What deadlines for replacing meters are established by law?

Elements of metering devices for electricity, hot and cold water, and gas operate in constant mode, which leads to their rapid wear or complete failure. The performance of components has a direct impact on the values obtained, as well as the numbers on payment receipts. Sooner or later, every owner asks the question - how long does it take to change meters, what regulatory documents regulate this process? The timing may vary significantly depending on the technical characteristics and purpose of the metering device.

Gas metering devices

A gas meter is a complex technical device. Over time, they wear out and some parts become deformed. As a result, the device gives incorrect readings - the values can be either significantly underestimated or overestimated. The first verification of the device is carried out within the time limits specified in the technical passport.

Advice

The lack of periodic inspection leads to undesirable consequences for the homeowner. The readings of such a gas meter will not be taken into account, and charges for the natural resources used are made in accordance with regulatory documents.

Typically, a meter in an apartment or house is used for 10 years. The gas meter has its own service life, and it is counted from the moment of its manufacture, and not purchase or installation. The throughput of the device matters.

What types of devices are there?

Industrial.
Utilities.
Household.

The devices differ from each other in technical parameters, service life and design features. One of their main characteristics is the volume of gas that passes through the device per unit of time. Some devices installed in private houses or apartments have a service life of 20 years or more. Gas is passed through the device according to the parameters specified in the technical data sheet. This allows you to determine the type of system on which the device can be installed.

The homeowner is sometimes able to determine when to change the gas meter. If, with the heating mode or operation of the stove maintained, the parameters obtained during the month differ significantly, it is in the interests of the owner of the premises to carry out an unscheduled verification.

There are several factors that influence service life and help you understand how long it takes to replace devices:

there is no dust filter or its cells do not meet established standards;
low throughput;
increased indoor air humidity;
incorrect installation of the metering device.

It is necessary to change the gas meter after 8-10 years. This is exactly the period indicated in the technical data sheet of most devices used in everyday life.

But if the owner does not want to purchase a new meter, he can send the old meter for research to the laboratory. If its ability to correctly determine bandwidth is confirmed, then its further use is allowed. How long the check takes depends on the availability of services and the technical characteristics of the device, the approximate period is 20 days. While the meter is in the laboratory, the payment amount will be calculated in accordance with the heated area.

Electric meters

An electricity meter is a device whose readings are taken into account when paying for electricity at the end of each month. Most consumers know only about its location in the room and few know about its technical characteristics. If no new appliances have recently appeared in the apartment, and the old ones are used as usual, then there should be no significant digital changes in the electricity receipts.

When you need to change meters, the following signs can tell you:

poor-quality rotation of the induction counter disk or its complete absence;
the electronic meter indicator does not show the parameters being determined;
lack of tightness of the electric meter housing, presence of through holes, chips or cracks;
violation of the integrity of the sight glass;
Incorrect display of the amount of energy spent on electricity receipts.

Situations often arise when the device works when all devices in the apartment are disconnected from the power source. In everyday life this phenomenon is called “self-propelled”. You can solve the problem with a simple experiment - you should simply turn off all the switches on the panel, leaving the input switch on. Electric meters must be replaced immediately if the disk on the meter continues to rotate. Otherwise, the device will continue to produce unrealistic readings, and the homeowner will regularly pay the electricity bills.

Advice

Each meter in the apartment must comply with the requirements of regulatory documents. One of them is the accuracy class. The parameters of only those devices whose value of this standard is 2.5 or more are taken into account. All other electricity meters must be replaced immediately.

Normal accuracy class parameters do not exclude errors in electricity receipts. The relevant organization may unexpectedly present the owner of the premises with verification requirements due to the unreliability of the data received.

You should first inspect the metering device:

disconnect all devices from power sources in the apartment;
The values of electricity meters must be written down;
connect one device whose power consumption is well known (an excellent option is a regular light bulb);
check the meter readings after an hour.

An increase in the digital parameters of the device by the expected value indicates complete serviceability of the device. A slight deviation in any direction is acceptable if it is within the established error limits.

How often meters need to be changed can be found in the customer department of the electricity supply organization. An important determining parameter is the calibration interval. During this time period, the manufacturer guarantees uninterrupted operation of the meter. The service life varies from 6 to 16 years. Upon completion, the homeowner exchanges the device for a new one or checks its serviceability at the power supply organization.

Hot and cold water meters

Consumption of hot and cold water is also controlled using meters. After how many years the device must be replaced, you can find out when purchasing the device. Its service life is indicated in the technical data sheet and depends on the model of the device.

The following meters are used for domestic needs:

electronic;
mechanical.

By law, each water measuring device has a certain period of use, during which calibration services and the manufacturer guarantee the effectiveness of its operation. By law, water meters are installed on the corresponding water supply lines. A malfunction that occurs during operation becomes a common cause of incorrect data transmission. Before releasing metering devices, each manufacturer conducts tests, empirically establishing a warranty period. A high-quality water meter operates without breakdowns for 20 years or more.

Control services force you to change the meter if it is not used correctly. The effective operation of accounting devices may be affected by:

impurities and foreign objects in water;
pressure changes.

To determine the damage that has occurred, an inter-verification interval is established - the time interval between the next checks of devices and their manufacture. With its help, consumption-monitoring services determine how often water meters in a given premises need to be changed.

The verification period depends on the purpose of the device:

cold water meter - 6 years;
hot water meter - 4 years.

If after research it turns out that the device is not working correctly, then homeowners replace the device with a new one. Hot water has a more negative effect on components, which explains the difference in verification times.

Sometimes you have to change water meters before the next inspection is due. In what cases does this happen?

If there are no objective reasons for a significant difference in monthly readings.
If there is any doubt about the correct operation of the dial or motion indicator.

Only a specialist from an authorized organization can determine the cause of the malfunction. He will also tell you whether the meters need to be changed or whether they need to be repaired. If a malfunction is detected in the device, you should not delay purchasing a new one for long. The controlling authority will quickly detect damage to the metering device. You will still have to change the water meters, otherwise a complete recalculation will be made, which will result in a significant amount.

After how long to change meters, you can check with the organizations that are responsible for the correct operation of metering devices. The owner of the premises, who correctly approaches the issues of regular inspections, similarly avoids penalties. The technical data sheet supplied with the device will tell you whether the meters need to be changed in the near future. The timing of periodic verifications must be indicated in documents issued by regulatory authorities.