Not so long ago, many apartments and private house owners thought if the installation of water meters was needed, now even the most skeptical obviously, they significantly reduce costs and allow you to control the use of hot and cold water. Not so long ago, a law on the widespread mandatory installation of water meters was adopted, and today you will learn how to do it own.

Choose water meters

A certain proportion depends on the properly selected meters. It should be a high-quality and kindup equipment that will not break in a couple of years and will not "translate" the testimony. The water meter should literally work as a clock, because it depends on how much money you will pay monthly for consumed water.

The optimal option is the turbine mechanical counters with an impeller. They cost inexpensively and checked over the years. Modern electronic analogues look more prestigious, and their manufacturers promise thorough accuracy, but practice shows that the electronics fails much more often mechanics, and the replacement of meters with the passage of all bureaucratic procedures is a pleasure to the amateur.

The second one that should be understood when buying is that mechanisms for cold and hot water are completely different in a constructive plan. And the difference lies not only in different color of the belt on devices. Since the "hot" counter is put on the hot water pipeline, it must withstand fairly high temperatures, so the temperature meters are used for its manufacture. Accordingly, because of this, it costs more than "cold". You can deliver a "hot" counter to the cold highway (which, however, will be more expensive), but not the opposite.

If you want to install water meter at home and forget about this problem for many years, do not chase for something exceptional and new way, and trust the old-good mechanics. Make purchases only from proven providers and be sure to confirm the certification of the goods. Also when buying carefully check the package: Counters yourself, mesh filters, 2 connector nipples, gaskets, precipitated nuts, check valves.

Useful advice: Some sellers in the markets often descend the sets of counters and trade parts separately, in advanced prices, so it is better not to risk and purchase devices in the store.

Another important point is to receive a passport to the counter. The document must be definitely printed and confirmed by the factory stamp. It should also have identical serial numbers on the product. If you intend to sell the counter with a copy of the present passport, when I was calibrated for such a document, you will have to pay extra.

Separately, you should talk about the shut-off cranes that must be made to each meter. On the locking crane there is an eyelet with a special hole for sealing. Sealing is a mandatory procedure that is necessary for utilities for warranty. If there will be no seals on the counter, it can be blocked, remove from the pipe, to gain water as pleasing water and not pay for it.

Sealing is not mandatory only when the counters are installed on polypropylene tubes and joints will need to be welded. However, the final decision should take the inspector of the Governing directly at the place of work.

The durability of purchased meters for the most part depends on the material from which they are made. Experts strongly recommend to beware of products from the silhouette alloy, and this applies not only to the counters, but also any plumbing. Silicon products are subject to intercrystal corrosion and quickly fail, but attract their low cost. In order not to worry because of the risk of a flood, it is better to immediately take metal-plastic products.

Useful advice: You can also buy another locking tap for mounting after removal to the drain tank. It is very useful if you think about changing the plumbing or make overhaul, then the toilet can be used as usual.

Install water meters

There is one more mandatory procedure between buying and installing water meters - verification. When buying devices it is very necessary that all the indicators are zero, because when calibrated, they will be listed as starting, that is, even if there are 3 cube of water on an unspecified counter, the count will begin with them, and you will not pay for them. So, employees of the civil service take into account the initial indicators when entering the meter into operation, and if the calibration reveals a malfunction, the seller from whom you took the device will have to replace it with free (do not throw off the packaging and check).

To calibrate the device, you need to pass in the Kip Vodokanal, Hweak, district or city or a private office. Where exactly needs to be referred to in your case, you can ask in the housing site at the place of residence. Welk employees are obliged to inform anyone who applied on this issue, at least this clearly states in the official instructions of the chief engineer.

Important: Verification is always a free procedure, which is indicated in detail in the Law on Gas and Water Counters.

Purchase devices with factory passports, where after passing the calibrations should be put in the champs of the kip. After that, you will be informed when the wizard comes to sow the counters.

Choosing a place for a water meter

Often there is a problem with the installation site of the meters. It should be so that the devices can be clearly visible, but often the modest square of the bathrooms does not allow you to freely wrap the master. There are certain rules for the installation of water meters. So, the devices need to be installed as close as possible with the input of the pipeline into the room, but so closely, the inspector defines for each specific case. Usually, if the counter is standing next to the toilet, it does not cause problems, even if the locking crane is located in a half-meter on the highway. In the same way, installation is carried out in the bathroom, if the highways pass on the bottom.

The installation of water meters in a private house is somewhat more complicated, and the inspectors are looking at the fore. For such cases, specific numbers are already prescribed: no more than 20 cm from the outlet of the supply pipe. If there is a plumbing well on the site, then its design must be a capital and equipped with a lid, which will also have to be sled.

IMPORTANT: If in the future, a major sledding well will need to repair or carry out any other work, with the exception of emergency actions or fire extinguishing, it is necessary to cause an authorized employee to officially remove the seal.

How to install a water meter

Despite the seeming complexity, bureaucracy and long preparation process, the scheme of the water meter installation itself is quite simple. With such work can cope with independently in the presence of simple equipment and the initial skills of working with it. The image below shows in detail the sequence of installation. There should be no watershed mechanisms before the shut-off crane.

If you work with metal pipes, the side joints need to be insulated with fum-ribbon or uninstall, all other joints can be made on regular compactors that are included.

To more clearly understand how to install counters, it is worth briefly explaining the purpose of the nodal elements. So, the shut-off ball valve is needed for overlapping water supply. On a welded plastic water supply, it can be moved a little further against the water flow. Mesh filters are needed to delay and collect the shallow suspension in tap water, which can clog and break the counter. There are usually no such suspension in the new water pipes, but in old pipes, together with the flow, rust can be seamless, and if the water from the well - sand and other impurities. Another important detail is the check valve. It does not allow the meter to "releasing", which often happens when there is no water in the water supply system, and the cranes are open (the air is absorbed, and the counter without the reverse valve "winds" in minus).

Useful Tip: If you put the device horizontally, turn the drain pipe of the filter down if it is vertically, then Block. This will allow cleaning quickly and without complications.

After fixing the devices, make the test turning on the water and make sure that all the joints are dense, and water is not seeping through them. But on this collection with the installation does not end, because you need to immediately notify the water scaling or the organization operating the water supply, that counters appeared in your apartment. As long as you do not receive documents for the installation of water meters, the cost of water consumption will be considered to be maximum. After applying for 3 working days, an authorized employee must come. It must be submitted to passports counters, as well as testing acts.

IMPORTANT: a license to install counters is completely optional. The main thing is that they have been established qualitatively, there were appropriate documents and verification was passed, and who and how did the installation, it does not matter.

When the inspector documens the initial readings of the instruments and the act of commissioning them, it will put the seals and will offer to sign a service contract. Carefully read the document and pay special attention to the maintenance for the service, read everything that is written in small font to avoid unpleasant surprises. After signing the contract, you will pay only for the amount of water consumed that the counters will show. One copy of the contract remains with you, the other takes the inspector. It is also better to make a copy of the passports of the meters in order to give them to the inspector.

In the video about the installation of water meters, all the main points of installation are clearly shown:

Useful advice

Finally, we suggest you to explore some options for the development of events that are often introduced into confusion and can cause distressed situations.

How to act, if:

1. The water pressure is very weak, although everything is fine in neighboring apartments - most likely, filters clowed in the counters and it's time to clean. Only in no way should do it yourself! At first it is necessary to call the inspector so that he removes the seal, cleaned the filter and seated the devices again. By the way, these services should be completely free, which is stipulated in the maintenance contract.
2. You accidentally threateled a seal, do not even try to "correct" it somehow and glue it back, because it is unlikely to do it, and if the inspector will notice "repair", he will write down a rather big penalty. It is better to immediately notify the WEK on the incident, and during the working day there should be a specialist for overcoming. This service is paid, but it is much cheaper than a fine for your free repair.
3. If necessary for any reason to remove the seal, then you must pay for the felt and subsequent overcoming.
4. If you believe that the counter "lying" and winds more than you spend water, you have the full right to order an extraordinary free calibration. While the counter will be at the calibration, the water consumption must be counted in the middle minimum for your region. Planned verification take place extremely rarely, so if you suspect the overpayment, it is better not to delay with the application.

To put the counter itself is easy, but most prefers to entrust this business to private firms in order not to mess with infinite documentation. The only case when independent installation is unacceptable if a two-pipe DHW is in the apartment or a fire hydrant is installed. Then the work should be engaged in a licensed contractor or a vodokanal worker. Otherwise, you can rely on your strength. We hope this article will help you cope with work without errors.