Gas in a non-residential building: features of gasification of non-residential premises

When thinking about buying a private cottage, they often ask whether it is gasified - using natural gas, you can save a lot on heating.But sometimes it is necessary to provide inexpensive heating for other buildings - a summer kitchen, a garage, a bathhouse. Let's figure out whether it is possible to connect gas to a non-residential building, taking into account legal regulations and installation conditions.

At the same time, let’s find out what the legal acts say about the use of gas in non-residential premises of apartment buildings, since the areas of the first floors are often used for shops, hairdressers, and offices.

General provisions for gasification

Let's start with the basics, that is, with an understanding of where and for what purpose gas equipment can, in principle, be installed.

If we talk about residential buildings, it is allowed to gasify any individual buildings if a central or distribution pipeline with natural gas is located nearby. They make a branch in accordance with the specifications and a project specially created for specific conditions, and then, using the gas service, they lay a pipe to the house and ensure the supply of fuel.

Gasifying a dacha or cottage in which a family permanently lives has recently become easier thanks to new rules. The main problem remains the accessibility of the nearest gas pipeline

To develop a project for connecting a gas pipeline to non-residential facilities, it is necessary technical conditions for connection, which can only be issued by a gas distribution organization.

The project should reflect the following points:

• the use of energy-efficient equipment approved for use by federal authorities and having certificates;
• accounting and control of fuel consumption, installation of gas meters;
• use of automatic control systems;
• necessary thermal insulation of equipment and gas pipelines according to design standards;
• control of the composition of combustion products and combustion temperature.

Simply put, all processes responsible for the production and accumulation of heat must be efficient in terms of heat transfer, safe for the environment and for operating personnel.

Specifications for the efficient use of fuel are issued by Rostechnadzor, but first you need to collect a package of documents, which includes copies of specifications for connection to the gas distribution network and technological calculations, characteristics of all equipment, information about metering and control devices.

If gas equipment cannot be installed in the room, there are conditions when a boiler room equipped with special units is allowed to be located outside the building

You can find out more detailed information about the legal framework by looking at the “Safety Rules for Gas Distribution and Gas Consumption Networks” or by contacting Rostekhnadzor.

There are often contradictions in laws, and in reality you may encounter problems if you want, for example, to install a gas stove in a bathhouse or equip a city office with a gas stove. And not just with problems, but with a ban on connection - so let’s look at controversial cases encountered in practice.

Non-residential premises of MKD

In urban or rural apartment buildings, gas is often used as fuel for heating and hot water equipment.Five-story buildings with hot water heaters and gas stoves still occupy a large percentage of the country's total housing stock, especially in the provinces.

At the end of the last century, gasification took over almost all regions of Russia. Multi-storey buildings were connected to the central highways; according to the old edition of SNiP 2.08.01-89 - 9-storey buildings inclusive

In the new document SNiP 01/31/2003 (current edition SNiP 2.08.01-89) it is said that even now it is prohibited to install gas stoves on floors above the 11th, but there are no clear wording on the prohibitions. Hence, there are many disputes about whether it is possible to supply natural gas to non-residential premises, and, as a result, a series of court cases.

How is retraining done?

We are interested in non-residential premises - and these are areas that usually occupy 1-2 lower floors. When a residential building is put into operation, usually all apartments belong to the housing stock, therefore they are equipped with gas equipment and, accordingly, are gasified. But the first floors are being bought up and used for offices and various service businesses.

Let's say you want to convert a 1st floor apartment into a hair salon and leave the gas stove. Is it possible? Most likely not, for two reasons.

Firstly, you will have Difficulties in the procedure for transferring residential premises to non-residential premises. According to the new rules, in order to organize an area in an apartment building for a pharmacy, warehouse, office, store, workshop, etc., it is necessary to collect a huge package of permits and involve organizations such as the BTI, the Federal Migration Service, the housing office, and the management company.

Payments for the owner of non-residential premises are made in the same way as for the owner of an apartment - according to metering devices: how much water, electricity, heat was spent - that's what he paid

But the most important obstacle that aspiring entrepreneurs may face is impossibility of obtaining the consent of apartment building residents. Not everyone wants their entrance to be turned into a “passage yard”, and the benches on the playground to be occupied by some suspicious characters waiting their turn.

Secondly, leaving gas equipment will most likely be prohibited. Moreover, at the expense of the owner of the non-residential premises, it will be necessary to cut off the gas supply pipe, and, if necessary, install a new one to the floors located above. Simply put, you must provide gas supply to all residents of the house, bypassing your non-residential area.

Separately about basements and 2 floors

With 2 floors it is even more difficult: gas equipment still cannot be used in non-residential premises; the main line will have to be cut off and moved. But there is one more point from which to start - you can transfer an apartment on the 2nd floor to non-residential premises only if there is also a non-residential premises underneath it on the 1st floor.

In order not to complicate the process of converting space from residential to non-residential, many simply comply with the requirements: get rid of gas and install electrical equipment, which is allowed in all types of apartment buildings

The requirements for basements are clearer. According to SNiP 21-01-97, which talks about fire safety, flammable gases and other flammable substances cannot be stored in basements and basements, and therefore gas lines cannot be installed.

How to connect country houses to gas?

It seems that what is easier - to gasify a non-residential premises on your own summer cottage, for example, a bathhouse or a garage? However, many owners of garden plots and country houses are faced with the reluctance of gas distribution authorities to connect cheap fuel to buildings other than a residential building.

Installing a gas stove in a bathhouse easily solves problems with heating and water heating, in a summer kitchen - with cooking, and in a garage - with heating a large room in winter

There are many reasons for refusal to issue technical specifications and supply gas:

• lack of a highway passing nearby;
• gas workers do not have the required amount of fuel to meet their needs;
• the premises are not properly equipped;
• the equipment does not meet fire safety and energy efficiency requirements, etc.

But if you fully comply with all the requirements, it will be possible to install a gas boiler or stove in a non-residential premises.

Simply put, if the design organization, and with it the gas service authority, allow it, then gas can be supplied to any outbuilding.

Bath gasification options

It’s rare that anyone refuses to build a bathhouse on their own property - it’s not just a washing room, but a place of relaxation associated with a lot of rituals and traditions of the Russian people. But it’s too expensive to heat a bathhouse with wood, and even more so with electricity, which is why there is a logical desire to install a gas fireplace or stove.

Maintenance of all equipment, home and bath, is carried out by the gas technical service using devices installed in one place - for example, on the wall of the house

But in reality, everything is complicated - the bathhouse does not meet legal standards and is not considered a suitable room for installing gas equipment.

However, no one prohibits the supply of gas to residential buildings, so resourceful owners have found two legal options to circumvent legal obstacles:

• include the construction of a bathhouse in the house construction project, that is, place them under one roof;
• register the bathhouse as a residential guest house with separate gas heating equipment.

Both options are actively used, and very successfully. But some owners of country houses were even luckier - they were simply given permission to gasify their bathhouses. This also happens, so in order not to waste extra effort and money, contact gas workers first - what if you get lucky?

Steam room inside a residential building

It turns out that no laws prevent the installation of a bathhouse right in the house, and many people use it successfully. It turns out that the use of gas in non-residential premises of a residential building is possible.

However, there are several special conditions:

• it is necessary to equip a separate emergency entrance;
• for the manufacture of doors, use only heat-resistant materials;
• you can open the emergency entrance from both sides;
• install a fire alarm and fire extinguishing system;
• Only certified factory-produced gas equipment may be used.

An interesting addition to the law is that the sauna premises cannot be used for commercial purposes.

The entrance to the steam room can be arranged directly from the corridor or hallway, and the emergency exit is to the terrace, which can easily replace the dressing room

If gas or fire inspectors take their responsibilities responsibly, they will not allow the operation of a bathhouse without an automatic fire extinguishing system and well-functioning ventilation.

But not everyone can allocate a piece of living space for a bathhouse or sauna, so let’s consider another option.

Bathhouse in a separate house

First, you will have to come up with a project for a guest house or summer kitchen, which could later be converted into a bathhouse, that is, the building must have a solid foundation and walls with mineral insulation, lined with non-combustible materials.

The main point in the design will be a gas boilerinstalled for heating and water heating. Usually, questions about why a separate unit is needed do not arise.

You will also need sewerage and shower equipment - but this is not surprising if it is designed for a guest house in which seasonal accommodation is planned

The approved project is implemented and a house is erected, then it is registered with the BTI, changes are made to the general house-building plan and an application for gasification is written. If the inspector, after inspecting the premises, does not identify any violations, he will issue a permit and draw up a sketch of the location of the equipment and gas outlet.

After issuing the technical specifications, you may have to adjust some things, for example, make forced ventilation or additionally insulate the boiler installation site.

All that remains is to lay the pipes and connect the boiler to the system. If a residential building is gasified, then making a branch is not difficult and will not take much time.

After testing and commissioning, the gas service representative gives the go-ahead for operation, and after he leaves, you can finally turn the house into a bathhouse - for example, install a heater

Using the same principle, you can pipe gas into the garage. According to reviews, sometimes gas workers allow gas to be supplied to any buildings, including garages - but subject to a number of requirements for fire safety and ventilation device.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

About the construction of a sauna with a gas stove:

We can summarize that providing blue fuel to a bathhouse, a garage, or supplying gas to a non-residential premises in an apartment building is expensive, and most often impossible. However, before choosing heating or hot water equipment, we recommend contacting the gas distribution service and asking about the conditions under which the premises can be gasified.

If the answer is no, then you will have to choose an electric boiler or stove. We don’t recommend engaging in amateur activities - fines for moving pipes alone start from 2 thousand rubles!

Have you ever encountered the issue of gasification of non-residential premises? What difficulties arose and how were you able to solve them? Please share your opinion in the comments section.