Water for apartments and private houses - everything is becoming more expensive. If you pay according to the average, then the price simply goes through the roof. Even if you don’t use water that often, you will have to pay a tidy sum for one registered person, but now imagine - if three or four people are registered! This is already 1500 - 2000 rubles per month, of course, it all depends on the region (the price varies). In general, the government forces us to install water meters, this way we can save a tidy sum. However, many people think that installing a meter is quite difficult, although this is not true! Personally, I installed it with my own hands for my mother in a private house. Today I want to tell you this step-by-step instructions, there will be a video at the end, so read and watch...
A little background - my mother has a private house, 4 people are registered, if you pay on average, it comes out to about 1200 - 1300 rubles per month (I don’t remember exactly the tariff now). But a cube of cold water costs only 22 rubles. However, the point is that only two people live, and very little water is consumed, especially in winter! Maximum 5 - 7 cubes, that is - 7 X 22r = 154 rubles. The overpayment is simply huge! In the summer, of course, watering the garden is involved, but still the benefit, even in the summer, reaches two to three times! Actually, we decided to install a water meter, because the benefits are really obvious.
What you need to know before installation
Many residents of apartment buildings and private households think that special companies handle installations. BUT THIS IS COMPLETELY NOT TRUE! NO ONE CAN OBLIGATE YOU TO INSTALL ANYWHERE OR BY ANYONE. You can do all the work yourself, if of course you can.
However, before carrying out installation work, you need to call your representative office of VODOKANAL (or another company that supplies water to you) and find out all the conditions and recommendations for installation. DO THIS MANDATORY! So that you don’t have to redo it 10 times later.
What recommendations and mandatory items may there be:
- Water meter from certain companies, usually given three to four names
- Anti-magnetic device. Personally, we were not obligated, but a friend in a neighboring town said that it was necessary to install an anti-magnetic option (they were told so at the water utility)
- Mandatory certification
- There MUST BE a coarse filter in front of the meter. So that all the blockage is caught and does not interfere with the operation of the device
Actually, that's all! After installation, you need to call a representative of Vodokanal, he will check the correct installation and seal the meter. After that, you will start paying according to his testimony.
Metering device installation method
The procedure for installing a water flow meter is, in principle, quite simple. After purchasing all the necessary components, you should read the recommendations for using them. We carefully study the technical data sheet of the metering device and find specific numbers indicating a straight pipe before and after it. The installation itself takes place in 6 steps.
To begin, lay all the components in a chain on a flat surface, while checking the directions on all components.
Try combining all the ingredients without water. This will help determine the required amount of sealant for the connections. Usually, in addition to the meter itself, the package contains pipes - pipe connectors and rings used for sealing.
But when installing the meter, it is better to purchase rings separately. They differ from each other: a meter for warm water requires slightly different ones.
Once all the components have been connected, you can begin installing the structure into the water supply system itself. To do this, it is better to invite a specialist from the management company. It is worth placing a basin at the bottom; there is a possibility that the remaining water in the pipes will drain. Mark the length required for the structure and cut the same amount on the pipes.
Direct attachment of the meter to the pipe. There may be some minor difficulties at this step. When the water supply is made of iron pipes, you need to make threads at the joints. Therefore, we recommend replacing the entire segment with plastic tubes.
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Direct inspection of the installed structure for leaks. Turn on the water and slowly turn the ball valve. Once you are sure that everything is working properly, invite a specialist to install a seal on the meter.
Now provide the device data to the water utility company in a timely manner and pay only for actual water consumption.
How to choose
I will have a separate article about the detailed choice, but for now there are general recommendations. An important recommendation is that each water meter has its own service life (check), usually five years for private houses. The meter has a production date from which 5 years will be counted! Therefore, it is worth taking a “fresh” counter, say, made a month ago. It is not rational to take something done six months or even a year ago, so you are simply bringing the time of verification closer. THIS IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER!
Meters usually come with American connections on the edges (these are detachable connections), the connection is designed for metal pipes, that is, to install on “metal-plastic” or “polypropylene” you need special adapters.
By the way, there are digital options, with an LCD display, but they are expensive! Take the most common ones with mechanical letters; as a rule, they cost 2–3 times cheaper and work more reliably.
DIY installation
My mother has metal-plastic pipes, they were installed a long time ago, so I had to buy adapters. I would like to note right away - IF THERE IS A POSSIBILITY, INSTALL POLYPROPYLENE PIPES IN YOUR APARTMENT! They end up being much cheaper, because adapters, taps and all sorts of connectors cost several times less.
We begin the installation - it is worth remembering that the installation must be in front of the entrance of the pipe into the house, that is, the most extreme point - there is nothing in front of it (no devices).
So we have:
- Connecting elements for connecting to a pipe
- Coarse filter
- I decided to put a tap in front of the meter to shut off the water (if suddenly needed) - by the way, I also advise you
- The water meter itself
Let's start the installation ourselves:
- I cut the pipe and determined the installation location
- I am installing the faucet and the first connecting mount; a coarse filter will be installed in it. There is a special arrow on the body in its direction and it is installed
- Next, install the first American one in the filter, from the meter
- Then the water meter itself. It also has an “arrow” for installation, LET’S FOLLOW IT! This is important: when they come to “seal” it, everything will be checked
- After the second “American” - an adapter for it and a pipe
The instructions are very simple, anyone can actually do it! The main thing is to do everything right.
I have a meter for the month of production in December, but I installed it in January, that is, only one month. Almost all meters have 1 cubic meter of water - this is a test at the factory! He is not taken into account.
Positive and negative aspects of water meters
Before you start installing a water meter, you should first analyze what benefits this step will bring, or maybe, on the contrary, it will increase your costs. When there are not as many people living in the living space as prescribed, installing water meters will save money. After all, payment will be made for actual water consumption.
And in a situation where the number of registered people is less than the actual number of residents, it is more convenient to pay according to the average indicator. The legal side of the issue does not prohibit installing a water meter yourself.
The main thing is to fulfill several conditions:
- The water meter must have a technical passport;
- To install a meter, you must shut off the water supply to the entire house. It is better to involve housing office employees for this.
