A way to reduce costs: how to install a heating meter in an apartment?

Legislation of the Russian Federation obliges homeowners to install meters in their apartments, recording the consumption of water, gas, electricity and, if possible, heat used to heat the home.

The last type of device is little known, but it allows Optimize heating costs, thereby saving money for its owner. This article will discuss the types of such devices and their use.

What is a heating meter?

The heating meter is a mechanism that allows you to take into account the heat consumption readings in a residential area. There is some of the most popular types similar devices:

• Mechanical. Such devices work by converting the energy of water movement into the movement of the meter mechanism.

Such units are inexpensive, but they are characterized by low accuracy and cannot be used, for example, in environments with hard or contaminated water. Depending on the type of part that converts the energy of liquid movement, There are screw, turbine and vane types units.

• Electromagnetic The devices generate a magnetic field near them and register the electric current that appears when water passes through this field. Despite their high accuracy, such devices are also sensitive to the environment.
• Vortex devices, in turn, display readings based on the result of water passing through an artificial obstacle. When using this type of device, it is important to consider the presence of air in the heating system and its general condition.

Photo 1. Vortex heating meter Teplokom PREM, when using such devices it is necessary to take into account the presence of air in the system.

• Ultrasonic mechanisms have the highest price, but are distinguished by great reliability and durability. When liquid flows, such units emit ultrasound, the time of passage of which through the water affects the calculation of heat consumption readings.

Installation in the apartment and entrance hall

Only persons authorized to install these measuring devices may do so. companies certified to perform such work.

Photo 2. The process of sealing a heating meter; this procedure is performed by representatives of certified utility companies.

After the mechanism is installed, it is sealed, and a paid check of its functioning is carried out. once every 4 years. In turn, the price of the entire installation process depends mainly from the cost of the device itself.

The process of installing such a measuring device consists of from the following stages:

1. 

   First, it is necessary to develop a project for connecting the mechanism to the heating system. It should include all technical characteristics of the device and a diagram for calculating the amount of heat using it.
2. Once the project is completed, it must be agreed upon with local public utilities.

The owner must attach his passport and a document confirming his right to own the apartment to the application for installation of the device. If one device is installed per entrance, the application is submitted by one of its residents, elected at a meeting of owners.

3. Then the mechanism is installed and registered in the registry. In the vast majority of cases, the meter is installed outside the apartments. To install it in an apartment, you need to go through the procedure of individual approval of such a process.
4. After completing all these activities, the device is ready for use. At the same time, its operation is monitored by public utilities.

Possible two installation options similar meters: common and individual:

General house type of installation

In the first case, it is installed one device for the entire entrance. The costs of its operation are distributed among the residents of the building.

The cost of heating for each apartment is calculated based on its area.

The significant advantages of this method are low installation cost and use of the device, as well as the ability to request compensation from the company that installed the device if the temperature in the entrance is not provided as stated in the documents. The decision to install a common heat meter is made at meeting of all owners, living in an apartment building.

Individual connection

In case of installation of an individual device for measuring heat consumption by the owner of the apartment the risk of erroneous readings is minimized, as the device registers the amount of heat only in one apartment.

However, using the counter in this case will cost a lot of money, than when installing a common device for the entire entrance.

There are differences between common house and individual devices. In the latter case, we are talking about apartment meters.

Such units have smaller dimensions and a range of heat flow measurements. In general, such a mechanism consists of the following components:

• heat sensor;
• computer and housing;
• accessories that regulate pressure, resistance and heat flow. They are not mandatory in the design of the device.

The calculator is mounted on the device body. Then wires and sensors are connected to the supply and exhaust heat pipes. The temperature difference between these pipes represents the amount of heat expended.

General devices are large in size (for example, the diameters of the pipe channels vary from 2.5 to 30 cm). Devices of this type are used, among other things, in industrial enterprises.

Useful video

In the video you can see how a heating meter is installed in an apartment with a vertical system.

Results

Paying for utilities is one of the main expenses for most Russian families.

Measuring mechanisms allow effectively control resource consumption and adjust their use in order to save money.

Despite the costs associated with purchasing the device, its installation, registration and maintenance.

This step is extremely beneficial as it allows users of the heating unit calculate the consumption of this resource and spend less money on paying for it.