Heating meters - how much will it cost you and how best to supply

Why do you need a counter?

The most serious expense item today is energy. In a private house, the owner solves the problem of saving on his own, and 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 indicator. Any modern heating device can be equipped with a thermostat and increase / decrease 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 principle. It is expensive, it is bought by the tenants at the same time.

It is possible to install meters for heating in an apartment or not, depends on the type of wiring in the house. Buildings in recent years provide for horizontal wiring: hot water is supplied to each apartment by one riser, from which it diverges to heating devices.

Heat meter in the apartment

A different picture in the houses of the old buildings (Khrushchev, etc.). Here, the riser serves one vertical row of batteries on all floors. There are as many risers as there are radiators in the apartment. In this case, it would be necessary to install a metering device for each battery separately, which is unprofitable and greatly complicates accounting.

If it is impossible to install a heat meter, you can use a heat distributor

In buildings with vertical wiring, the installation of individual heat meters is not carried out (according to the Order of the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation 627 of December 29, 2011). In such a situation, a distributor can be installed in the system, which determines the flow rate by 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 by an individual meter. In accordance with the RF PP 354 (42-1), if not all apartments in the house are equipped with individual metering devices, the service provider has the right to charge a fee based on the readings of the general house meter in terms of the area of ​​each apartment. Sometimes you have to put the question to the vote of the residents of the house.

Selection criteria and is it worth it at all?

The essence of the meter is to take into account thermal energy by measuring the temperature difference and the volume of the coolant flow. There are two main methods for making flow measurements: tachometric and ultrasonic. For each of them, manufacturers produce different types of household meters that can keep track of heat energy. Ultrasonic models are more reliable in operation, more accurate and more durable. Tachometric instruments are inferior in terms of these indicators, and therefore cheaper.

So how much does a heating meter cost? The price of the measuring device itself, including a control valve, filter and shut-off valves, averages about 9,000 rubles. However, to this amount it is necessary to add the costs of installing measuring equipment, which must be carried out by a company that has all the necessary permits for the implementation of this type of service. Therefore, the costs increase to 18-20 thousand rubles.

It looks like a heat meter - the main components

Important! Please note that meters for heating in an apartment must have passports and certificates, like any other measuring device. After the completion of the installation work, the meter must be sealed.It is also necessary to carry out periodic verification of the device. Usually this operation is performed after four years.

The choice of metering device

By designation, heating meters are divided into industrial (they are also used as general house) and individual (apartment).

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

• heat sensor;
• the actual counter with the calculator;
• regulators of pressure, flow rate, resistance (optional).

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

The general house appliance differs from the apartment appliance mainly in size: the channel diameter is from 2.5 to 30 cm.

Mechanical heat meter Pulsar

According to the characteristics of the device, the devices are divided into ultrasonic and mechanical (tachometric). There are also vortex and electromagnetic heating meters, 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 action of a passing coolant. The amount of heat is determined by the number of rotations.

Mechanical heating meter design

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. Repair is also inexpensive.

The disadvantages include vulnerability to hard water with rust or scale: particles clog flow meters and filters, which reduces the resource. It is obligatory to install a magnetic mesh filter for coarse water purification. But even in this case, the operating time does not exceed 5 years.

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

Pros of the u / s counter:

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

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

Advice: It is recommended to choose a heat meter model with an autonomous power source. Then the operation of the device will not stop in the event of a power outage.

Measuring equipment installation diagram

Possible installation schemes.

The scheme for installing a heat meter in an apartment depends on the type of equipment selected. Today, in practice, there are three main installation schemes.

Single channel counter. Its design implies the presence of flow meters, two temperature sensors and a calculator. A heat flow sensor is located on the supply pipe, and temperature measuring devices are located on the supply pipe and return pipe. Advantages: ease of execution, low cost. Disadvantages: it is impossible to fix the leaks of the coolant.

Water meter and single-channel measuring device. In this case, the flow meter and temperature sensors are installed on the flow and return pipes. Is it possible to install heat meters in an apartment according to this scheme and fix a leak in the heating circuit? Experts answer such questions in the affirmative.According to such a scheme, it is possible to fix an unauthorized withdrawal of the coolant. Such a binding of equipment allows you to record not only the flow rate of the coolant, but also the consumption of hot water.

Two-channel heat metering. The flow sensor is mounted on the flow and return pipes of the heating circuit. Temperature measuring device - on the return, supply and on the cold water supply pipe. The amount of heat is calculated here as the difference between the measurements of the devices on the first and second channels. Is it possible to install a heat meter in an apartment according to the above drawing? There is no special need for the installation of a household measuring device according to this scheme. It is used when it is necessary to take into account the temperature of the water from the make-up pipe in the heating circuit.

Today, not only apartment heat meters are used to more accurately measure the amount of heat consumed by a room. In some cases, heat distributors are installed on the radiators. They do not keep records of the heat carrier consumption, but record the share of thermal energy consumption in the total volume. The value is measured as a percentage. Such a system is the best option for a vertical heating circuit, where apartment heat meters cannot be installed. So, the consumption of heat is recorded on the basis of the readings of the distributors and the general metering device.

Installing a heat meter

The decision to install a general house meter is made at a general meeting of tenants, and is officially documented. Based on the minutes of the meeting, an application is submitted to the housing management company. From among the tenants, a person is selected who is responsible for taking and transmitting testimony.

How to put an individual meter for heating in an apartment:

1. Make sure the installation is possible. The ideal option, in which you will not have any questions, is an examination report and a conclusion from a professional certified company.
2. Before installing a meter for heating in an apartment, eliminate heat leaks through poorly fitted doors, window frames, freezing corners, leaky facade seams, etc. Otherwise, you will not be able to save money at the expense of your own device. Quite the opposite, since a lot of energy will be spent on heating the street.
3. Get an opinion on the technical conditions of the installation (what is needed for installation) from your housing department. To do this, you must submit an application, attach 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, draw up an installation project.
5. Agree on the project with your management company.
6. After obtaining permission to install, you can buy a meter. The seller is obliged to provide you with all accompanying documentation: device passport, quality certificate, cash register and sales receipt.
7. Call the installer. He will carry out the installation, test and start the device.
8. Sealing is carried out by a commission consisting of a specialist from the installer, a representative of the housing office and the owner of the apartment.

Heating meter installation
What to look for when choosing an installer:

• in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities there must be information about it;
• the company has a certificate and SRO admission;
• 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 the installation.

The project must indicate:

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

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

• the device is assembled exactly according to the project. If changes are made, the project is approved again;
• a typical installation scheme is outside the apartment. Installation in the apartment is agreed on an individual basis;
• when installing a heat meter on both sides of the flow meters, straight “calming” pipe sections are left. Thermal resistance should be on 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.

Need

Given the current situation, when prices for utilities are constantly growing, many are thinking about how to save money from the family budget for rent. It should be noted that the lion's share of the cost of rent is taken away by the cost of heating. Despite the fact that according to the current laws, in order to reduce the costs of citizens in winter, the entire amount for the heating season is distributed over the whole year, the amounts are still quite large.

Installing an individual heat meter in an apartment is a very profitable event. Why pay extra for excess heat if it is not consumed? Situations can be different. For example, a three-room apartment. Why pay for heat in the entire apartment if a person occupies only one room. It's not obligatory. It is possible to install regulating taps on the radiators in other rooms, with the help of which the minimum temperature is maintained. Or no one lives in the apartment in winter. In this case, you can also limit the flow of heat into the apartment and not overpay for heating, which there is no one to use.

One way to reduce heating costs is to install a heat meter.

Individual heat meter

Verification and taking readings

All measuring devices need to be regularly checked - in this way, the serviceability of the meter is verified and, accordingly, the correctness of the tenant's transmission of flow readings.

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

In the future, verification should be performed every four years at the expense of the apartment owner. To conduct it, 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.

They take readings in the same way as with 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 in order to calculate the amount to be paid.

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

Add. function

Smell of sewage in the apartment

In addition, modern meter models have the following functions:

1. Data exchange via a radio channel or the Internet. The meter has a built-in GPRS module for Internet connection and data transfer. With the help of this module, it is possible both to simply read information from the heat meter about the state of the heating system, and to control the operation of the heating system using electric valves.
2. Interface for connecting a computer. You can also connect a computer through a dedicated interface. With this connection, the heat meter can be used in the general electronic control system "smart home", which allows you to control several devices at the same time. For example, together with the regulation of the heating system, it is possible to control the ventilation, air conditioning and humidification system in the apartment, which contributes to the creation of an ideal microclimate in the apartment.

Installation of a heat meter in an apartment is possible only with horizontal wiring of the heating system. With vertical wiring, it would be necessary to install such a meter on each riser, which, firstly, is unprofitable, and secondly, it makes it difficult to take readings on the meter.

Mechanical heat meters

The owners of apartments living in MKD have the right to resolve the situation with high heat consumption by installing an IPU instead of a common house metering device. However, this is not the most economical way, since the price of the equipment is high. The total cost should be divided by all owners and then the amount will be acceptable.
From a general metering device, readings are taken monthly by employees of the management company or HOA. Payment is made in accordance with the footage of each living space. In addition, the rule of subsidies and recalculation applies. The latter option implies a refund if the temperature of the batteries and the ambient air in the apartment does not meet the standards.

Who installs

A heat meter is installed based on the decision of the residents of an apartment building. For this, a meeting is initiated where editing is discussed. Additionally, it is determined who will inspect the ODI element, take readings, and also generate invoices for payment.

The decision is recorded in the protocol, then a statement of agreement to install the equipment is sent to the Criminal Code. The main purpose of installing a common house device is a low price. But as a result, economic feasibility may not have the expected effect. For example, in old houses, there is insufficient thermal insulation, which leads to an increased resource consumption.

Pi = (Vi (Si x (Vd - ∑Vi)) / Sob) x Тт,

• Pi is the amount of the payment for heating for one real estate object, received as a result of the calculation (rubles);
• Si is the footage of an apartment or non-residential premises;
• Sob - total m2 MKD;
• Vd is an indicator of energy consumption based on the EPC, if calculated within a season or from an average volume over 12 months;
• Тт is the current tariff for the resource in the region;
• Vi - individual heat consumption;
• ∑Vi - total household volume.

The nuances of installing a heating meter.

According to the Federal Law No. 261 in apartment buildings connected to the central heating system, it is necessary to install an ODU. The presence of a common heat metering device allows facility owners to install additional individual devices.

The transition to IPU is carried out at the expense of the property owner. Installation and the procedure for calculating the payment for the consumed resource is fixed in the legislation - PP No. 354.

When planning the transition to an IPU, the owners are worried about whether the installation of a heating meter for an apartment will be beneficial or not. In fact, the owner spends money only for the heat that radiators give off, that is, there is no compensation for heat loss. To increase savings, it is necessary to prevent any sources of resource withdrawal - to insulate the object, install sealed double-glazed windows, etc.

• permission for installation was obtained and conditions from the RNO were met;
• a notice was sent to the chairman of the house or an inspection officer;
• only one meter is allowed in a separate apartment;
• design documentation is agreed with the resource supplying company;
• based on the results of work - the meter is sealed by the employees of the management company (an act is issued to the owner).

Compliance with all requirements is quite problematic, although in the end the owner gets the right to install an individual device that will reduce the monthly heating fee. A rational option is to install a metering device in a new building, where each room has a wiring with a separate pipe for supplying heat.

However, even in this case, obstacles arise that cast doubt on the legality of the measures.

• heat meters are installed in all living quarters;
• at the entrance to the central station there is a general house metering device.

Stimulation of citizens to install individual heat meters in apartments.

In 2020, the legislation regarding apartment IPUs has undergone changes.

Currently, the current legislation does not prohibit such actions.However, your desire may not be "understood" by the company that supplies the heat. Moreover, the current regulations do not allow interference with the centralized heat supply network, even if you just want to install a meter. In this case, the unauthorized equipment will not be accepted into operation. And the landlord will also have to pay a fine.

This means that before installing a meter in a house with central heating, you should write an application to the heat supply company. In the future, the procedure is as follows:

1. the company's specialists should check whether it is possible to install a metering device. If the answer is yes, then a special document is issued - technical specifications (TU);
2. if there is an association of co-owners (condominiums) in an apartment building, then a copy of your application will have to be sent to the person in charge, and this issue will also be coordinated with him;

Heat meter installation diagram

1. having received the technical specifications, you can contact the design organization that has permission for such work. For remuneration, its specialists will make all calculations, draw up an installation project, and certify all documentation with their seal;
2. further, the design documentation is agreed with the heat supplier;
3. after the last agreement, you can contact an installation organization that has a license to install heat meters;
4. the installed metering unit is commissioned to the organization supplying heat. An agreement is drawn up with an individual, the owner of the apartment, according to which the latter will pay for the supply of heat energy using the meter.

But if we are already talking about the law, then we cannot fail to mention the current regulatory legal act that regulates the installation of these metering devices. So, according to law No. 261, the installation of heat metering devices is carried out at the expense of residents of an apartment building. But the methodology for calculating the cost of heat in the presence of such devices is described in the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 354.

1. if there is no metering device at the input, then heat is paid according to tariffs with an increasing coefficient;
2. although the laws of the Russian Federation do not oblige apartment owners to install heat metering devices, they do not prohibit this;
3. the readings of your meter are taken into account only if all other apartments, as well as heated common areas, are equipped with heat meters; and a common metering unit is installed at the input;
4. after installing the heat meter, it is taken into operation by the heat supplier company, but at the expense of the apartment owner.

Heat meters for home with central heating

However, at the moment, you can already draw a couple of important conclusions from all of the above. Firstly, it is still better to install a general house heat meter, otherwise the cost of this resource will cost you about one and a half times more. And the readings of the individual metering device in the apartment are not taken into account. Secondly, in an individual metering device in an apartment, in general, it makes no sense, even if you have received all the approvals for its installation.

Read more: Do-it-yourself water heating of a private house: diagrams and tips

In order for its readings to be taken into account, the heat consumption must be controlled in all other rooms of the apartment building. Thirdly, sometimes it is simply impossible to install a common house metering unit for central heating technically. The only way out in this situation is to agree to all tenants, and for everyone to install heat meters in each apartment, and even better - in the entrances. Otherwise, the cost of heat spent on heating non-residential premises will be shared among all residents.

If everything is agreed, the installation is completed, the device is put into operation, and its readings are taken into account, then you get the following advantages:

• you only pay for the heat you use;
• when heat is not required, you can save on it;
• if you invest in wall, floor and ceiling insulation, then you will pay even less on the meter.

If we talk about the payback of the project, then a lot depends on the cost of the services provided to you and the price of the device. However, we can say for sure that the savings on heat when installing the latter is on average 25-30 percent. But if you are still in doubt, then raise the bills of 2-5 years ago and compare how much the heat cost then and how much you pay now. And prices are only going up.

Heat meter on the radiator

If the device is designed to account for low consumption, that is, for an apartment, then usually choose from two types of meters:

• tachometric (mechanical);
• ultrasonic.

What is the difference between them? In order to understand this, you need to know how a heat meter works. As a rule, the latter consists of 3 elements:

1. Raskhodomer - counting the amount of water flowing through the pipe per unit of time;
2. return and forward flow temperature sensors;
3. an electronic calculator that receives data from a flow meter and sensors; and a special program calculates the result. The latter is reflected on the monitor; and may, depending on the model, be transferred to the heat supplier via the Internet or GSM-connection.

Basically, the types of meters differ in the design of the flow meter. So, in mechanical ones, an impeller is used. And in ultrasonic ones, the volume of water passing through the pipe is determined using ultrasound. And therefore, such devices are more accurate, more reliable and unpretentious in maintenance. However, they cost about 15-20 percent more.

• mechanical (otherwise - tachometric);
• ultrasonic;
• overhead sensors for batteries.

• obtain permission for installation and technical conditions from the heat supply organization;
• agree with the person in charge, elected by the meeting of the owners of the apartment building;
• you will be able to install 1 heat metering unit for the whole apartment;
• coordinate the design documentation with the heat supplier;
• hand over the mounted device to it in operation, which will end by sealing the heat meter.

• a written appeal to the house management organization for permission to install a heat meter. The letter must be accompanied by copies of documents on the ownership of the living space, technical passport of the apartment;
• obtaining technical specifications for the installation of a heat meter from a heat energy supplier (as a rule, from a management company);
• preparation of a project for individual heat metering and installation technical documentation. Performed by an organization that has the legal right to provide design services;
• coordination of project documentation with a heat supply company.

• heat energy meters are available in all apartments;
• a common heat meter is installed at the central heating input to the building.

Survive without a device

The Ministry of Construction came up with an initiative to cancel the mandatory installation of individual heat meters in new buildings. The ministry presented a report on the feasibility of such a cancellation, which was reviewed by all departments, in some of them it found support. However, the adoption of such an initiative, first, will lead to a further increase in the technological lag of the heat supply system in Russia from developed countries (yes, we still have a lot to lag behind). Secondly, the cancellation of the installation of meters contradicts both the very idea of ​​energy saving and the general vector of the last decade - the widespread accounting of resource consumption: water, electricity, gas (and practice shows that individual metering makes it possible to reduce heat consumption by up to 20%). Thirdly, the abolition of the installation of heat meters in new buildings contradicts the general trend towards digitalization in all spheres of the economy and the presidential decrees in May.Fourth, Russians are deprived of the opportunity to save in a civilized manner on the main article of utilities - heating.

War of Ministries

The main argument put forward by the Ministry of Construction and heat supply organizations and which, in their opinion, is the reason for refusing meters is the alleged injustice of any system of individual metering in apartment buildings (MKD). The essence of the argument is that the owner of the apartment can turn off the batteries altogether during the cold season, but the temperature in his apartment will still remain acceptable at the expense of the neighbors. And this is a kind of heat theft. And the neighbors will be forced to pay more. The Association "Council of Energy Producers" (EPC) made a calculation, according to which when the air temperature in the room decreases by one degree from the standard value (+18 degrees) in the adjacent room, to maintain normal temperature, it will be necessary to increase the consumption of thermal energy by 20%. And when the air temperature in the adjacent room drops by three degrees, the consumption of heat energy by the neighbors increases by 60%.

This is what the report of the Ministry of Construction says. “The supply of heat to the apartments of the residents of apartment buildings is a type of communal resource that differs from electricity, water, and gas. Objectively, there is no individual consumption in heat supply. The design of apartment buildings assumes a continuous exchange of heat energy between apartments and its distribution among the elements of the house and ventilation. Simply put, the apartment where the owner has shut off the heating valve will be warmed up by the surrounding apartments, where heating is present, - this is how the department explains its position. “As a result, cases have recently become widespread when owners completely cut off the supply of heat to their apartments, often motivating this with a desire for energy efficiency and energy saving. At the same time, a decrease in the readings of heat meters in such apartments has nothing to do with their actual consumption of heat energy. They will unwittingly use heat from neighbors through walls, floors, and ceilings. There are quite a few cases when, due to the lack of heat in some apartments, the walls become damp and moldy in others, and this happens precisely in new buildings, which is especially unpleasant for the owners. "

Allegedly, to suppress this practice, the Ministry of Construction has developed a decree canceling the mandatory installation of meters.

However, the figures quoted by the EIT have already been harshly criticized by both the scientific community and industry experts and experts. According to various estimates and calculations, the real increase in heat consumption by neighbors when the room temperature drops by one degree is not 20%, but one to two percent, which is within the error of the measuring equipment. Therefore, it is especially strange that the study of the PPE became the reason for the abolition of the mandatory installation of heat meters for apartment buildings in new buildings. Although these meters have been obligatory for installation in all new apartments for eight years now, and this is a requirement of Federal Law No. 261 “On Energy Saving and on Increasing Energy Efficiency”.

It is also surprising that with such a clear contradiction to the law on energy conservation, the report of the Ministry of Construction and the EIT found support in almost all ministries. And not a single department, with the exception of the Ministry of Economic Development, had any questions for him. “The initiative proposed by the Ministry of Construction of Russia is aimed at discouraging residents of apartment buildings for energy-efficient behavior, which is inconsistent with the principles of state policy in the field of energy conservation and energy efficiency,” says the letter of the Ministry of Economic Development regarding the draft resolution. - The available foreign and domestic experience ... testifies to the advisability of installing individual devices.The effect of the introduction of apartment accounting in the form of an aggregate reduction in heat energy consumption by an apartment building ... can reach 20%. "

Counter in new buildings

Individual heat metering in apartment buildings has become mandatory for all houses built since 2012. About 15,000 such houses have already been erected in Russia; about four to six million Russians live in them. In the general system, this is not much, but more and more people are getting a real tool to influence the cost of housing and communal services. Let's repeat: in the presence of individual regulation (that is, thermostatic regulators on heating devices, which are also mandatory in new buildings), individual registration allows residents to reduce their heating fees by 15–20% on average. With today's tariffs for thermal energy, depending on the area of ​​the apartment, its energy efficiency and the cost of heat, this makes it possible to save up to ten thousand rubles a year.

It is important to note that the Ministry of Construction does not deprive Russians of the right to use heat meters, but removes the obligation to install them in new housing construction. It would seem, what is the problem? The first and main problem is the price. “When installing meters at the construction stage, a set of individual metering equipment for an average apartment (about 60 square meters) costs three to four thousand rubles. And such an apartment pays 20-25 thousand rubles a year for heating. Even by saving only 10-15 percent of heat, the homeowner will pay for the equipment in one to two years if the service life of the appliances is ten years or more. The rise in the price of an apartment by three to four thousand rubles, with its total cost of several million rubles, is generally imperceptible for the buyer, "one of the resource supplying companies told the Expert. If a resident installs a meter on his own, the cost of equipment and installation will increase for him at least two to three times, since prices will already be retail and installation in a populated house will cost much more. Accordingly, the payback period will also increase significantly.

This is confirmed by the calculation of the Ministry of Construction, which was made for retail prices: “The cost of an individual metering device for heat energy is on average 6.5-8 thousand rubles, work on its replacement ... about six thousand rubles, the cost of checking the meter, taking into account dismantling and installation ... nine thousand rubles. Verification must be done every four to six years, and the service life of the heat meter is 12 years. Therefore, we can say that an individual heat metering device (IPU) requires rather high costs on the part of the apartment owner, even in the case of acquiring housing with an installed meter. Yes, installing thermal automation in an apartment building is also quite expensive, but due to such automatic regulation and even distribution of heat throughout the building, savings of 10 to 30 percent can be achieved. And such savings will affect the payment for heating each resident of the house, "the Deputy Minister of Construction and Housing and Communal Services told Expert. Maxim Egorov.

Thus, the Ministry of Construction proposes to "replace" individual metering with the installation of automation at the entrance to the house and balancing of risers. Although the whole world practice suggests that these events in no way replace each other, but should be carried out in a complex. To achieve a full-fledged economic effect, it is necessary to install both automation and balancing, and thermostats on heating devices, and metering devices both at the entrance to the house and in each apartment.

Let us remind that payment for heat energy and hot water (which is the same from the point of view of thermal workers) in payments of Russians is more than half of the total bill for housing and communal services. And the opportunity to save on heating is especially important for the less wealthy Russians. An installed battery meter in a new house or old housing stock is an important incentive to save heat.

However, it seems that the Ministry of Construction does not believe in this. The Deputy Minister of Housing and Communal Services commented on the situation: “Domestic experience shows that the installation of an individual metering device for heat energy does not lead to an overall saving of heat energy in the entire apartment building. The meter is an important addition to the main measures to save energy and increase energy efficiency, such as installing weather control systems, insulating basements and roofs, replacing windows, installing recuperators on the ventilation system. Therefore, we propose to focus, first of all, on the installation of general house metering devices. This, at a minimum, will make it possible to correctly determine the actual volume of heat energy and pay only for the volume that exactly hit this house, and not overpay for the loss of the resource supplier. The next step is to install various thermal control systems. "

However, the Ministry of Construction does not give an answer to the question of how it is possible to conclude from domestic experience that the IPU is ineffective, if before the release of the government decree No. 1708 of December 28, 2020, payment calculations in houses equipped with apartment heat meters were actually prohibited (for houses in which at least in one apartment the meter is faulty, and this is always the case in real life).

Difference systems

In practice, there are only two types of devices for apartment metering, depending on the layout of the heat supply systems inside the house. The old housing stock, built before 2012, is mainly equipped with vertical wiring, when pipes go in the apartments of MKD from top to bottom, forming a riser. In such vertical systems, radiator distributors are traditionally used for individual accounting. They are easy and cheap to install. Such distributors use an indirect measurement principle - they register the temperature difference between the surface of the battery and the air in the room, giving as readings an integral value proportional to the heat transfer over the calculated period. The hotter the batteries, the higher the valve readings and the higher the total payment. Nevertheless, in such heat supply systems, individual metering is often devoid of economic sense. After all, residents do not have the technical ability to reduce heat consumption in their apartment and, accordingly, cannot reduce the payment. If residents decide to install thermal control, this often entails reconfiguring the entire heat supply system, installing an individual heating point, and rebalancing heating risers. That is, a comprehensive modernization of the entire heating system of the MKD is required, and this requires significant investments. Neither consumers nor heat supply companies have such money.

Therefore, it is still pointless to introduce mandatory individual accounting in the existing housing stock - today it is an impossible task. According to the current legislation, the installation of heat meters in existing houses is completely voluntary. However, the existing fund should not be confused with new construction.

In new housing construction, horizontal wiring of heat supply systems is actively used, when each apartment has a separate input for such a system and an individual apartment heat meter is installed in each apartment. Such a device directly measures the heat consumption of an apartment in physical units of heat. In this case, the consumer can independently regulate the supply of heat to the house either with a manual tap or with an automatic thermostat.

At the same time, the share of vertical distribution in new buildings in many regions also remains very large. If the mandatory installation of distributors is canceled in such new buildings, then residents themselves, most likely, will not be able to use them later, since for correct metering by distributors, they must be installed in at least 50% of apartments from their total total area.

Units will voluntarily install meters, and only in buildings with horizontal wiring. It will also be possible to forget about the tasks of digitalization of accounting, since automated systems can be installed centrally and in a complex for the whole house, provided that individual devices are of the same type in all apartments. Thus, the technological backwardness of our housing stock will continue to grow every year, and modern energy efficiency indicators will not be achieved in the coming decades.

Saving pennies, we lose billions

“For the poorest strata of the population, payments for housing and communal services in 2016–2018 accounted for 51–60% of all expenses for services, and for the top 20% of families - only 5–8%,” says a study by the Analytical Center under the Government of the Russian Federation. That is, utility tariffs are becoming more and more tangible for a significant part of the population.

European experience shows that the maximum effect from the installation of meters occurs in the second or third year of their operation, when the causes of unjustified heat leaks in the building are identified and eliminated, and residents are accustomed to economical use of heat in their apartments.

The figures for savings in heat metering have been calculated in Russia as well. In Kazan, a comparative analysis of heat consumption in two MKDs was carried out. In a house where meters were installed in all apartments and an individual heating station (IHP) on the building itself, the average specific consumption per square meter was 0.068 Gcal per year. A neighboring house of the same series, connected to the same highway, but without ITP and meters, consumed 0.105 Gcal per square meter - the difference was 35%.

Let's imagine that the example of Kazan is extreme and the maximum savings that can be achieved from the installation of apartment meters is only 10%. Heat supply of buildings currently consumes about 430 million tons of standard fuel, or approximately 45% of all energy resources consumed in the country. This is 2.3 times more than is used to generate electricity.

According to Rosstat, the population of Russia annually consumes about 400 million Gcal of heat produced in a centralized way. At the cost of one gigacalorie of 2000 rubles, the population will save 10% of heat by 85 billion rubles a year, while saving 20% ​​- 170 billion rubles. This money can go to the consumer market, to revive the demand economy. This is also a direct saving of budgetary funds, since housing services for 20% of the population are subsidized.

Another problem is that the Ministry of Construction, by canceling the mandatory installation of meters in new buildings, is killing the established industry for the production of such devices. This market in Russia has already formed and continues to develop rapidly. It is attended by dozens of domestic and foreign manufacturers, hundreds of specialized companies for the sale, installation and maintenance of individual accounting systems, several accredited laboratories for testing and certification of equipment.

If the amendment proposed by the Ministry of Construction is adopted, the market for individual metering devices will be almost completely curtailed, domestic enterprises will be closed, and promising developments will be stopped. Only foreign manufacturers will be able to survive, for which Russia is not the main market. The prices for such devices for consumers will inevitably become even higher.

Catching up with the West

In general, in the reform of housing and communal services and in matters of individual accounting, in particular, Russia plays the role of a catching-up country. Here we are lagging behind the countries of Western Europe for decades, but the saddest thing is that we are lagging behind our neighbors in the CIS: Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

If in our country the installation of apartment heat meters is an option, then in the EU countries all apartment buildings connected to the centralized heat supply must have an apartment metering (see "Learn from the people of Riga", page 43).

Heat metering at all levels is necessary for the efficient and transparent functioning of the entire heat supply industry. In the absence of accounting, it is impossible to identify and eliminate weak links in the heat supply system, it is impossible to localize losses and discover their causes. Without taking into account, there is also completely no motivation to optimize the entire heat supply chain, from generation to the end consumer.

Over the past two decades, the Russian housing and communal services industry, albeit with a creak, many problems and confusion, has been moving towards commercialization. As in Europe, ideally all companies - suppliers of resources should work without subsidies, update infrastructure and bring profit to their owners, pay taxes. It is clear that the end user is responsible for both energy efficiency measures and new communal infrastructure. However, it is important for the consumer to get comfort at home and pay as little as possible for it. At the same time, practice shows that energy efficiency works when the consumer is interested in it. This means that he can, firstly, affect his consumption, and secondly, measure this consumption and pay for it based on these measurements. But, perhaps, the main thing for the consumer is protection from the arbitrariness of the resource monopoly and the management company, and the meter is an element of this protection.

Of all the above, now the consumer has the right to the first and second options - to install a thermostat and a meter and measure their consumption. After the decision of the Supreme Court, adopted at the end of last year, citizens have the right to the third option - payment by the meter, although the final methodology for such calculations for heat in Russia has not yet been approved, and there is something to work on.

The Ministry of Construction, by its decision to abolish the mandatory installation of heat meters in new buildings, can indirectly deprive the consumer of these two options, and most importantly, make the Russian defenseless against the resource heat supply monopoly. As a result, we will stop focusing on energy efficiency and move to a state typical for third world countries, generate endless disputes between owners of premises, resource supplying organizations and management companies, and mothball the use of outdated technologies in the construction of apartment buildings.

At the same time, the decision promoted by the Ministry of Construction contradicts several national projects at once - for example, digitalization. By the way, it is precisely for this project that the centralized installation of metering systems is critically needed immediately at the construction stage, since later, with individual installation, residents simply cannot physically install a single automated system in their house, but this can be done at the construction stage.

They often recall the example of water meters, the mass installation of which by the population began with inflated water standards and special increasing coefficients, when, in the absence of a device, citizens were forced to pay two to three times more than the neighbors whose devices were installed. Today, a repetition of the forced “profiling” of the population through inflated payments is impossible, including due to a decrease in purchasing power and lack of funds from citizens, as well as a social component with a sharp increase in payments for housing and communal services. Nevertheless, gradually installing meters in a new housing stock, and preferably in a fund after major repairs, the country gets a chance in ten to twenty years to build an adequate heat metering system. And this chance cannot be denied.

"The cheapest type of fuel in Russia is energy saving"

Professor of the Higher School of Urban Studies at the Higher School of Economics Sergey Sivaev - on the problems of regulating heat metering in Russia.

- How energy efficient is the Russian economy and where is the main potential in reducing energy consumption hidden?

- We have a very energy-intensive economy. Traditionally, due to the fact that the country has a large number of relatively cheap energy resources. But it has been proven many times that it is cheapest to use energy more economically, and in this direction, apartment buildings are one of the key factors. We talk a lot about the high cost of housing and communal services, but in fact, in our bills, 50 percent is payment for heating, which in 95 cases out of a hundred we cannot reduce or optimize in any way. Simply put, heat consumption in Russia is regulated by a window.

Adjusting heat consumption is a difficult technical task, because we have vertical wiring in the old housing stock: heat supply systems go from top to bottom, heating pipes go not through apartments, but through rooms. As a result, a problem arises both with the regulation of heat consumption and with the measurement of the amount of heat consumed by the room. In the new housing stock, more and more often, horizontal apartment-to-house distribution of heating pipes is used, which allows solving the problem of both regulation and measurement.

- Is there an economic effect from the installation of meters?

- As often happens with us, we entered this reform with half measures. In order for the system to show its economic feasibility, it is very important to do it all correctly methodologically. For example, determine the balance of the whole house, not just each apartment. In fact, we see that the readings are taken at different points in time, someone puts a metering device, and someone does not, the devices themselves have different measurement accuracy. As a result, the numbers never converge, and the sum of the apartment metering devices does not correspond to the readings of the general house metering device.

- How to solve this problem?

- You don't need to be limited to metering devices, you need to install normal modern IT solutions that allow you to take readings from a metering device remotely and at the same time. This is the first task to be solved.

The second task is methodological: it is absolutely not necessary, and Russian and European practice proves this, to submit data from heat metering devices on a monthly basis. We pay, as a rule, not on the basis of monthly consumption, and it varies greatly in cold and warm months, but for the average annual volume. At the end of the heating season, a recalculation is made. Europeans are doing the same. They recalculate seasonal consumption on the basis of metering devices once a year.

It is necessary to solve the problems that arise, and not to abandon the devices. Refusal from metering devices is not only a violation of the decision of the Constitutional Court, but a departure from normal civilizational development.

- How important is apartment-to-door accounting in reforming the industry?

- The topic is very important. Because, firstly, we must proceed from logic: the consumer is always right. And heating and its payment today are extremely non-transparent issues. The consumer should not only have the right to fix his consumption, but also to regulate it. If the consumer is able to regulate and have reliable information about the amount of heat consumed, he will be able to influence the payment for heating. Then he will think about how to pay less. There will be a need for energy-saving measures. Now such events are practically never implemented in our country, although the entire former post-socialist Europe has a colossal practice of how and what to do in apartment buildings similar to ours in terms of design solutions.

Interviewed by Victoria Dubovskaya

"Want to cancel - suggest an alternative"

Member of the General Council and Co-Chairman of the Electric and Power Equipment Committee of Delovaya Rossiya Denis Cherepanov - about the possible consequences of canceling the mandatory installation of heat meters.
- How important is energy saving, increasing energy efficiency for the development of the country?

- Of course, this is one of the key vectors of state policy, which must be dealt with in an extremely balanced manner. As a country rich in resources, we are not very attentive to the consumption of energy resources, but the topic of energy conservation is of a strategic nature. The whole chain is important - from mining to the final individual who consumes energy in his apartment. At the same time, the consumer is a key figure who should be primarily interested in the efficient use of energy resources. And, of course, the main incentive for him is saving.

- What conclusions did the practitioners draw after several years of the law on energy efficiency, which obliges the mandatory installation of meters in all apartments in new buildings? What can the abolition of this rule lead to?

- In my opinion, the heat metering system in domestic conditions is the most complex and controversial. And it definitely requires some work and rethinking.

After analyzing the results of the energy efficiency law, we realized that there are many subtleties and pitfalls. But mostly the problems are methodical. This system needs to be further adjusted at the level of by-laws. We need to give time to work on the mistakes.

I would be very careful about solutions such as completely canceling the installation of individual heat meters in the new housing stock. As a consumer and as an expert, I consider such a decision a step backward. We will again find ourselves at a point that seemed to have long passed.

If such a cardinal decision is to be made, then alternative options should be immediately proposed. We need to work out new mechanisms and models for individual heat metering and be sure of their performance, but not like this: “let's take it away, and then someday we'll think about what can be implemented more efficiently”.

We must not forget: we ourselves have created an entire market, investors have invested their funds, and we must take into account their interests.

- Will the cancellation of the mandatory installation of meters somehow affect the end user?

- At the construction stage, any installation of metering devices is much cheaper than integrating metering into the existing heat supply system. Even if the owners subsequently decide to install heating appliances, it will cost them much more.

Interviewed by Victoria Dubovskaya

"The stimulus can only be material"

Alexander Kolubkov, Vice President of the non-profit partnership "Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Heat Supply and Building Thermal Physics Engineers" - on incentives in energy efficiency.
- How important is energy saving, increasing energy efficiency for the development of the country?

- Energy conservation is the cornerstone of any economy, since few countries are endowed with their own resources. They have to be bought for foreign currency and paid dearly. Therefore, all countries are striving to carry out energy saving measures. We have a slightly different country. We have a lot of resources, and there are monopolists for whom energy conservation is unprofitable: the more resources they pumped out, the more money the monopolists received. As a result, a strange situation develops. The country is nominally rich, it has a lot of energy resources, but we burn it all in boilers to get heat, and we just sell it because we need foreign currency. Abroad, fertilizers, fuel, paint, solvents, synthetic rubber, plastics and much more are successfully obtained from our gas.

At the household level, energy saving is impossible without measuring your consumption, not feeling it, and paying deliberately. Therefore, it is simply absurd to talk about energy saving in a situation where consumers do not see the effect itself. Energy can be saved only when you see its real consumption and control it at home.If I saved energy, I paid less to the resource organization. At the human consumer level, energy conservation is very important. Naturally, it can only be when he feels it in his wallet. Without metering, it is simply impossible to talk about some kind of energy saving.

- Maybe there are some other specific incentives to improve energy efficiency in households and throughout the economy? Or is it only achieved through controls and counters?

- The stimulus can only be material. But in our country there is another principle: until instructions are received from above, no one will do anything. Therefore, there must be a will of the leadership aimed at energy conservation in general.

But there is no systematic work, so a situation arises when the slogans are all around: “Let's save energy!”, But no one does anything at the same time. Nobody conserves resources for future generations, nothing is done to save money and sell the surplus abroad. We simply mindlessly burn oil, coal and gas, throwing these resources to the wind in the cooling towers of thermal power plants, heating the earth or the street with dilapidated networks or open windows - all this is simply absurd. For any country other than Russia, this is an unaffordable luxury. But if these surpluses, with which we are drowning the street, were put to work, we would probably have money for pensioners, and for medicine, and for everything else.

Interviewed by Victoria Dubovskaya

General recommendations for the selection of the device and its installation

We have already reviewed the main types of heating meters, but which one is better to buy? In this matter, you can consult with experts who will prepare a project for installing a heating meter for an apartment. They will know what problems the device will face, and which one will work better under the given conditions.

Also, the choice will depend on your financial capabilities. However, it is better to buy a durable ultrasonic device, although it is more expensive than one that will have to be replaced in a couple of years.

To install a heating meter for an apartment, you should contact a certified company. Experts do not recommend performing this procedure on your own - then there will be problems with accepting the device into operation. Depending on the type and model of the device that you buy, the installation procedure will be different, the easiest way is to mount an electromagnetic meter.

Important: after installing the meter, do not forget to register it with the company of the heat energy supplier, otherwise it will be considered not working.

How a heat meter works, types and characteristics of these devices

For this reason, accounting for the consumption of consumed thermal energy is possible only when installing a separate meter for each radiator, which is economically impractical. In this case, it is recommended to install a group metering device either on the house as a whole, or on a separate entrance (although the latter option is used very rarely).

So, where to start work on installing a heat energy meter:

1. It is necessary to obtain a document called technical conditions from the local heat supply organization.
   The technical conditions usually indicate the place and method of installation, the requirements for the meter (nominal bore diameter, temperature range and other data), in addition, a schematic diagram of the installation with certain regulatory requirements in terms of some dimensions must be attached.

   Heat meter installation project

2. Based on the technical conditions, the homeowner himself has the right to decide which meter to put on heating, but it is not recommended to make a choice on his own. The fact is that the next document to be obtained is a project for installing a metering device for the received heat energy.
   The development of project documentation should be carried out by a firm that has the appropriate license.Be prepared for the development of the project will take a significant amount of time, while the cost of this document is commensurate with the price of the purchased meter.

But it is worth paying tribute to the designers, in many cases they advise the metering device that is most suitable for certain conditions, so you should listen to their advice.

The main thing is not to be mistaken in choosing an organization that will develop a project for installing a heat meter, try to give preference to trusted companies with real reviews.

1. The developed project is subject to obligatory agreement with the heat supplying organization.
   Although serious designers solve all these issues themselves thanks to long-established working relationships, however, this may affect the cost of project development services.
2. Based on the permits received, you can already choose a specific meter.
   Usually there is an opportunity to purchase 2-3 modifications from different manufacturers.
3. The installation work should be entrusted to certified companies. Self-installation of a heat meter or the services of dubious specialists can turn into problems when putting the meter into operation.
4. Upon completion of all installation work, the meter must be accepted by representatives of the supplier of heat resources.

On average, the entire procedure associated with installing a heat energy meter can take 1-6 months, it all depends on the amount of money invested and the promptness of all organizations involved.

Installation nuances

In order to install a heat meter in an apartment, it is necessary to overcome several stages:

1. Getting in the housing and communal services of those. installation conditions. As a rule, for this you need to come and submit an appropriate application. According to the law, the housing and communal services department must consider the application within a certain time, so you need to make sure that it is necessarily registered and that the date of acceptance is stamped on it.
2. After receiving those. installation conditions, you can go to the appropriate design organization. As a rule, there are enough such institutions, so it will not be difficult to find it. The corresponding project will be issued there. This project needs to be approved by housing and communal services and other organizations. Usually the designers themselves are engaged in this, but it happens that you have to agree on the tenants themselves.
3. Purchase of a heat meter. When buying, you must be sure to issue a warranty card and a document in which the date of the meter verification is noted.
4. Installation of a heat meter. It is better to entrust the installation to a company that has experience in this field. You can install it yourself, but for this you first need to agree with the housing and communal services in order to be sure that there is no water in the heating system.
5. After installation, you need to call a representative from the housing and communal services in order for him to register and seal the meter.