Seal water meters

Installation of water meters in apartments since July 2012 is mandatory. After installation, the meters must go through the commissioning procedure, which includes the installation of seals. From the moment of registration of water meters, the owner is obliged to pay only for the actual consumption of water, not being able to distort and change the readings of the devices. We will find out how it is possible to seal water meters and who should do it.

Is it possible to do without sealing the meter?

By law, the accuracy of metering devices used in apartments must be confirmed. Sealing is one way of confirming this.

If you are installing a water meter for the first time, sealing is a mandatory part of its registration. Until it is completed, you will pay for water according to the general norm, and not according to individual indications even if there is an installed water meter.

If you independently replaced the counter and did not go through the sealing procedure or violated the seal during operation, the result will be the same. When the time for the next inspection by the supervisory authorities approaches, all the indications on the basis of which you were billed for water will be invalidated. The management company will recalculate, and you will have to pay for the entire past period at average rates, which in fact are very high.

Important! Sealing is an integral part of the process of using water meters. The absence of a seal on the device for the management company is equivalent to the absence of the metering device itself.

When does the filling process take place?

Seals are placed on hot and cold water meters in the following cases:

• after the initial installation of water meters;
• if the device needs to be changed due to a malfunction or expiration date;
• in case of replacement of the water supply section on which the device is installed;
• in an accident that caused a breach of the seal;
• with intentional or accidental damage to the seal.

Attention! It is not the meter itself that needs to be sealed, since it was already sealed at the factory after the verification process, but the place of its connection to the pipeline. Correctly performed sealing does not affect the operation of the meter and does not interfere with shutting off water if necessary.

Who is involved in sealing the meters?

It is impossible to seal water meters on their own, because when installing a seal, an act of sealing is compulsory drawn up, recognizing this seal as valid. Usually, the services responsible for water supply are involved in the installation of seals. However, other companies licensed for this type of activity can seal water meters. Before installing the seal, the specialist must make sure that the device is installed correctly and its integrity is not broken, and draw up the act of putting the meter into operation.

How is the meter sealed during the initial installation or replacement?

First, counters need to be installed. Independently install metering devices It is not prohibited, but keep in mind that when an inspector comes to you to seal, he will ask you to show the documents that were issued by the company engaged in the installation of such equipment. If you installed the device correctly, they won’t refuse to seal and register the meter, but experienced owners advise you not to risk it.

Important! If you still decide to install the water meters yourself, do not forget that according to the Federal Law on Unity measurements during the installation of water meters, it is necessary to install special filters that will not allow the devices to clog and distort testimony. Filters must be installed in accordance with all the rules and should not interfere with sealing.

Sealing Application

After installing the water meters, it is necessary to submit a written application for sealing, which must indicate:

• applicant's data - full name, details of an identity document, phone number;
• Desired date of putting the device into operation;
• type and number of the device (when installing two meters at once - for cold and hot water - information about each device is indicated);
• terms of future verification (determined on the basis of the period between verifications, which is specified by the manufacturer);
• act of installation;
• data on the installation company;
• primary meter readings at the time of installation.

A copy of the water meter’s passport must be attached to the application.

Note! The time of the verification interval is not considered from the moment the water meter was installed, but from the date of the initial factory calibration.

Sealing and commissioning procedure

After submitting the application, a master should come to you, who, after checking the quality of the installation water meters and the availability of documents that were indicated in the application, seals devices and draws up an act sealing. When installing two water meters - for cold and hot water - a seal is placed on each of them. This act must indicate the owner’s data, registration data of the device, seal number and scheme of the water intake unit.

Tip: when you decide to apply, do it about 4-5 days before the planned commissioning of the meter. If the representative of the service has not arrived at the indicated time, you have the right to demand a recalculation in accordance with the readings of the water meter, starting from this day.

Is sealing a meter paid?

Information regarding payment of the sealing procedure is contradictory. Taking into account the Law on Water Supply and Sanitation, the service should be provided free of charge for except in cases where the seal previously installed or the device itself was damaged through fault user. However, in practice, the municipal service may require you to install a seal. In this case, you have a choice: pay the requested small amount or go to court.

Tip: during a visit to the inspector who is responsible for putting the device into operation, find out whether it is possible to conclude an agreement with the company for further free maintenance and sealing.

What is more profitable: verification or replacement?

What is the actual shelf life of water meters? The manufacturer indicates in the passport an expiration date equal to an average of 12 years. Why then do many people think that the shelf life of a hot water meter is 4 years, and cold - 6 years? In fact, these figures indicate the standard time between the verification of the meters, during which their serviceability and absence of errors when taking readings are determined. A hot water appliance has a shorter period because it is more aggressive and can fail earlier.

Users ignore the declared expiration dates and change the water meters to new ones after 4-6 years, because the meter verification is a paid service, approximated in cost to the price of a new device. In addition, in order to send metering devices for hot and cold water in practice, you have to call the wizard to remove the seals and dismantle the counters, and then independently transport the devices to verification. Within 2–4 weeks, during the check of operability of water meters, payment will be charged to you according to general standards. After passing the verification, you will again have to call the wizard for the re-installation of devices and sealing. Thus, it is sometimes easier and cheaper to change the counters to new ones instead of putting them in practice. Therefore, despite the declared shelf life, it is more profitable not to wait for the end of the actual life and install new devices.

What to do if you have good expensive water meters installed, you don’t want to change them, the verification deadline has come, but you absolutely have no desire to immerse yourself in these chores? There is a solution: in many cities there are services that carry out verification of meters without removal. The specialist will bring special metrological equipment directly to your home and check the degree of error of the instruments.