Intensive jumps in the growth of the cost of natural gas have a more effective impact on consumers than government decrees on the mandatory installation of various metering devices in housing. Very often, many people think about whether it is necessary to install gas meters in apartments?
Why are gas meters needed in private households?
Every day everything becomes more expensive and often utility bills make up a pretty impressive part of the family budget. Payment for water by metering device is much more efficient in terms of savings, but so far no one is striving to calculate the benefits of a "penny" energy carrier. If everything is very clear with water, then with the installation of a gas meter, a lot of questions arise: is it necessary to install such devices in households, how expedient is this and what kind of savings will be obtained in the end?
Prudent owners of communal apartments have already managed to purchase and implement devices that take into account the consumption of gas resources. And now the installation of a gas meter in private housing turned out to be necessary not only for economical citizens, but also for the state itself, which issued a decree on calculating the costs of all natural resources.
What happens if the device is not installed?
In 2014, there was a rush associated with the installation of gas metering equipment. According to the law, metering devices had to be installed in all individual households by December 31 of the current year. The entire process of installing the equipment was to be carried out at their own expense and at the consumer's own request. The companies that were engaged in the installation of metering devices were practically loaded with work during this period. But what about those who did not have time or did not want to install such a device before the beginning of 2015? Are they facing any penalties?
Frankly speaking, no sanctions are foreseen. Recently, the installation of gas metering devices has become mandatory not for all categories of consumers. The most unpleasant thing that can happen in this situation is an increase in gas tariffs above the norm or an unexpected visit by a gasman and installation of a device. If the consumer does not currently have the necessary amount to pay for the services of a gas supply employee, the cost of the work performed and the device itself will be divided into several months and included in the payment of utility bills.
The disadvantage of such a program may be that the equipment can be supplied to you from a more expensive series and the cost of work can be calculated at the highest possible prices. Bottom line: everything turned out to be much more expensive than if the meter had been installed on time. Then it would be possible to choose independently both the type of device and the installer company according to their financial capabilities.
The need to install the device depends on which blue fuel you are using. This depends on the amount of fuel consumed. In the event that you only need gas for cooking, and in your home there is one stove from appliances with gas, then it is up to you to decide whether to install the equipment. If in your house, in addition to the stove, there is also a water heater or a heating boiler that runs on gas, then installing a blue fuel consumption meter will be more than appropriate. Consumers with such a set of devices will not be blown away by installing a unit that takes into account fuel consumption.
Therefore, many people take a wait-and-see attitude and are not in a hurry to necessarily obey the law. After all, the absence of the device while they do not threaten anything.
Pitfalls, or the pros and cons of installing a gas meter
Those consumers who have already been affected by this problem have thought many times and weighed all the pros and cons of installing a natural fuel consumption meter.
Before deciding whether you specifically need the installation of this equipment, make the right decision for yourself by finding the pros and cons of the process.
pros
- You only pay for the fuel you actually use.
- Payment by season: in summer, utility costs are almost negligible.
- The amount of payment for gas is not affected by the number of people registered in the apartment.
Minuses
- If you want to turn on the gas for additional space heating in winter, it will be expensive and impractical.
- The high cost of the device.
- You should think about the rationality of installing the device if 3 people are registered in the household, and more than 5 live.
Features and rules for installing the device
Installation of the device must be carried out by an organization that has a license to perform such work. Not only the Gorgaz service is engaged in the installation of units. Before installing a metering device, it is advisable to find out in advance how much such work costs in different organizations. It is important to know that standard gas tariffs will be formed taking into account the design features of the device and the location of the pipeline and gas pipes.
- Before equipping the gas network with a metering device, you must submit an application to the Gorgaz energy saving point. You will also need your passport, a photocopy of the registration certificate for housing and a certificate of timely payment for gas for the last month. First you need to contact the help desk of the organization by calling the hotline. The number is usually on the back of the receipt.
- After the dispatcher accepts the application, you will be assigned a time when the specialist will come. He will determine the technical feasibility of installing the device, and will also announce the exact cost if additional work is needed.
- You must, before the arrival of the master, determine the place where the device will be located and tell him about your preferences. You can place the equipment behind a decorative shelf or in a hanging cabinet. It must be taken into account that the unit must be placed at a height of at least 120 cm from the floor. There must be a distance of at least 80 cm from the device to gas appliances.
- Gas workers do all the work on their own, as they thoroughly know the procedure for installing the device. The owner is obliged to take the settlement document and the act from the contractor. This is necessary for the possibility of subsequent sealing of the device. After installing the seals, the owner will be able to pay for gas according to the indications. Starting from this moment, the consumer bears administrative responsibility for damage to the device and seals. It is strictly forbidden to break the seals yourself!
Readings from the device should be taken every month. The gas supply company has the right to control the transmission of readings from the device. Most often, control is carried out no more than once every six months. If the enterprise has doubts about the authenticity of the indicators, they have the right to appoint an examination. If it is found that there are violations on the part of the consumer, he pays for the verification, dismantling and installation of the device, which will be sent to an expert for verification. During periodic checks, maintenance of the device is carried out at the expense of the organization that installed it.
Useful advice! You can buy a fuel meter, flexible hose and gaskets yourself. Most often, organizations involved in the installation of devices overestimate their cost.
How to choose the right gas metering device
If you have already decided to install gas metering equipment, it is important to know how to choose it correctly.
- It is necessary to buy the device in firms that have special permission. Therefore, it must have a quality certificate. If the seller does not immediately provide you with such documents, you have the right to demand them.
- These devices are rotary and membrane. The former are slightly cheaper, but the latter should be preferred. Membrane devices do not pass gas and are therefore reliable and safe. They are able to keep more accurate records.
- When deciding on the device, you should rely on what gas devices you already have available. If you only have a stove, then you need one type of unit, and if you have a column and a stove, then another.
- It is also necessary to pay attention to how the gas flow is directed: from left to right or vice versa. This is due to the location of the pipe in the house.
- It is recommended to consult with specialists competent in this matter before purchasing the device.
How much will it cost to buy the unit and install it
And now the most important question: how much does a gas metering device and its installation cost?
Depending on the manufacturer, quality, check interval and device model, its cost ranges from 2,000 to 16,000 rubles. The greater the bandwidth of the device, the more expensive it is.
Depending on the region of residence, the prices for installing the device can vary significantly.
Here are the average cost of equipment installation:
- 3000 rubles - installation of the device in the apartment without the use of welding and changing the wiring of the pipeline.
- 4700 rubles - the same work, but with a change in wiring and the use of welding.
- 6200 rubles - installation of the device in an apartment equipped with a gas boiler and water heater, changing the decoupling and using welding.
Additional accessories may be needed: fittings, gaskets, taps. Therefore, add another 1000-2200 rubles to the cost. If you wish, you can “thank” the master: this is another + 400-600 rubles. With simple calculations of the cost of installing equipment, we get a figure from 4 to 11 thousand rubles.
It is the high cost that scares consumers. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate whether the installation of the device is rational?
Is installing a meter beneficial in terms of savings?
In order to make it more clear to you, consider two options. You can decide for yourself whether it is really necessary to install a blue fuel consumption meter.
- Private households in which only a stove is installed and there is no column.
We remind you that in such houses the installation of the device is not required. Residents who pay for gas consumption according to indications say that this is much more profitable. The standard is set from the maximum indicators of possible fuel consumption. The average is much less. For example, a family of three consumes 7-9 cubic meters per month. The cost of 1 m3 of gas is 5.13 rubles. Therefore, about 46 rubles come out per month. When paying according to the standard, this amount can be approximately 120 rubles. It turns out that paying for gas consumption is actually convenient and profitable.
But among all the advantages, there are also disadvantages. The cost of purchasing the device and its installation can pay off no sooner than in 10 years. The conclusion follows from this: it is economical to pay on the meter, but the cost of installing it is quite significant. Very convenient for new builders. In such houses, all metering devices are already installed.
- Private households in which a stove and a column are installed.
Many of those who have a column managed to install gas consumption metering equipment, but were not satisfied with the result. According to new calculations, most consumers' fuel consumption exceeded the norm - 24.5 cubic meters. In this connection, the payment on bills has also increased significantly.
People are indignant: “Before the counter with a stove and a column, they paid 240 rubles for two, and now it’s all 420.” Add to this amount the cost of purchasing and installing the device.
There is a plus: taking into account the increased amounts for the consumption of blue fuel, a family of three will be able to recoup the costs in 1-1.5 years.
Therefore, we can conclude: the device will pay off quickly, but paying for it is not always beneficial for those who have a column.
