Verification of water meters at home without removal: timing and details of verification

After installing water meters, the apartment owner is obliged to monitor the operation of the devices.If the received data is inaccurate, the water meter is broken, or after the period specified in the technical documentation has expired, the user is required to submit an application to have the meter checked.

The owner has the right to independently choose the method of assessing the technical condition of the device. This can be checking water meters at home without removing the meter or dismantling it for testing in a laboratory. We will tell you how and in what order the first option is performed.

Timing of inspections

Based on Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354, the owner must carry out verification within the time limits established by the documentation attached to the metering device.

According to the by-law, regional authorities can regulate the timing of monitoring of measuring instruments. Then the inspection will need to be carried out in accordance with the adopted by-laws.

To clarify information about the date of the next inspection, the consumer must familiarize himself with the agreement concluded with the water supply company.

If the date of verification from the factory is unknown, it can be clarified in the technical passport or a copy of the device commissioning certificate

If a deviation from the Federal Law was adopted in the region, then the contract stipulates locally accepted inspection periods, which depend on the quality and composition of the water.

More often in by-laws there are terms:

• 4 years — for SGV;
• 6 years - for storage facilities.

In the absence of amendments, individual water metering devices are checked at the end of the period specified in the documentation for the water meter. Popular meters from Russian manufacturers: Pulse, Pulsar, Itelma, Meter, SVU have standard inspection periods of 4 and 6 years.

Manufacturers Minol, Triton, Betar increased the period of operation of the SGV to 6 years. Some foreign-made water meters, for example, Maddalena, must be tested every 10-15 years. A meter that does not pass the inspection within the specified time frame is removed from the register.

After 90 days from the end of the period specified in the contract and/or technical documentation, the service provider will begin to calculate the water consumed in accordance with general regional standards.

How to order a water meter verification?

As the deadline approaches, the user needs to contact the water supply company or a third-party organization that has the right to carry out this type of activity. To do this, just leave a request by phone.

Some devices do not contain recommendations on diagnostic timing. Then it is advisable to assess the technical condition to eliminate measurement inaccuracies, after 4 and 6 years

Before making a call, it is necessary to prepare a device passport, since the following information about the meter will be required:

• model and name;
• type;
• government number;
• device location address;
• telephone number, full name of the customer.

If the workload of the craftsmen at the site is insignificant, the wait for inspection is up to 10 days. If specialists are busy fulfilling pre-filled applications, the waiting time may increase to 1 month.

If you contact a third-party organization, the verification will be carried out almost immediately after the application, but it will cost a little more.

Some water utilities send written notifications about the need to check water meters. If there are no reminders, then you should take the initiative yourself

Determining the accuracy of readings

When contacting the water utility, you must indicate the desired verification method.

There are two methods for checking water meters:

1. With dismantling of measuring equipment.
2. Without removing water meters, at home.

First method inconvenient and rarely used in practice, since laboratory tests of a water meter last from 1 to 4 weeks. Then the payment amounts are calculated based on the average value of the last 6 months, and not on the actual basis.

In addition, dismantling the device requires calling a plumber. After the technician decides that the device is working properly, it must be installed and sealed.

Second method more convenient because it does not include plumbing work. Diagnostics lasts less than an hour by connecting testing equipment. Residents do not have to pay for water supply according to average values.

Diagnosis of water meters occurs using a calibration station, which takes into account the volume of liquid passing through it. If any malfunctions are detected, the device will have to be replaced with a new one.

Call a technician to your home

By agreement between the homeowner and the contractor, a verification date is set. Before connecting the equipment, a service agreement is concluded in two copies.

Popular monitoring equipment are the following devices: VPU Energo M, UPSG 3PM, Water accounting 2M. Since the verification of water meters will take place at home, it is worth knowing how it is carried out:

• The inlet hose of the portable installation is connected to a threaded mixer, and the other end is connected to a control device. The outlet hose is installed in the bathtub or sink drain.
• Using a valve, the flow of water is limited and the values ​​​​indicated on the device are recorded. The technician must ensure that the numbers on the counting mechanism do not change when the tap is closed.
• Next, the tap opens and 6 liters of water flows through the fixing device. The volume of water passing through the reference controller is compared with the readings on the meter.

Based on the results, the error of the measuring equipment is determined and if the indicator does not go beyond the norm, the master allows the operation of the water meter.

The inspection can be carried out by companies that have state accreditation. Therefore, a company representative, before starting work, must provide the owner with the necessary documentation

Notes on the possibility of further use are included in the technical passport of the water metering device.

Based on the results of checking the meters, the metrology engineer must issue the following documentation:

1. Agreement on performance of services.
2. Certificate of completed verification.
3. Technical passport with a note indicating the possibility of using the meter.
4. Certificate of conformity certifying the measurement accuracy of the device.
5. Copies of the company's title documents.
6. Check.

If a significant error is detected, the technician will refuse certification and offer to replace the individual metering device with a new one. You can refuse to install a new meter, then payment will be calculated taking into account the regional average values.

The duration of use of water measuring instruments is limited to 10-14 years.Some water meters continue to operate smoothly even after 20 years of operation.

If it is necessary to replace the SGV, it is recommended to install a flow meter with a temperature sensor. Then water with a temperature below 40 degrees will be charged at the price of cold water

Pros and cons of home diagnostics

The main advantage of checking at home is saving time and money on removing, installing and sealing the device.

Checking a water meter in a metrology service laboratory can take 1-4 weeks, depending on the workload of the technicians. Payments for water supply these days are made based on average indicators, and not on actual basis. When ordering a service at home, verification lasts 20-40 minutes, which does not affect the monthly payment.

In houses with worn-out sewerage and plumbing systems, there is a risk of compromising the integrity of the units, so the removal and installation of devices can lead to costs for further plumbing repairs.

The minimum cost for meter diagnostics is 500 rubles, the maximum does not exceed 1000, and depends on the region of residence. The price is low compared to the fact that in a year of distorted operation of the device the owner can lose up to 1 thousand rubles.

Firms provide low tariffs for plumbing services to preferential categories of citizens. Therefore, it is better to take the opportunity to carry out a home inspection rather than deal with issues of dismantling/installing devices

The disadvantages of “home” verification include the fact that a detailed assessment of the device is impossible, and after a short period of time it may become unusable. Along with this, if a malfunction of the meter is detected, money will have to be paid for the procedure performed.

Features of verification of metering devices

The procedure for checking water flow meters appeared relatively recently, and only a small proportion of apartment owners with installed meters performed routine checks of the meters.

Many people will be diagnosing devices for the first time. In the process of assessing the accuracy of a water meter, controversial issues may arise.

Point No. 1 – verification or replacement

When checking devices at home, the technician cannot assess the condition of all parts subject to wear, especially in the SGV. Therefore, after assessing the accuracy of the water meter, it may not work for long or may not be allowed into operation at all.

In any case, money will have to be paid for the procedure, and if the device is faulty, the owner will have to spend money on installing a new flow meter. Therefore, consumers have doubts about the need for verification. Many people prefer to immediately replace meters and not pay for an examination.

This nuance was resolved at the federal level by amending GOST and technical regulations for the manufacture of water meters. Modern devices are made of wear-resistant materials and only 20% of them break down by the time of verification.

Thus, most individual water consumption metering devices last 10-14 years and are subject to double verification without changing the original characteristics. Therefore, metrology engineers recommend carrying out diagnostics rather than changing the device.

After verification and other interventions in the operation of the meter, it is required to be sealed. Payment by check will increase by approximately 500 rubles

Point No. 2 – fine for late payment

Attracting clients to check meters from unscrupulous companies can be expressed in sending a warning letter.Then a letter is placed in the consumer’s mailbox threatening to impose a fine.

Particularly suspicious owners of devices will certainly turn to the company that, using threats, imposed a verification service. The prices for services in such companies are often inflated. Such a threat is considered unauthorized due to the fact that no law provides for fines or any liability.

The only consequence of untimely checking of the meter is the calculation of the volume of water based on average values ​​in the region. But to save the family budget, it’s better not to delay verification

Point No. 3 – avoid overpayments

Tempting offers from companies about checking meters at a discount or about express checking meters at home, when a specialist needs 15 minutes to determine the serviceability of the devices, sometimes work.

A metrology engineer appears in an apartment without a license to provide services and carries out a metrological procedure. After the inspection, the necessary documents are issued, but the owners of the devices forget to ask for a copy of the title documents.

When contacting the water utility to register the date of verification, the owner will be refused, since the company that carried out the diagnostics has not been accredited for this type of service. In this case, the meter must be verified again.

Firms imposing services may recognize a working device as defective and offer its replacement, although in fact the old device gives accurate readings and can serve for several more years

Point No. 4 – choosing an organization

Consumers believe that water meters should be verified by the company that installs the devices. What if the company’s license has expired?

According to Resolution No. 354, any company that has state accreditation can carry out verification of individual water meters.

If the procedure was carried out by a third-party company, not by water utility specialists, then the documents are transferred to the resource supplier to extend the period of use of the device.

The owner of the apartment can choose a verification company based on his interests: favorable prices, terms of service, etc.

You can learn how to verify a gas meter without dismantling it and sending it to a laboratory. next article, describing in detail the process and order of work.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The method of checking the device without removing it takes less than an hour and is mandatory for all owners of the IPU:

How water meters are checked when calling a technician to your home:

Checking meters without removing them saves money and time for the owner of the devices. After all, while the meter is in the metrology and standardization laboratory, with the removable verification method, payment is calculated based on the average value, and not on the actual basis.

Tell us about how you tested the flow meter at your home without removing the device from the water supply. It is possible that you have information that will be useful to site visitors. Please write comments in the block below, ask questions, post photos on the topic of the article.