Heat meters for heating: operating principle and installation. How to install heating meters in an apartment: installation of individual devices

In accordance with Federal Law of the Russian Federation 261 FZ dated November 23, 2009, owners of living space in apartment buildings are required to install meters for the consumption of resources provided centrally - water, electricity, gas. If possible, then for heating (Resolution 354 of 05/06/2011, as amended on 02/14/2015). How to install a heating meter in an apartment, in what cases should this be done?

The most serious expense item today is energy. In a private house, the owner solves the problem of saving on his own, but in a city apartment building everything is often left to chance. Meanwhile, you can also spend less on heating (as well as on electricity and water supply) in the city - if you pay only your own expenses, and not some average figure. Any modern heating device can be equipped and raise/lower the temperature depending on the needs of the family.

A common meter should be installed so as not to pay for heat that did not enter the building in the first place. It is expensive and is bought by residents by sharing.

Whether it is possible to install heating meters in an apartment or not depends on the type of wiring in the house. Development recent years provides for horizontal distribution: hot water enters each apartment through one riser, from which it diverges to the heating appliances.

A different picture in the houses old building(Khrushchev, etc.). Here the riser serves one vertical row of batteries on all floors. There are as many risers as there are. In this case, a meter would have to be installed on each battery separately, which is unprofitable and greatly complicates accounting.

In buildings with vertical wiring, installation of individual heat meters is not carried out (according to Order of the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation 627 dated December 29, 2011). In such a situation, you can install a distributor in the system, which determines the flow rate based on the temperature difference between the air in the room and the surface of the radiator.

Important: There is a clause in the legislative documents that may complicate your transition to payment using an individual meter. In accordance with RF PP 354 (42-1), if not all apartments in a building are equipped with individual meters, the service provider has the right to charge a fee based on the readings of a common building meter in terms of the area of ​​each apartment. Sometimes you have to put the issue to a vote of the residents of the house.

Selecting a meter

According to their purpose, heating meters are divided into industrial (they are also used as communal meters) and individual (apartment) ones.

The apartment device has channels of small cross-section (within 2 centimeters). The coolant flow measurement range is from 0.6 to 2.5 cubic meters per hour. The package most often includes:

• heat sensor;
• the counter itself with a computer;
• pressure, flow, resistance regulators (optional).

A calculator is installed on the meter, two wires with sensors are connected - one to the supply pipe, the other to the outlet pipe. The temperature difference between them determines the amount of heat consumed.

A common house appliance differs from an apartment one mainly in size: the diameter of the channel is from 2.5 to 30 cm.

According to the characteristics of the device, devices are divided into ultrasonic and mechanical (tachometer). There are also vortex and electromagnetic meters for heating, but they are less common for individual use.

The mechanical design includes a calculator and a rotary water meter. The working body is an impeller (screw), which rotates under the influence of the passing coolant. The amount of heat is determined by the number of rotations.

The device is relatively inexpensive. With a pipeline diameter of up to 3.2 cm, the purchase will cost 15 percent less than an ultrasonic meter. Repairs are also inexpensive.

The disadvantages include vulnerability to hard water with rust or scale: particles clog flow meters and filters, which reduces the resource. Installation of magnetic mesh is required. But even in this case, the operating time does not exceed 5 years.

The main working element of an ultrasonic heat meter is a pair of devices: an emitter and a receiver of ultrasonic signals. Signals are transmitted through the flow of water. The transmission time depends on the flow rate: the speed and, accordingly, the flow rate are calculated based on time.

Advantages of an ultrasonic meter:

• The accuracy of the readings is higher than that of a mechanical one. Accordingly, the calculation of heating according to the meter in apartment building these models have a more correct one;
• longer working life (service life 10 years).

The ultrasonic device itself is less sensitive to water quality than a mechanical one, but the correctness of the readings depends on the purity of the coolant. Accuracy is affected by dirt as well as air bubbles. To avoid the appearance of bubbles, the meter is installed strictly on a straight section of the highway (not shorter than 1 meter).

Installation of a heat meter

The decision to install a common building meter is made at a general meeting of residents and is officially documented. Based on the minutes of the meeting, an application is submitted to the housing management company. A person responsible for taking and transmitting readings is selected from among the residents.

How to install an individual heating meter in an apartment:

1. Make sure installation is possible. Perfect option, in which no questions will arise for you - an inspection report and a conclusion from a professional certified company.
2. Before installing a heating meter in an apartment, eliminate heat leaks through poorly fitted doors, window frames, freezing corners, leaky facade seams, etc. Otherwise, you won’t be able to save money by using your own appliance. Quite the opposite, since a lot of energy will be spent on heating the street.
3. Obtain from your housing department an opinion on the technical conditions of the installation (what is needed for installation). To do this, you must submit an application, attaching a copy of the document on ownership of housing and the registration certificate of the apartment to the application.
4. Call a specialist from a certified installer and draw up an installation project.
5. Coordinate the project with your management company.
6. After receiving permission for installation, you can buy a meter. The seller is obliged to provide you with all accompanying documentation: device passport, quality certificate, cash receipt and sales receipt.
7. Call an installer. He will install, test and commission the device.
8. The sealing is carried out by a commission consisting of a specialist from the installer company, a representative of the housing office and the owner of the apartment.

What to look for when choosing an installation company:

• the Unified State Register of Legal Entities must contain information about it;
• the company has a SRO certificate and approval;
• it has the necessary specialists and equipment at its disposal;
• the ability to call a specialist to draw up a project;
• Providing the client with a guarantee for installation.

The project must indicate:

• calculation of coolant flow;
• recommended device model;
• calculation of hydraulic resistance;
• installation diagram in the pipeline;
• calculation of unaccounted heat losses;
• scheme for calculating payments by meter.

The installation of heating meters in an apartment building is subject to certain rules:

• the device is installed in strict accordance with the project. If changes are made, the project is re-approved;
• Typical installation diagram - outside the apartment. Installation in the apartment is agreed upon individually;
• When installing a heat meter, straight “calming” sections of pipes are left on both sides of the flow meters. The thermal resistance should be aligned with the pipe axis; possible “pockets” and air bubbles should be excluded;
• It is necessary to install a bypass bypassing the meter so that the device can be removed without draining the water from the system.

Verification and readings

All measuring instruments require regular verification - this way the serviceability of the meter is verified and, accordingly, the correctness of the resident’s transmission of consumption readings.

Primary verification is carried out at the manufacturer. This is evidenced by a sticker or stamp on the heat meter itself and an entry in the accompanying documents.

In the future, verification must be performed every four years at the expense of the apartment owner. To do this, you need to contact:

• to a company licensed to provide such services;
• to the service center of the meter manufacturer;
• to the local branch of Rostest.

Readings are taken in the same way as from other meters - electric, water. The difference between the readings for the current and last month is the actual expense, which must be multiplied by the tariff rate to calculate the amount payable.

The meter can determine consumption in kilowatts, but must transmit readings in gigacalories. To convert watts to calories, the removed figure is multiplied by 0.0008598.

IN unheated rooms It is impossible to live in winter and no one argues with that. Hot radiators in cold months are a public benefit modern life. However, the bills regularly calculated by heating management specialists are often inflated, aren’t they?

Have you decided to figure out how to install heating meters in your apartment in order to get a real chance not to pay extra, but don’t know where to start?

We will help you study this issue in detail - the article describes the procedure for installing a meter and the interaction of the owner with the heat supply organization. The main types of meters and their features are also discussed.

The article is supplemented with thematic photos and useful video advice from owners who, through the courts, proved their right to pay only for the heat actually consumed.

Heating a house is expensive. But private homeowners at least have a choice of boiler equipment and fuel. Residents of high-rise buildings have no choice - central heating with tariffs set by the management company.

However, there is a tool for reducing apartment heating costs - an individual heat meter.

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When not quality heating, it happens that malfunctions of the home heating network force you to look for alternative sources heat.

Or the cause of cold room radiators is the intention of the management of the housing office to save on general heating costs.

Then the plumber tightens the shut-off valve, reducing the flow hot water in the heating network of a high-rise building. Residents get cold and warm, increasing their electricity bills. But this does not reduce the cost of heating.

Do you also have to freeze in your apartment? We invite you to look at the information about, discussed in our other article.

When there is too much heat, the overheated air in the rooms is unpleasant, you have to open the window to lower the overall temperature level. But beyond appearance simple methods The money spent on “heating the street” is worth it.

You can save money by installing a heat meter on the heating circuit of the apartment.

You may also be interested in information about comfortable temperature standards in residential premises, which you can read about.

In winter, ventilating an overheated room is the only thing that comes to mind to reduce the uncomfortable room temperature

There are also hidden components of heating payments. This is when the coolant enters the boiler room backbone networks with one heating temperature, but at the entrance of heating pipes into houses its temperature is different, lower.

The delivery of coolant through pipes is accompanied by heat loss due to poor insulation, this is understandable. But these heat losses are paid by the end consumer - owners of apartments in high-rise buildings that are not equipped with heat meters.

Monthly payments for someone else's living space

Each apartment building must be equipped with a heat meter - article 13 paragraph 5 Federal Law No. 261-FZ dated November 23, 2009.

The management company fulfills this condition and, based on the results of each month, records the heat consumption for the high-rise building under its management.

Amount for thermal energy simply divided between apartments according to their living space. Although this approach cannot be fair.

Good money is spent on heating bills. And half of them are wasted

The data on living space available in the Criminal Code are based on the technical passport of each apartment. However, such technical data sheets often do not take into account data on apartment redevelopments that increase the heating area.

It does not contain information about increasing connection points for heating radiators.

Meanwhile, apartments with redevelopment and with an expanded number heating devices consume more heat than others.

And since the general building consumption of thermal energy is divided according to the registered living space, residents of “ordinary” apartments pay for the heat consumed by residents of “improved” apartments.

Individual heat meter on the horizontal heating circuit of the apartment

A simple way out of the situation with paying for someone else’s heat is individual meters on the heating circuits of apartments.

Cost savings on thermal energy, the consumption of which is determined by a heat meter, will amount to over 30% of previous heating payments tied to the size of the living space (standard).

Types of residential heating system wiring

Apartments in high-rise buildings are equipped with either vertical or horizontal distribution of the heating system. In apartment buildings built before beginning of the XXI centuries, heating systems were installed vertically.

Option #1 - vertical wiring

The vertical circuit of the thermal system is made of one pipe, less often two pipes. But always with a sequential flow of coolants through the interfloor levels - from bottom to top, then from top to bottom.

Vertical heating distribution is especially common in Khrushchev-era buildings.

The circuit of a single-pipe thermal system covers several floors and apartments. That’s why you can’t install a built-in heat meter on it

Heating with vertical wiring has serious disadvantages:

• Uneven heat distribution. The coolant is pumped along a vertically oriented interfloor circuit, which does not ensure uniform heating of rooms at different levels. Those. in apartments lower floors it will be noticeably warmer than in rooms located closer to the roof of a high-rise building;
• Difficulty adjusting the heating level heating batteries. The need to equip each battery with a bypass;
• Problems with balancing the heating system. The balance of single-circuit heating of vertical distribution is achieved by setting shut-off valves and thermostats. But at the slightest change in pressure or temperature in the system, the adjustment must be made again;
• Difficulties with individual heat consumption metering. Stoyakov in vertical system There is more than one heating in the apartment’s rooms, so conventional heat meters cannot be used. You will need several of them for each radiator, which is expensive. Although for vertical heating, another thermal energy metering tool is available - a heat distributor.

Constructing a vertically oriented heating pipeline was cheaper than horizontal wiring - fewer pipes were required.

Such savings in the era of mass standard development of urban areas of Russia in the 20th century were considered completely justified.

Option #2 - horizontal wiring in a high-rise building

When the heating system is laid out horizontally, there is also a vertical supply riser that distributes the coolant across the floors.

The pipe of the second riser, which serves as a return line, is located in a vertical technical shaft next to the supply riser.

From both distribution risers, horizontal pipes of two circuits are led into the apartments - supply and return. The return line collects cooled water, transporting it to a thermal station or heating boiler.

In a horizontal heating circuit, everything is simple - the coolant enters the apartment through one pipe, and exits through the other.

The advantages of horizontal distribution of heating pipes include:

• possibility of adjusting the temperature in each apartment, as well as throughout the entire highway (installation of mixing units is required);
• repair or maintenance on a separate circuit heating without completely shutting down the heating system. Shut-off valves allow you to close the apartment’s circuit at any time;
• quick start of heating on all floors. For comparison, even in a well-balanced single pipe system vertical wiring, delivery of coolant to all radiators will take at least 30-50 seconds;
• installation of one heat meter per apartment circuit. With horizontal heating distribution, equipping it with a heat meter is a simple task.

The disadvantage of horizontal heating circuit– its increased cost. The need to install a return pipe parallel to the supply pipe increases the price of residential heating by 15-20%.

Features of the main types of meters

A group of individual heat energy metering devices is designed to work in heating networks with a pipe channel diameter of 15-20 mm and a coolant volume in the range of 0.6-2.5 cubic meters per hour.

Heat meters and heat distributors perform calculations of consumed thermal energy independently, with data displayed on an electronic display.

Horizontal layout heating pipes allows you to install the heat meter covertly, in a communication niche or shaft

The computing module of the device determines the amount of heat consumption for a given period of time (hour, day or month), storing and accumulating this information in the device’s memory for 12-36 months.

The most convenient way is to install a non-volatile heating meter (i.e. with an additional power source - a battery).

Depending on the heat meter model, its measurement values ​​are displayed as kilowatts per hour, megawatts per hour, gigajoules or gigacalories. Management and other utility companies require heat readings in Gcal.

To convert to gigacalories, you must apply the appropriate conversion formula. For example, for kilowatts per hour - multiply the value by a factor of 0.0008598.

Each meter is a complex of several devices. Its kit may include temperature sensors, calculators for the volume of consumed thermal energy, as well as pressure, flow and coolant resistance transducers.

Exact configuration heat meter set by the manufacturer for a specific model.

It is convenient to install a heat meter at the final stage of installing an apartment heating system

Depending on the principle of accounting for consumed thermal energy, heat meters are equipped with an ultrasonic or mechanical (tachometer) flow meter.

Models of devices with other types of flow meters (for example, vortex or electromagnetic) are also available, but they are not widely used. Heat meters are designed to collect information on heat consumption exclusively on the horizontal distribution of the heating circuit.

A separate group of heat meters are calculators and heat distributors that do not require insertion into the heating circuit. These devices are used to calculate the heat costs of heating radiators for any heating circuit diagram.

Type #1 - mechanical version of the flow meter

The simplest type of design, therefore the cheapest (about 9,000-10,000 rubles) is a device with two wired temperature sensors, a water meter and an electronic computer unit.

The main working element of the meter is a part (impeller, turbine or screw) that rotates as coolant passes through the device. The number of rotations determines the volume of coolant passing through the meter.

The installation procedure for a heat meter is seemingly simple, but the efficiency of the device depends on its quality.

Contact thermometers are built into the supply and return pipes of the heating circuit of the apartment. The first thermometer is placed in the meter, in a special socket.

The second is installed on the return pipeline, in a ball valve of a special design (with a socket) or in a tee equipped with a sleeve for a thermometer.

Advantages of mechanical heat meters:

• cost about 8,000 rubles;
• the design is simple and reliable;
• no external power supply required;

I am attracted by the fairly correct stability of the indicators and the permissibility of installation in a horizontal or vertical position.

Disadvantages of mechanical type heat meters:

• guaranteed work period no more than 4-5 years– verification is required every 4 years;
• high wear of rotating parts- however, all mechanical meters are repaired for little money;
• increase in pressure– the rotating element helps to increase the pressure in the heating circuit;
• susceptibility to water hammer;
• high need to match the actual coolant flow in the heating system to the nominal flow rate established by the manufacturer.

It is mandatory to integrate a coarse magnetic mesh filter into the circuit in front of the mechanical heat meter. The device is extremely sensitive to the content of mechanical suspensions in the coolant volume!

Type #2 - ultrasonic heat meter

These devices determine the coolant flow using an ultrasonic signal emitted by the emitter and received by the receiver.

Both elements of the thermal ultrasonic meter are mounted on horizontal pipe heating, a certain distance is established between them.

The signal from the emitter follows the coolant flow and reaches the receiver after a period of time depending on the speed of the coolant in the heating circuit. Based on the time data, the coolant flow rate is determined.

It has no rotating elements. Therefore, the service life of such a heat meter is longer, and the heat data is accurate

Over 10 versions of ultrasonic flow meters are produced - frequency, Doppler, correlation, etc. In addition to performing basic tasks, an ultrasonic heat meter can have the function of adjusting the flow of coolant.

Advantages of ultrasonic heat meters for apartments:

• low price in the basic configuration - from 8,000 rubles. (domestic models);
• heat consumption data is displayed on the LCD display by pressing one button, which is convenient;
• operation of the device does not cause an increase in hydraulic pressure in the heating system;

Significant advantages include long term service life - more than 10 years (verification is required every 4 years) and powered by a built-in battery.

Main disadvantage ultrasonic heat meters lies in sensitivity to the composition of the coolant. If it contains air bubbles and dirt particles (scale, scale, etc.), the device readings will be incorrect, and in the direction of increasing heat consumption.

For ultrasonic flow meters, there is one installation rule - the section of the pipeline in front of and after the device must be straight (the required total length of the straight section is more than a meter). Then the meter will provide correct data on heat consumption.

Type #3 - calculator and heat distributor

These devices measure the relative costs of thermal energy. Their design includes a thermal adapter and two temperature sensors.

Every three minutes, sensors measure temperatures on the surface of the heating radiator and in the room atmosphere, determining the difference. The collected information on heat consumption is summarized and displayed on the device screen.

There is no need to hide such a heat meter - it looks perfect in modern interior rooms

Heat computers are programmed to operate on a specific type of heating radiator at the time of installation on it.

You may also be interested in information about the types of heating radiators and their characteristics, discussed.

All necessary coefficients and power indicators of the radiator are entered into the meter’s memory, which allows it to display data on heat consumption in kilowatt-hours.

The numbers indicated by heat distributors are displayed in conventional units. To convert them into kilowatt-hours, you should multiply the value of the readings by the rated power of the heating radiator and the coefficient corresponding to the type of heating battery.

The coefficient numbers are provided by the meter manufacturer based on the results of laboratory tests.

A heat spreader is similar to a heat calculator. They are distinguished by the inability of the distributor to count heat as kilowatts per hour. In general, the heat distributor is simpler than the computer

Calculators and heat distributors are placed to measure thermal energy on one heating radiator. Those. in an apartment where heating is metered using such devices, there should be as many meters as there are heating radiators.

Both types of meters are effective regardless of the residential heating scheme and the operating characteristics of the coolant used in the heating circuit.

Advantages of heat distributors and calculators:

• cost is about 2000-2500 rubles. – i.e. their installation is beneficial in small apartments equipped with five heating radiators or less (but more than 2);
• long service life without verification - 10 years;
• simple and quick installation on or next to the radiator housing;
• transfer of data from several heat meters via radio to a single controller that sums them up (the presence of a radio module depends on the device model);

A convincing argument in favor of installing such devices is the complete independence of measurement results from the quality of the coolant.

Disadvantages of apartment computers and heat distributors:

• the relative measurement error is up to 7-12% (the greatest error is characteristic of heat distributors), which is higher than that of “mortise” heat meters;
• Energy consumption data is correct if calculated from the results of measurements of several devices within the apartment. One computer is not able to correctly determine the heat consumption of the atmosphere from one radiator. Summary data across multiple instruments is required;
• Effective operation only on factory models of heating radiators. Those. any modifications to the factory configuration of the radiator when measuring heat with such heat meters are unacceptable.

The installation kit for installing a calculator or heat distributor is selected according to the type of radiator on the body of which the meter will be installed.

Handicraft methods of installing a meter will worsen the quality of data collection. If specialized installation kit no, it is more rational to mount the device next to the battery it serves.

The procedure for legal installation of a heat meter

The sequence of actions aimed at installing an individual heat metering device in an apartment consists of several stages.

Let's look at them in more detail:

1. Written appeal to the house management organization for permission to install a heat meter. Copies of documents on ownership of the living space must be attached to the letter, technical passport apartments.
2. Obtaining technical specifications for installation of a heat meter at a heat energy supplier (usually a management company).
3. Project preparation individual heat metering and installation technical documentation. Performed by an organization that has the legal right to provide design services.
4. Approval of project documentation with the heat supply company.

You should not purchase a heat meter before receiving an agreed upon thermal energy project, because Failure is possible for various reasons.

Having all the documentation for the project, all that remains is to choose a heat meter - ultrasonic, mechanical or externally installed, for example, a heat calculator.

A device that is required to save up to 50% of heating costs - it must be installed by a professional. And with a guarantee

For the purchased model, you must obtain from the seller receipts (sales and cash receipts), instructions, warranty card and a copy of the current quality certificate.

The company installing the heat meter must have a license for this type of work.

Before choosing a contractor, it is necessary to evaluate the data on the candidates (Unified State Register of Legal Entities, certificates, SRO approvals), the professionalism of the installers (special equipment, list of installation work, availability of an installation kit), guarantees of the work performed.

The quality of the thermostat installed on the heating radiator is important. It is this that will allow you to control the heating of the battery, and therefore the cost of heat

Please note that in addition to a heat meter you will need additional devices and accessories: pipe filters, tees, etc.

Sealing the heat meter or heat distributor after installation work is mandatory.

The seals are placed by representatives of the heat supply company.

When is installation impossible or unprofitable?

The installation of an individual heat meter will be refused by the management company if multi-storey building No . To calculate the ODN coefficient, you need to know the heat consumption of the entire house.

Payments for a heat meter in the following situations will be higher than without it:

• input of the heating main into multi-story building executed according to an outdated scheme - through an elevator;
• the apartment is located at the end of the house, on the top or first floor;
• there are gaps in the window frames and in the front door frame;
• the loggia (balcony) is not glazed - in such a situation it can help;
• drafty entrance area (broken windows, ajar entrance door), etc.

Note that to minimize thermal energy costs it is not enough to install a common house and apartment meter. It is necessary to modernize the heating system of the building - replacing the elevator unit with AITP or AUU.

The ITP complex allows you to finely regulate the heating of the entire high-rise building. This means heating payments will decrease.

Only in such a high-rise building energy system will it be possible to achieve comfort in apartments with minimal heating payments.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Installation of a heat meter is a requirement of Russian legislation. But this rule does not apply to apartments in high-rise buildings.

The reasons why individual heat meters there may be problems discussed in this video:

In 2013, a St. Petersburg resident installed heat calculators on the radiators in his apartment and became convinced of a 30% overpayment for heating.

But ZhSK-3 is in no hurry to compensate for his expenses. Watch the video:

Legislation requires that the heating network in a high-rise building be equipped with a house meter, but only a common one (for the whole house).

And for managers of multi-apartment households Individual meters are beneficial in the only case - if the house is new or reconstructed (thermal insulated) according to modern standards.

Have you installed a heating meter or have valuable information on this issue that could be useful to our other readers?

Perhaps your experience will help decide difficult situation or will inspire you to actively fight with the heat supply company. Share your story or ask questions on this topic - leave your comments under this article.

Some time ago public utilities were quite affordable, but now they can hit hard family budget. It’s good if there are funds left for other necessary needs. In such cases, you have to save money, and in some situations, install heat meters for heating, since most of the money is spent on this type of utilities.

But how much can you save on such thermal energy meters? What types are there and is it possible to carry out self-installation or is it better to entrust this work experienced specialists? Let's try to understand these and some other issues.

Necessary measure

The increased cost of heating is forcing many apartment owners to install heat meters. And if previously only a few consumers installed them due to lack of need, now there are more people wanting to save money. In addition, no one can guarantee that after some time the cost of heating will not increase again. Every year it only grows. Thus, it becomes clear that this is a necessary measure.

The installation of devices such as heat meters for heating is also relevant for the simple reason that utility services tariffs are determined according to approved standards, and not based on actual use. With a meter, the monthly payment will be calculated according to current tariffs according to its readings.

Advantages of installing heat meters

In addition to the fact that the heat meter allows you to make payments in accordance with the readings taken, it also has some other advantages. Characteristic advantages include the following:

• Individual systems allow you to adjust the supplied coolant. This can be done manually, but if available electronic system, then it will do it automatically.
• It is possible to control the heat in a house or apartment. This is especially true in spring time year, when the heating is working at full capacity, and the weather is already warm outside.
• With the help of these devices you can detect existing problems with heating main(clogging and other problems). This leads to increased heat consumption, which will immediately be reflected in the meter readings.

It is worth considering that heat meters installed for heating in an apartment building do not make it possible to save on coolant. Their main purpose is to save financial resources. That is, make payments exactly for the amount of heat that is consumed. The size of this savings can range from 25 to 50%.

Types of devices

If you want to install heat meters, it won’t hurt to find out what types of them exist. But first, it’s worth clarifying that almost any device consists of several components:

• sensors;
• devices for flow, pressure and resistance;
• devices that calculate the amount of heat received.

The composition for each specific kit is determined and approved individually.

Otherwise, meters are divided into the following types:

• Electromagnetic.
• Mechanical (tachometer).
• Ultrasonic.
• Vortex.

In addition, based on the area of ​​application, meters can be used for home (industrial) and apartment meters. Let's take a closer look at them to understand the principle of operation.

Electromagnetic heat metering

The principle of operation of a heat meter for heating apartment building is based on a phenomenon called electromagnetic induction. The design of the device includes several magnets that create a field of the same name, and a coolant liquid enters it. As we know from school, water is a dielectric only in its pure form, which practically never happens in nature. A liquid flows in the heating pipes, which contains some elements from periodic table. This means that this is already a conductor.

When the coolant passes through a magnetic field, the formation occurs electric current. Moreover, its value is proportional to the fluid flow rate. The resulting current flows through the wires into the computing device. And since water flow is determined by measuring the difference in current values ​​(they are usually small), such devices need to be installed correctly.

But besides correct installation It is important for them to have special operating conditions. The readings will be inaccurate if the heat meters for heating are in apartment building are poorly connected or there will be additional resistance at the junction of the wires. The readings are also affected by the content of iron inclusions in the coolant.

Despite these disadvantages, there are still advantages. First of all, such devices do not in any way affect the flow pressure in the heating system. And the measurement accuracy is quite high, making the devices very popular.

Mechanical (tachometer) heat metering

The most simple devices- these are mechanical ones that outperform their competitors in price. Their principle of operation is easy to understand: a rotating element (impeller or small turbine) acts as a meter.

It is driven by the flow of coolant, due to which water consumption is recorded. Most mechanical meters are equipped with two flow meters (on the input and output channels), resistance thermometers and a heat calculator. If necessary, the devices are equipped with pressure sensors.

Unfortunately, these heat meters for heating in an apartment are not without some drawbacks. Firstly, it is imperative to install a filter in front of the device. Secondly, significant hydraulic losses occur in comparison with other analogues. Thirdly, mechanical meters are the most sensitive to the quality of the coolant. That is, if the water is hard, then using these devices is not recommended. Otherwise, particles of scale, rust or scale will quickly clog the filter or completely damage the device.

Ultrasonic heat metering

Ultrasonic analogues are different high cost and original operating principle. It is based on measuring the speed of passage of an ultrasonic wave through the water column depending on the flow rate of the coolant. That is, the flow rate is determined by the time it takes the signal to travel from the emitter to the receiver. In such devices, it is important that these two devices are located strictly opposite each other.

Despite their high cost, such heat meters for heating apartments are in considerable demand. And all due to the characteristic advantages - pressure losses in the heating system are practically not observed or they are negligible, since there is no resistance to the movement of water flow. They have high measurement accuracy, which is important.

Some disadvantages include:

• sensitivity to coolant quality;
• the need for relatively long pipeline sections.

The presence of dirt and scale can greatly affect the final meter reading. As practice shows, such metering devices are relevant at facilities with large diameter pipelines (boiler rooms, for example).

Vortex heat accounting

Vortex heat meters have a special structure. There is a prism across the flowmeter pipe, which is an obstacle to the coolant fluid. In this case, vortices are formed, the number of which directly depends on the speed of water flow. The number of vortices is recorded by sensors located slightly further than the prism. And the faster the flow, the large quantity vortices are formed. This is the basis for the operating principle of a heat meter for heating of this type.

The disadvantages of these devices are the presence of a prism and requirements for water quality. Moreover, due to the triangular obstacle, a loss of pressure occurs in the heating system. Probably for this reason, such counters are less common than others.

Apartment metering devices

Such meters have a small channel diameter, which does not exceed 20 mm. The measurement range is from 0.6 to 2.5 m 3 / h, the accuracy of the readings is very high. They can be installed in apartments or houses with individual heating. Any device includes a heat meter and a hot water meter, which complement each other.

The measurement is made based on the coolant flow rate, as well as the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet heating pipes. This is done as follows: a heat calculator is installed on the water meter, from which two wires with temperature sensors are drawn. One of the sensors is installed on the inlet pipe, and the other on the outlet pipe. As a result, the device, collecting the necessary information, uses special calculations to accurately determine the amount of heat consumed.

Household meters

House heat meters for heating are usually installed on production facilities or residential buildings with central system heat supply. In their structure they are similar to apartment heat meters. Calculation of coolant consumption is carried out according to a similar scheme, only not for an individual apartment, but for the whole house or a specific entrance.

Such meters, unlike apartment ones, have a larger channel diameter (about 300 mm), and, accordingly, they are larger in size. But this is where the differences end; in all other respects they are similar, including such a parameter as the measurement range.

Installing home appliances has some advantages. Of course, the cost of such a meter is an order of magnitude higher than an individual one, but in this case the costs are divided between the residents of the entire house or entrance, which means benefits for everyone. The device readings will also be calculated depending on the number of residents.

The decision to install home heat meters for heating is usually made at a meeting at which the person responsible for purchasing the meter and installing it is selected. He also bears all the responsibilities for collecting monthly payments and transferring them to the utility service.

Installation features

The actual installation process is not that complicated and you can do it yourself. But first you need to prepare some documents so that everything is on a legal basis. First of all, you need to contact your home service company to obtain permission to install a heat meter. In addition to the application itself, a number of documents are required:

• documents for living space;
• registration certificate of the apartment;
• consent of the other residents (sometimes it is not required).

Next you need to get specifications ( technical specifications) from the organization that supplies heat to the building. The document reflects the requirements necessary to connect the meter. It should also indicate the parameters of the coolant (temperature, pressure). This will help you decide on the choice of device.

You should purchase a heat meter for residential heating from a trusted company, which can present a quality certificate upon request. When making a purchase, do not forget about the sales and cash receipt.

Further development will be required individual project and preparation technical documentation. To resolve this issue, it is worth engaging a responsible company. To be on the safe side, you should ask its owner whether the appropriate license is available. After preparing the project, you need to agree on the entire package of documents with the company supplying the house with heat. After this, you can install the device using the same organization that compiled the project, or contact another. She must also have a license for this type of work.

After installation, a new contract must be drawn up with the heating service in connection with the new tariff. It is also necessary for an employee of the management company (housing office or homeowners association) to seal the heat meter and sign the acceptance certificate for the device.

You can save time and contact one organization for the preparation of the necessary package of documents, which is engaged in similar activities. However, this will require significant financial costs, and if you have time, it is better to prepare all the documents yourself.

Self-installation

Installation of heat meters for heating in an apartment building consists of several sequential operations. First, you need to flush the pipeline thoroughly to remove all blockages. And only after this can you proceed to installing the flow part of the device. The device is mounted on a horizontal or vertical pipe section. If the pipe diameter does not match the dimensions of the device channel, adapters should be used.

The supply device must be positioned so that the direction of the arrow coincides with the direction of liquid flow. The connections must be tight to withstand a pressure of 1.6 MPa to avoid leaks. To do this, you need to use only new gaskets and seals.

When installing the measuring unit, make sure that there is no water and pressure in the heating system, and the shut-off valves must be closed. It is worth taking care of installing ball valves before and after the meter. You should be careful with this element of the device, which is placed in the flow part.

Finally, all that remains is to install both thermal converters. One of them is mounted in the measuring cartridge, and the other in the sleeve using heat-conducting paste. The installation of heat meters for heating is completed by sealing the device and issuing an acceptance certificate.

Now you can pay for heat according to the readings of the installed meter. Finally, it is worth saying that it is more rational to entrust installation to qualified specialists in order to avoid all sorts of unpleasant nuances.

Our country adopted the Law “On Energy Saving”. According to the document, all homeowners are required to install heat metering devices. Controlling the consumption of water, gas and electricity has long become commonplace. Many believed that heat could not be calculated in any way, so heat meters became a real novelty. How to install heating meters in an apartment is described in this article.

Benefits of installation

What do users think about apartment heating meters? Reviews indicate that the benefits from installing metering devices are tangible.

The homeowner must pay only for the heat received, without covering the costs of losses during its transportation. For maximum savings it is necessary to remove all sources that contribute to heat loss in the house: install window frames that are airtight, insulate the room and take other measures. There are two options for installing the unit.

Installation of a common house meter

Many people are interested in how to install heating meters in an apartment.

It should be noted that people living in Russia can solve the problem of metering heat consumption by installing not an individual, but a common house meter. This, it should be noted, is the most cheap option. After all, the cost of the metering device is high, but it will be distributed among residents. The resulting amount will be quite acceptable.

The collector takes readings from the device once a month. The owner of each apartment must pay in accordance with the square footage of the living space. At the same time, a clear condition is observed: if the heat supplier does not provide the consumer with the proper temperature in the room, then he undertakes to return the money contributed by the tenant.

Where does the installation of a common house meter begin?

The first stage of the event is a meeting of residents of the entire building. It discusses the key issues of the upcoming installation. It is also determined who will act as a collector, taking depositions and issuing payment receipts.

The decision of the meeting must be recorded in minutes, after which you can contact the company with a written statement of consent to install the device.

The main priority of a common home unit is its low cost. However, the economic side of using it may not satisfy users. There are many reasons. For example, insufficiently insulated apartments and entrances can lead to increased heat consumption.

Is there a way out? Is it installed in an apartment?

Often residents resort to installation individual devices counting. These are much more expensive for an apartment, but their level of efficiency is higher.

Technical restrictions on installing an individual meter

Before installing heating meters in an apartment, you should familiarize yourself with a number of technical restrictions. A heat meter for individual use is installed on a drain that leads directly to the apartment. In old-style multi-apartment buildings, as a rule, heating pipes were laid out with vertical modification. This means that there may be more than one riser in an apartment. Each of them will have to install a meter, which will cost the owner quite a lot.

The solution to this problem is to install specially designed meters on heating devices. But the installation of such a device is not yet practiced in our country, although a similar method has become widespread in European countries.

Manufacturers of metering units offer a solution to this situation. In order to avoid installing several meters, they resort to installing distributors that measure coolant flow based on the difference in temperature on the surface of the radiator and the air in the room.

Another way out of the situation is to install a common home device, which was described above.

In buildings in which the wiring is horizontal, the installation of meters to control heat consumption is not limited in any way. Compact devices are mounted on a pipe that supplies heat to the room. In some cases, installation is carried out on a pipeline.

Heat meters operate with flow meters of various modifications. Depending on the conditions of use, one of four options can be used. Let's look at each one separately.

Mechanical type

This is a meter with a unified design. It can be screw, turbine or vane. The basis of the unit’s operation lies in the transformation forward movement coolant into the movement of the element to be measured.

This is the most affordable device in terms of cost. It cannot be used if the coolant is water with increased hardness, or if it contains rust particles, scale or scale. They can clog mechanical parts devices. Therefore, before installing the units, special filter systems are installed. In addition, the mechanical configuration does not tolerate sudden fluctuations in flow.

Electromagnetic devices

Electromagnetic devices basically contain the factor of current manifestation when a liquid passes through a magnetic field. The devices are characterized by fairly high metrological stability. They came into widespread use. Inaccuracies in readings may be due to the presence of impurities in the water and poor quality of wire connections during installation.

Vortex devices

The equipment evaluates vortices that appear behind an obstacle located in the path of the coolant. The structure can be mounted on pipelines with both vertical and horizontal modifications. The devices are sensitive to the presence of air in the pipe, the level of welding quality and impurities contained in the water.

Deposits on the pipes do not adversely affect the operation of the device. The devices are demanding on the size of straight sections in the pipeline before and after the flow meter.

Units operating on ultrasound

They can measure the time it takes for fluid to travel through a pipeline from a source to receiving a signal. The devices are Doppler, frequency, time and correlation.

In any case, the operation of the device is impeccable. Measurements by the device are carried out in clean water free from impurities or scale. Incorrect readings may occur if there are bubbles or scale in the coolant. This device is reliable and durable.

What should be included with the meter?

Like any measuring device, the counter must have the appropriate certificate and passport. The documents indicate the initial testing of the unit, which was carried out at the plant. These indicators must be marked on the device body. They look like a brand or sticker. Dates control testing depend on the device model. The average event is held once every four years.

Who carries out preventive inspection of the device?

The current test of the device is carried out after the test interval has expired.

For this purpose, the homeowner must contact a number of authorities:

• local branch of Rostest;
• a private organization that holds these powers;
• service center of the manufacturing plant.

Important information

In a process such as installing heating meters in an apartment, you should choose a company that will provide installation at a professional level. Many companies guarantee further Maintenance devices. Specialists will be responsible for scheduled inspections.

Procedure for installing and connecting the device

How to install heating meters in an apartment according to all the rules? The owner himself does not have the right to install. The installation is carried out by special organizations that have permitting accreditation to carry out this type of service. Company employees are gradually carrying out the following activities:

• connection project is being carried out;
• the document is approved by the company that will install the units;
• heating meters are being installed in the apartment;
• after completion of work, the devices are sealed;
• the equipment is being registered;
• devices are put into operation and then transferred to the supervision of a supervisory organization.

How to choose a meter installation company?

When choosing a company that will install the device, you should pay attention to a number of important points:

• availability of a free engineer visit to the site, during which communications will be inspected;
• implementation of all stages of installation work;
• presence in the company special equipment and qualified workers;
• availability of company approvals and certificates;
• information about the company in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities;
• guarantee for the work performed;
• provision of preferential services to a certain category of citizens;
• possibility of installment payment and terms of its repayment;
• provision of service.

Meter installation cost

So how much do heating meters cost for an apartment? Price for itself measuring device together with a control valve, filter and shut-off valves is approximately 10,000 rubles and more, depending on the model.

However, installation costs must be added to this amount. Therefore, you will have to pay not only heating meters for the apartment. The installation price will increase significantly and will be about 20,000 rubles.

What to do with the readings?

Readings from this unit are taken in the same way as from an electric meter. Next, fill out a receipt indicating the difference in readings multiplied by the current tariff.

Payment for heating according to the meter is paid at Sberbank branches. The company providing heat supply is indicated as the recipient.

Conclusion

It will become warmer a good helper owner of an apartment or house. The main thing is to determine which device to install, a common one or an individual one, and entrust the job to professional workers.

There are very different reviews about heating meters for apartments. Many residents believe that the presence of individual fixtures helps save their monthly heating bills by 30-40%.

The first step to saving money spent on heating your home is organizing heat energy metering. The issue is especially relevant for residents apartment buildings with central heating, where payment for the provision of services is calculated in accordance with the established tariff. The problem is to correctly determine the amount of heat consumed by each apartment. This raises questions: is it possible to install an individual heating meter, how to do it correctly, and how beneficial it is for homeowners. You will find detailed answers to them in this article.

Is it profitable to install a heating meter?

There is no clear answer to the question whether it is profitable or not, since the installation of a heat meter in an apartment and its operation depends on many factors.

You are guaranteed to get savings, and the money spent will pay off fairly quickly if:

• obtain permission for installation and technical specifications from the heat supply organization;
• agree with responsible person, an elected meeting of owners of an apartment building;
• you can install 1 heat metering unit for the entire apartment;
• agree project documentation with a heat energy supplier;
• hand over the mounted device to it for operation, which will end with sealing the heat meter.

In reality, it is quite difficult to comply with all the listed conditions in order to install an apartment heat meter and make payments according to its readings. The best option is when you live in a new building, where each apartment has a separate heat input. And then there may be obstacles in the form of various legislative acts. For example, in the Russian Federation there is a decree according to which testimony individual meters heat must be taken into account under the following conditions:

• Heat energy metering devices are available in all apartments;
• A common building heat meter is installed at the central heating inlet into the building.

Almost all Soviet-built high-rise buildings have a single-pipe heating system with vertical risers. Imagine how much it costs to install a device at each connection to the riser. Not to mention the fact that you will not be given a permit, and for good reason. After all, riser pipes also give off heat, which the individual unit will not take into account.

If the building is heated landings and others Technical buildings, then even with individual metering you will have to pay your share for heating them. That is why it is necessary to coordinate your actions with the management of the condominium association. It turns out that installation work on installing the meter - this is the simplest stage procedures, most of the time will have to be spent on obtaining permits and approvals.

Advice. You can install the meter in the apartment yourself, but then you will face difficulties when commissioning it to the management company. So it’s worth considering the option of hiring a contractor, who can take care of all the approvals for a fee.

Selecting a heat meter

There are several types of accounting units based on the operating principle, but 3 of them are most suitable for installation in an apartment:

• mechanical (otherwise known as tachometer);
• ultrasonic;
• overhead sensors for batteries.

Mechanical heating meters are called that because the water flow in them is determined using an impeller immersed in the coolant. Using 2 sensors installed in the supply and return pipelines of the heating devices, the temperature difference is calculated. Based on these data, the electronic unit calculates the thermal energy consumption. Tachometer heat meters are characterized by the lowest cost, but at the same time they are sensitive to the quality of the coolant.

For reference. Heat supply organizations do not favor mechanical metering units not only because of incorrect operation with poor coolant. According to experts, the design of the device does not protect it from external interference in order to underestimate the readings.

Ultrasonic heat meters are good in all respects. They don't care what the quality is liquid medium in the pipe, since its flow rate is determined by ultrasound passing through the working section. The temperature difference is shown by the same sensors on the supply and return. The cost of such a device is at least 15% higher than that of a mechanical one, but it is recommended for installation Management Company. The reason is clear - it will not be possible to interfere with the operation of an ultrasonic apartment meter.

Heat meters installed on the battery measure the temperature of its surface and the air inside the room. After which the electronic unit calculates the amount of heat consumed, based on data on the radiator’s nameplate power entered manually. Such devices are unlikely to be put into operation by a service provider company, but if there is a general building metering unit, they will help calculate the share of each apartment in the total energy consumption. But for this it is necessary that heat meters be installed in all rooms.

How to install a heat meter in an apartment

The easiest way is to install an overhead device; you don’t need to hire anyone or cut pipes. Just attach it to the battery. Mechanical heat meters are another matter; here you will have to shut off the risers, drain the water and dismantle a section of the pipe. The same applies to ultrasonic devices embedded directly into the pipeline. As mentioned above, to carry out such work you must have a permit and a ready-made project. And for successful commissioning, installation must be carried out by a licensed company, which will be confirmed by a corresponding certificate of completion of work.

In the event that you decide to get to work on your own, first carefully read the heat meter instructions. There are recommendations for installation and operation that must be followed strictly. By the way, for tachometer and ultrasonic instruments it is necessary to provide a measuring section of a certain length. That is, before and after the device there should be a straight pipe without turns or bends.

For reference. The length of the measuring section for a mechanical meter is 3 pipe diameters before the flow meter and 1 diameter after it. The requirements for ultrasonic flow meters are higher; a straight section of at least 5 diameters is needed before the meter and 3 after (depending on the manufacturer).

Now let’s talk about whether it is possible to install a residential heat meter on the return pipeline. Most manufacturers offer models that can be installed on any highway; the main thing is to correctly install resistance thermal converters (temperature sensors). Usually they are screwed into a tee or a special tap that has a separate pipe for this purpose.

Conclusion

The current reality in the post-Soviet countries is that in most cases it is very difficult to legally install and commission an apartment heat meter. It is possible that the efforts aimed at this and the funds spent will exceed all conceivable limits of the payback period. Therefore, before organizing individual metering, you should consult with specialists from your heat supply organization.