How water meters are checked and how often it needs to be done
Installing individual water consumption meters allows you to avoid paying according to the standards established by the state, which significantly saves money for the utility company. However, it is necessary to regularly check the accuracy of the work carried out by professional services, since even the most reliable water meters can not cope with their work and allow inaccurate readings. Meter verification is a series of measurements using special measuring equipment to check the compliance of water meters with metrological parameters, identify malfunctions and determine their causes.
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completion of this procedure is mandatory – this norm is provided for in 10 2-Photo and current regulations on the provision of housing and communal services. In accordance with Government Decree No. 354, responsibility for compliance with these standards rests personally with the owner of the apartment (House of Commons or other institution).
Who checks water meters
Meter verification is carried out only by professional services – legal entities or individual entrepreneurs included in the State Register of Authorized Persons in the field of guaranteeing measurement standards. The certificate of the right to carry out this type of activity is an accreditation certificate. When contacting the service, you must request a copy of this document.
Which company to choose
The best option is to contact the management company, where experts recommend the appropriate organization. However, no one has the right to force a specific verification service on consumers. If for some reason you do not want to contact a company that checks electricity meters in your apartment building, you can choose something else. The only requirement is that the contractor has a permit.
Features of the procedure
Every consumer should know how it goes checking water meters Moscow , since the water meter must be checked several times. The algorithm is as follows:
- When the verification period arrives, it is necessary to invite a criminal law specialist or a resource support company to dismantle the meter. Specialists must remove seals and correct these devices after removal;
- Carry out diagnostics and testing of the device during operation;
- After a few business days, the consumer should receive a water meter and documentation of the completion of verification measures. If the meter demonstrates the accuracy of the readings (if the error does not exceed the limits established by the legislator), the consumer is issued a state-mandatory certificate (in an accurate report), signed by the service employee who conducted the inspection. The activity and verification sign is a special seal (or hologram sticker) with a unique code. In addition, the fact that the meter has passed the test is recorded in the equipment passport. If necessary, service employees, at the client’s request, can issue a copy of the inspection report. If a malfunction is detected in the operation of the meter, the expert issues a notification that its use is inappropriate;
- A copy of the issued document must be submitted to the criminal law or settlement department of the resource provider;
- If the water meter is working properly, you should contact the resource supply organization or management company to call a specialist who will install and put the device into operation.
Removal of the water meter and its installation after verification activities can be carried out personally by the subscriber. However, only employees of the management company or the service provider organization should remove the seal and document the fact of dismantling. Seals are also applied after installation of equipment, correction of installation instructions and verification of the certification mark.
When the meter is dismantled during testing, a special adapter is installed in its place. Payment for the period of absence of a meter is calculated according to the water consumption standard, without applying an increasing factor; The procedure for checking domestic hot water and chilled water meters is similar.
Verification activities at home
It is possible to check the meter without removing it. After the consumer submits an application, an employee of a professional company goes to the site with the necessary equipment to check the operation of the water meter. The master’s main tool is a pour flow meter.
The sequence of events is as follows.
- The current meter reading is recorded;
- The water supply is completely shut off. You need to make sure that the data on the dashboard has not been changed;
- A specialist connects the installation to a tap, for example, in a bathroom;
- The water supply must be turned on and filled using a special measuring device;
- The container of water is weighed and the results are compared with the measured data;
- The operation is repeated several times.
If the data error does not deviate from the maximum permissible parameters, then the meter is considered verified and the subscriber is issued a certificate. This document is issued in the form of a state package, as when conducting laboratory tests.
If the data is inaccurate, the test is considered unsuccessful and a corresponding notification is issued. Subsequently, it is prohibited to operate the water meter and take into account its signs. The consumer is recommended to disassemble it for repair or replacement.
The main advantage of testing the dispenser without dismantling is the time savings. There is no need to remove seals, carry out dismantling and installation work, perform verification or visit the seal after installation. In addition, there is no interference with the functioning of the water supply system. This means that there is no risk of operational failure: payments for DHW and cold water continue to be taken into account in accordance with the meter data.
There are several negative aspects when checking the water meter at home. Firstly, calling a professional and working at home is slightly more expensive than calibration at a professional service. Secondly, in this case, only the accuracy of the measurement is checked. Portable equipment does not make it impossible to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis of the device for hidden problematic issues. One of the most common causes of malfunction is wear of internal working elements. If the water meter has been working for a long time and has never been verified by a professional organization, then most likely it will fail in the near future. Therefore, subscribers will have to bear additional costs for repair work or the purchase of a new meter.
