Insert new gaskets into the nuts.
- Screw the pipe with the union nut into the outlet of the filter.
- Secure the new meter to the pipe using a union nut.
- Screw the second pipe into the outlet of the device.
When installing, it is important to correctly identify the sides for water inlet/outlet. The direction is indicated by an arrow on the device.
What is needed to put the IPU into operation?
After the installation is completed, the water supply is turned on - either independently or with the assistance of a plumber from the housing department . The presence of drops at the junction of the IPU and the pipe indicates that errors were made during installation.
After replacement, you must in any case call a representative of the housing department to put a seal and issue a technical certificate for the device. It should be taken into account that specialist services are paid and paid in accordance with the organization’s tariffs.
Unsealed
The instructions for replacing an unsealed water meter have virtually no difference with the sequence of actions indicated above .
The main difference is that there is no need to notify the management company in advance. There is no risk of a fine being imposed.
The rest of the installation is carried out in the same way.
Installation of water meters according to the law
Grounds for installing meters - legislative acts:
- Order No. 178, it confirms that the issue of installing water meters is decided by homeowners on a voluntary basis;
- Federal Law No. 261 regulates the conditions and procedure for installing hot and cold water IPU;
- Resolution No. 306, which indicated preferential categories of citizens who do not have appliances and determined tariffs for them;
- Resolution No. 776, which formulated the rules and features of the use of water resources.
In apartments in multi-storey buildings, management companies or representatives of housing and communal services are responsible for installing meters. All work must be performed by a qualified craftsman who has a license for this type of activity.
After installing the meter, the homeowner receives:
- technical passport of the IPU with an identification number, including the year of manufacture (first 2 digits), as well as its unique number (the rest);
- certificate of registration of the meter and the beginning of its operation;
- installation certificate and service warranty card;
- sealing certificate with technical data of the water meter and seal number.
Possible installation errors
Despite the apparent simplicity of the replacement procedure, certain difficulties may arise during the self-installation process:
The need to check the insides of the pipeline and clean them is ignored . Usually, apartment owners only reinstall the IPU, without thinking about the large amount of deposits that have accumulated inside the pipes over the years of operation;- Failure to follow installation instructions . It is not uncommon for people to prefer to act on a whim, avoiding strictly following the prescribed sequence. As a result: there may be a leak or a discrepancy between the meter readings and the actual volumes of consumption;
- The water is not completely shut off . It is necessary to close the tap not on the mixer, but on the riser - if there is one.
Even in the absence of obvious signs of problems with the operation of the device, errors during installation may manifest themselves in the future in the form of a shortened service life of the device.
Therefore, it is important to either pay more attention to the installation features, or use the services of a specialist .
Does the reason for the change affect the course of action?
The following factors may be possible reasons for replacement:
The service life has come to an end . In this case, when replacing the device, the owner will additionally have to dispose of the old meter;- The device was previously installed in violation of regulations .
Under these circumstances, dismantling and installation occurs without changes. But in such cases, the apartment owner will have to pay the amounts not received by the resource supply company due to improper installation; - Due to mechanical impact, the device was damaged and the seal was broken . During the replacement process, the homeowner will need to pay a fine. Then the procedure requires the involvement of a housing department employee, who will draw up a report on the identified violation.
When and why you need to change your water meter
Cold and hot water meters allow you to regulate its flow; these mechanical or electronic devices must be installed in the apartment for a certain period of time. Constant use of the product leads to wear and tear; in addition, legislation sets a time frame for the use of one device.
Expired service life - scheduled replacement
Each water meter has its own service life; this information can be found on the instructions included inside the package. If the meter is used beyond its specified period, it may provide incorrect data, up or down.
For reference! Each manufacturer conducts laboratory tests of its products. On average, the device can last 15-20 years.
At the moment, meters are not changed, but are verified: for cold water - every 6 years, for hot water - every 4 years. Replacement occurs only when the device is already worn out and cannot be used.
Irregularities detected during inspection
If during the period of use and during the inspection the water utility inspector notes malfunctions, the device must also be replaced. The meter stops and does not read information about water consumption. Another nuance where the apartment owner himself is already involved - external means are used to slow down the reading of the amount of water consumed.
If the inspector notes that during the inspection the seal was broken or the meter was affected by a magnet or other object that slowed down its operation, then a fine will be imposed. In this case, the device will still have to be changed, and you will also have to pay recalculation funds to the housing and communal services.
