Location of standard type meters
Water meters are installed according to the standard water distribution scheme in the apartment: pipes with hot water go on top, and, accordingly, there is a meter for hot water, and below - for cold water. They are mounted on water pipes in the toilet or in the kitchen under the sink. Sometimes pipelines with meters are located vertically, but for clarity, the instrument bodies are painted in the appropriate colors: red and blue.
Meters for hot and cold water
In order to check that the meters are installed correctly, before taking readings from the water meter, open the tap and drain cold water from it. In this case, the blue meter responsible for recording cold water should start working. If you have figured out the location of the meters and they are working correctly, you can proceed to the most important activity: taking readings.
Visual differences between hot and cold water meters
The widespread use of IPU (interpretation - individual metering devices) made it possible to establish control over resource consumption, which provided the opportunity for significant savings. Among the basic utilities that are metered, water supply is one of the most important. Depending on the design of the communication system of an apartment or house, the object may be equipped with one or two devices.
Water meters have visual differences that you need to pay attention to when purchasing and installing:
- Data on the box. The IPU of hot water is marked “DHW”, cold water – “HVS”. It is taken into account that the first option is universal and can be installed on any system, while the second is only suitable for a specific use.
- The color of the factory seal (edging) or lines on the body. Hot water meters are red, cold water meters are blue. This distinctive sign allows you to quickly and accurately determine the purpose of the device.
- Maximum temperature of the water passed through. Each mechanism has a list of technical characteristics on its main part, which includes the permitted temperature range. For cold water this is from +5 to +50°C (there are options up to +30 or +40°C), for hot water – up to +90.
There are several types of certified water meters, but all models designed for cold water metering have a blue or blue color, hot water meters are decorated with a red edging
Some modern devices do not have pronounced visual differences, so you should definitely look at the information in the passport.
On a note! It is recommended to pay attention to the date of verification of the meter: it is from this time that the countdown begins until the next performance assessment.
How information is read from the meter
It is not difficult to take readings from water meters in an apartment. To do this, you just need to arm yourself with a pen and a piece of paper.
Also remember that it is very important to store data from last month: it will need to be used for calculations. What do we need to take readings?
- Determine which meter is for hot water and which is for cold water. You need to write all the numbers displayed on the dial.
- The last digit must be entered in a rounded value: if the indicator is more than 500, then you need to write down the number rounded up, less - down.
- The resulting quantity must be multiplied by the tariff rate. Examples: 5 cubic meters (cubes) of hot water at 100 rubles per 1 cubic meter - 500 rubles per month.
Before recording and transmitting the received readings, make sure that the water supply system in the apartment is working without interruptions and there are no leaks anywhere. Otherwise, you risk transmitting incorrect readings.
What numbers from the meter do we need?
If you pay attention to the meter dial, you can see black and red numbers. Let's look again at what they mean and which of them we need to write off:
8 digits - that’s how many indicators the scoreboard includes. 3 numbers of which are red
Please note that they indicate liters and are not counted, since the result must be indicated in cubic meters. The remaining 5 digits on black show exactly what we need - the amount of resource consumed, which we will enter in the receipt. It is necessary to read the readings from the meter for the reporting period, which today is 1 month
This means that in order to determine the number of cubes consumed, we will need to subtract previous information from last month from today’s readings, and only then make entries
It is necessary to read meter readings for the reporting period, which currently amounts to 1 month. This means that in order to determine the number of cubes consumed, we will need to subtract previous information from last month from today’s readings, and only then make entries.
How to correctly take water meter readings
Water meters are no longer a luxury, but a necessity in almost any apartment.
In order to take water meter readings, you need to know literally a couple of nuances.
The main thing on the meter for an ordinary resident of a particular apartment is the central display with numbers - they show the number of cubic meters of code used in the apartment. These numbers have a division into black and red boundaries - to take readings from the meters, we should only care about the numbers displayed in the black part of the digital field (for example, on the top counter in the picture we are only interested in the number 20, and 270 in the red field is needed only for statistics).
It is important to ensure that there are no water leaks in the apartment. With the help of water meters, this is very easy to do - just turn off the water taps everywhere and see if the meter is spinning
If not, then everything is fine in your apartment!
Data taken from water meters is submitted to special authorities to be included in the rent each month.
the moderator chose this answer as the best
All water meters are made the same way and their dial is divided into two parts - on the left there are black numbers that count cubic meters of water consumed, so they are entered into the statement, and on the right there are red numbers, they take into account the consumption of liters, they do not need to be taken into account anywhere. Why did many people ask, perhaps there are two reasons - the first is that these numbers are needed to carry out a more accurate verification of the device, and the second, perhaps they were left for self-monitoring of water consumption for advanced users. If people with low vision live in the house, then it is best to cover up the red numbers so that they are not visible at all.
Below is a fragment of the accounting, which shows that each line has its own device, try not to confuse, otherwise you will then have to explain and pay extra, or return the money.
Water meter readings must be submitted regularly, before the end of the current month, by phone or directly to the controller every month.
To take readings from a water meter, just look at its dial and rewrite the numbers, you need to take into account that the meter may have numbers highlighted in red - these are fractions of cubes; you don’t need to take them into account, you only need to take into account numbers on a white background, black - that’s them recorded and reported when transmitting readings and included in payment receipts.
Look at photos of water meters with different allocations of whole numbers and their fractions, look at yours and easily determine which numbers to rewrite.
Every month, on the day of submission of information about meter readings, it is necessary to take readings from water meters, which are usually located in close proximity to hot and cold water risers. The cold water meter has a blue plastic housing, and the hot water meter has a red housing. The first black field, consisting of five digits, contains the required number of cubic meters consumed in total, according to the cumulative principle, since the start of operation of the meter. We enter this data on an invoice or other form.
Payments for water supply must be made monthly. To do this, you need to learn how to take meter readings correctly.
The water meter has a display with numbers. Usually it has 3 digits after the decimal point and 5-6 digits before it. You will need to write down the numbers before the decimal point. You need to record readings from the hot water meter (usually red) and from the cold water meter (usually blue).
When paying, you will have to indicate the figures from last month and the present ones, as well as calculate the difference.
How to take readings correctly?
In order to regularly pay for used water, it is necessary to perform a kind of “ritual” every month, on the same dates, which includes the following actions:
- receiving a receipt;
- taking readings from metering devices;
- entering data into the receipt (when transmitting information by phone or Internet, this item is not needed);
- payment for the actual quantity used.
Depending on who is involved in generating utility bills, there are different methods of transmitting data. But first things first.
Analysis of the design of a water meter
To understand how to correctly take readings from a water meter, you need to understand its design, or more precisely, study the display - the top panel covered with transparent plastic.
The main element that you will have to “work with” every month is a digital scale, the same as that of an electric meter. Almost all tachometer instruments are equipped with a roller scale - the most popular due to their simple design, accuracy and low cost.
The main elements located on the front side of the counter. In addition to the scales and indicators that change their values, the panel indicates the requirements for the characteristics of the supplied water - temperature, pressure
In addition to mechanical models, there are electronic ones in which the roller scale is replaced by a display. They are more expensive than conventional models, and they are also energy-dependent - they often operate on a battery.
We talked more about the types of water meters and the rules for choosing them in this article.
Before taking readings, you need to accurately determine which water meter is installed on the hot water pipe and which one is installed on the cold pipe.
There are several ways to find out:
- use color coding - the body of meters for cold water is usually painted blue (as is the edging of the display), for hot water - red;
- find the letter marking - hot water supply/hot water supply or water supply/water supply;
- touch the pipe with your hand - the hot water supply line is always warm (except during summer shutdown periods);
- open the tap and determine by the rotating indicator.
Traditionally, hot water pipes are laid on top, therefore, DHW meters are installed in the top position. Unfortunately, not all plumbers comply with generally accepted requirements, so when using this method of determination, you can make a mistake.
If both installed devices are red (and this is acceptable, because meters for hot water supply can be installed on hot water supply, but vice versa is not possible), to determine the type of meter, you do not need to rely on color and letter markings, you should use other methods
To conveniently take readings, water meters must be installed in a visible area - on an open section of a water supply pipe or under a plumbing hatch cover. Both devices should be facing the light source.
What numbers are important for the calculation?
Having decided whether the devices belong to hot and cold water supply, you need to write down the actual numbers - those indicated on the scale or display. And before that, you will have to figure out which numbers need to be counted on both water meters, and which ones do not need to be taken into account.
The scale of a simple tachometer device includes 8 rollers, that is, it shows 8 numbers: the three rightmost ones indicate consumed liters, the rest - cubic meters.
Common tachometer models have an 8-digit scale, which is the easiest to navigate: we write off only the black numbers, we ignore the red ones!
However, there are counters whose display differs in the total number of digits or the number of digits after the decimal point. In this case, you need to consult a specialist who installs meters or a representative of the service company who performs the sealing.
Is it possible to round off readings? This is allowed, up or down. Typically, if the red numbers reach the value “600”, the number is increased by 1, that is, liters are rounded to the cube.
Reading example:
Let's assume that the next number on the dial of the cold water meter is 00076.268. We write down only “76” on the receipt. Let's assume that next month the readings are 00084.896. We round and write “76” in the column for the last month, and “85” for the current month. The difference is 9 m³.
To understand how much you need to pay for consumed water, we multiply the cubic meters spent by the regional tariff, let’s assume 34.5 rubles/m³. It turns out 310.50 rubles - that’s what you’ll have to pay for cold water.
Using the same principle, you can calculate the amount to pay for hot water supply. If you add up both amounts, you will get a total payment for water - but without taking into account heating and sanitation, these are separate expense items
We discussed the specifics of calculating water consumption in more detail in our other article. Having figured out what numbers need to be supplied to water meters, all that remains is to choose the most convenient method of transmission, if there are several of them.
Methods and timing for transmitting evidence
Thanks to the development of communication networks, users are provided with many ways to transmit monthly water consumption data.
All methods can be divided into 3 large categories:
- telephone message;
- transfer of readings via the Internet;
- submission of data on paper – receipts.
But first you need to understand where to send the readings taken: to the management company, housing department, the main entrance or directly to the branch of the supplier company. It is better to check this information with a representative of the service organization.
You also need to know exactly what to transmit: meter readings or your own calculated payment amount. The first option is more often practiced - to record and control the consumption process by specialists
Popular ways to save time:
To transfer meter readings using the listed methods, you do not need to make calculations - usually you only need to transfer current readings, in some cases, along with data for the last month.
It is also convenient when data is collected in a special box installed in the entrance. To do this, you need to fill out a receipt, the form of which was developed by the supplier or service organization. Further transfer is carried out by the responsible person
The most inconvenient way is to walk to the nearest branch of Gorvodokanal. But older people often choose it in order to once again go outside and communicate with people.
Data transfer times vary in different regions. Usually these days are from the 23rd to the 25th or 26th of each month. The exception is pre-holiday days, for example, before the New Year the deadline can be moved to the period from December 19 to 22.
The recommended period for transmitting readings is indicated on the receipts.
Calculation example for the second month
Now let's see how to take readings next month. For our example this is April:
- Let's look at the cold water meter readings. The black numbers are 00008, the red ones are 674. This means that the water meter shows that in two months we have used 9 m 3 of water (674 liters, since this is more than 500, we round up to one cubic meter).
- Now let's see how much we spent in March - 4 cubic meters. Simple arithmetic calculations: 9 - 4 = 5. It turns out that in April we pay for 5 cubic meters of cold water at the established tariff.
- Now the hot water meter. Black numbers are 00006, red numbers are 430. In two months we spent 6 cubic meters.
- In March, 3 m 3 of hot water was consumed. Hence 6 - 3 = 3. In April, 3 cubic meters were also consumed.
- In a notebook or notes we reflect the indicators for April - 9 and 6 m 3 of cold and hot water, respectively. The receipt indicates expenses for the current month. That is, 5 cubic meters of cold and 3 cubic meters of hot water.
Meter with remote reading. How it works
Devices of this kind independently transmit all information about cold and hot water directly to the Management Company or resource organization. As soon as the consumer turns on the water tap, an impulse is triggered, which transmits a signal to a special base.
There is no need to take data from the meter yourself; here everything is done independently. In this case, it is possible to obtain information about resource consumption without the personal presence of the apartment owner.
The homeowner still needs to monitor the meter readings. If you see at least some deviation, it means that there is a possibility that the device is damaged or out of order.
How to check the counter?
- Copy the readings from the scale or indicator.
- Fill a container with water (from five to forty liters).
- Rewrite new metrics.
- Check: if the data matches the volume of water collected, then the device is working. If the information is too high, the device must be replaced with a new one.
A new meter costs from 600 to 800 rubles, while the cost of verification is much higher - 2000 rubles.
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How to correctly take water meter readings
The use of water meters has long ceased to be rare and exotic in our city apartments, especially since the installation of these devices is mandatory in accordance with current legislation.
However, those who are just starting to use them often have a number of questions related to how to take water meter readings. This is very important, because errors made when taking meter readings can lead to problems associated with paying for the resource consumed. That is, just one incorrectly recorded number can cost an unlucky payer a pretty penny, especially when it comes to the use of hot water, which is paid at higher rates
How to take water meter readings
Whoever encounters water meters in an apartment for the first time, after installing, or purchasing a new apartment with already installed water meters, the question will certainly arise, how to correctly take readings of water meters? In this article I will describe in detail the instructions on how to do this correctly.
How to determine where the hot water meter is and where the cold one is?
To correctly transmit readings, we determine where the hot and cold meters are. The blue meter is always set to cold water, and the red one to hot. Also, according to the standard, it is allowed to place the red device not only on hot water, but also on cold water.
How to determine in this case where to correctly write off the readings? According to the standard since Soviet times, at the entrances from the water risers to the apartment, cold water is supplied from below, and hot water from above.
And the easiest way to determine, as they say, is “at random,” if you haven’t determined the other two parameters, since modern builders can arrange the pipes as they see fit, just open the tap, for example, of cold water, and see which meter is spinning, and so define it.
How to correctly take water meter readings
So, we figured out where which device is, and now we’ll figure out how to correctly take readings from water meters. The most common counters have eight digits on the dial, so let's start with such models.
The first five numbers are cubes, the numbers stand out on them against a black background. The next 3 digits are liters.
To take readings, we only need the first five digits, since liters are not taken into account by the monitoring services when taking readings.
Let's look at an example:
The initial meter readings, 00023 409, will be based on this indicator, after a month the readings on the meters are 00031 777, we round the red numbers to one, the total is 00032 cubic meters, from 32 to 23 (initial readings), and it turns out that 9 cubic meters of water have been consumed. We enter 00032 in the receipt and pay for 9 cubic meters. This is how to correctly take readings for cold and hot water.
There are cold and hot water meters without the last three red digits, that is, without taking into account liters, in which case there is no need to round anything.
How to pay for water using meters
For Russia, payment for water is made as follows:
Enter the initial and final readings for cold water into the receipt, for example, 00078 - 00094, subtract 78 from 94, you get 16, multiply 16 by the current tariff, you get the required amount.
Calculate hot water in the same way. For example, 00032 – 00037, a total of 5 cubic meters of hot water is obtained, also multiply by the tariff.
To pay for sewerage (sewage), sum up these 2 indicators, 16 + 5, you get 21, and multiply by the sewerage tariff.
16 cubic meters of cold water, add 5 cubic meters of hot water used, you get 21 cubic meters, pay for cold water, and in the “heating” column, pay for heating 5 cubic meters. For drainage – 21 cubic meters.
Does the meter count correctly, how to check
You can check the correct operation of the meter yourself with a 5-10 liter canister, or another container, having collected approximately one hundred liters; with a smaller volume it is difficult to calculate the discrepancies in the volume of drained water and the discrepancy in the meter readings.
What happens if you don't take meter readings?
If you do not submit your readings during the test, then the relevant services will issue an invoice at the rate provided for apartments where a meter is not installed, that is, according to the standards per person.
That's all the advice on how to correctly take water meter readings.
Good luck to you!
How to keep track of water consumption?
If you have installed a new meter, then you do not need to calculate the water consumption for the month, since it will display the readings in the first five cells (cubic meters). If the water meter is not new, then the latest data should be subtracted from the current indicators.
Expert opinion
Golubev Denis Petrovich
Lawyer with 7 years of experience. Specialization: civil law. Author of dozens of articles in the media
When you transfer data to the company, the cold and hot water readings need to be added up, and the hot water readings should be noted as water heating in cubic meters. Payment for sewerage is carried out in full volume of cubic meters of cold and hot water supply.
An example of taking readings from a meter
First, we determine which water the meter is connected to. Look at the color of its body or rim. Blue is cold water, and red is hot. If the meters have the same parameters, then open any water tap and see which device will rotate. Then we will fill out the receipt:
- We indicate your full name in the appropriate column.
- We record the date the readings were taken from the device.
- We record current water consumption indicators.
You can fill out the receipt using this link.
For example, on the cold water meter on the reporting date there were the following numbers 00078634, where the last three are liters. We need to enter the first five 00079 in the receipt (we round the last cell). In a month, our readings will be different: 00085213. Enter 00085 in the receipt.
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To calculate cold water, we need to indicate the difference between the current readings and the previous ones: 00085-00079=6 cubic meters. To calculate the final cost of the service, let’s take the approximate price for one cube - 38.06 rubles. We multiply the price by 6 cubic meters = 228.36 rubles per month.
Monthly water consumption is calculated automatically; you only need to rewrite the current readings. If you have two risers in your apartment: one hot and the other cold, then each meter transmits information about consumption.
Water meter with electronic dial. How to take readings?
This water supply meter displays two parameters:
- Water consumption in liters.
- Water heating in cubic meters.
The peculiarity of this meter is that it detects hot water with a temperature below 40 degrees as cold. It is important to take both readings.
How to use the device?
There are two markers on the electronic scoreboard:
- The line number is indicated by the right marker.
- Column number is left.
V1 is the total volume of water that passed through the turbine.
V2 - indicators when connecting the device.
V1^ - hot water consumption (above 40 degrees).
T is the water temperature.
To switch the first marker, you need to make a long press on the counter. To switch the second marker, make a short press.
The numbers displayed in the third line show the amount of water spent during the reporting period. The checksum will be shown below. To take readings, you need to switch markers.
Meanings of numbers and their decoding
There are eight digits on the counter dial, 5 of which are black and 3 are red. Red ones indicate the number of liters used. They should not be considered, since payment for consumed water is made in cubic meters. That is, we are only interested in black numbers indicating the number of cubic meters of water we used during the reporting period.
Next you need to proceed as follows:
- Write down the required numbers in a notepad or notebook in the order in which they are shown on the device.
- Round the last figure up if the number of liters is more than 500.
- Multiply the resulting value by the established tariff for water payment and enter the resulting value into the paybook. Now you can go to the nearest bank branch to pay for consumed water.
Please note: Before taking readings from the water meter, make sure that the pipes in the house do not leak, and that the taps in the bathroom and kitchen provide shut-off water at normal levels. If all sources of water consumption in the house are turned off, and the meter continues to “increase the numbers”, even at a minimum speed, it means that there is a leak in the home network that needs to be identified and eliminated to prevent paying for unused water
If all sources of water consumption in the house are turned off, and the meter continues to “increase the numbers”, even at a minimum speed, then there is a leak in the home network that needs to be identified and eliminated in order to prevent paying for unused water.
You can check the correct operation of hot and cold water meters as follows:
After turning off all the taps in the house, pay attention to the meters. They must be in a stationary position, and their readings must remain unchanged
After this, you need to take a 10 liter pan and fill it with water to the brim. This manipulation should be performed five times, thus gaining 50 liters. Then check the readings again with the actual water calculation. They should increase by exactly 50 liters. If there are discrepancies between the actual and nominal readings, the meters should be checked by the appropriate organization for possible problems and malfunctions.
Where are water meters installed?
All pipes of hot and cold water supply systems entering the apartment have metering units installed. It happens that readings from meters in the bathroom and kitchen are recorded separately. This is if the water supply was connected according to a complex scheme. In such a situation, water meters must be installed on all connections to cold and hot water supplies. Counters must be freely available.
It is allowed to install water meters in plastic boxes, installed side by side, located together with the shut-off valve and the leakage protection system unit. When opening the box panel, cells and seals should be visible.
Attention! If you notice that the seal on the water meter is broken, immediately contact your utility service.
The counters work on a simple principle:
The flow of water drives the counting mechanism.- The rotary indicator rotates when the taps are open.
- The meter rotates faster if the water flow increases.
What numbers to look at on the meter to enter into the payment slip?
Payment is made at the price per 1 m3 of water, so the amount of water you used is transferred in cubic meters.
Instrument panels, depending on what model the meter is, may be different.
Alternative counters
Time does not stand still. The tachymetric water meters that we reviewed are being replaced by impulse devices. They allow you to remotely reflect your water consumption. For example, on a special display installed at the entrance, or directly in the general office system of the controlling company. With such meters, the homeowner no longer needs to independently collect readings.
There are already current water meters that independently send readings to your computer and smartphone via Wi-Fi. But they are still distinguished by a noticeable high cost.
Now you know how to correctly record and indicate meter readings on a receipt. Perhaps in the near future technology will free us from these actions.
How the meter works
To understand how to correctly take readings from water meters, you need to pay special attention to the principles of their installation and operation. Let's look at them further:
- Readings for hot water are taken from the hot water meter, which is usually located on top of the water pipe. This is due to the position of the pipes, since the hot water pipes are located on top. Accordingly, you will need to look at the readings on the cold water meter at the lower meter.
- The numbers must be written off from a special display located in the central part of the control center. It shows a lot of numbers: the three on the far right indicate the minimum indicators and change very quickly. Next come the ones we need, denoting cubic meters.
To make it easier to understand, sometimes the meters are colored blue and red - so as not to make a mistake when you take the data.
How to pay for water by meters
The procedure for making a payment may vary depending on the region and service company, but most often the standard scheme applies:
- Water meter readings are taken. Information must be submitted at a certain time. The exact period is not specified in the law and is set by housing and communal services enterprises and management companies independently. To avoid mistakes, it is better to clarify the period in the contract with the service provider. Information from the EIRC and other specialized organizations is accepted.
- Based on the data received, the service company makes a calculation and sends a receipt to the owner of the premises.
- Any authorized person can pay for the consumed resource. The easiest option is to give the document to a settlement center or bank.
It is taken into account that it is necessary to transmit water meter readings exclusively to the utility service provider. This role can be played by a homeowners’ association, a management company and supply organizations. Situations are also allowed when the main performer delegates the functions of receiving data to a specialized structure.
Service companies present different ways of taking testimony. The most convenient option is via the Internet or using programs. The traditional method is to enter the data on the form and leave it in a special box or take it directly to the organization’s office.
How to determine which meter is cold and which is hot
If both water meters have red markings, then you should determine which one belongs to what. To do this, there are two ways to determine whether a meter belongs to a hot or cold water supply:
- Location relative to each other. According to the standard, the cold water meter should be located lower than the hot one. This condition is not mandatory, so during installation the meters can be located in a way that is convenient for the master. This can make it difficult to determine which meter is which.
- Turning on the water. To accurately determine which meter belongs to cold water, regardless of their location relative to each other, you should open the cold water tap. After opening the tap, one of the meters will begin to rotate, this will be the cold water meter.
Calculation example first month
The easiest way to understand taking water meter readings is to use a specific example. First month - March:
- How to take cold water meter readings? Let's look at the values on the blue water meter: black numbers - 00004, red numbers - 382. The number 382 is less than 500, so we do not take it into account. We record a black number - 4 cubic meters of water wasted.
- How to take hot water meter readings? The red water meter has the following values: black numbers - 00002, red numbers - 834. The last number is more than 500, so we round 834 liters to 1 m 3. The black numbers show that we wasted 2 cubic meters of hot water. With rounding 2 + 1 = 3. We record that we have wasted 3 cubic meters of hot water.
- We advise you to record the readings in a special notebook or notes on your smartphone - they will be needed for calculations for the next month.
- We transfer from the notebook to the receipt that we wasted 4 cubic meters of cold and 3 cubic meters of hot water in March.
What do the numbers mean?
Most water meters have eight windows, five of which, located on the left, have black numbers. The three right-hand windows have numbers colored red.
The black numbers show the cubic meters of water used. They are accepted as monthly data by management companies. Red numbers show liters of water used. When the value reaches 999 liters plus one more liter, the red part of the water meter is reset to zero, and one is added to the cubic meters section.
Some manufacturers have meters with only five windows. The liters of these water meters are indicated by indicator arrows.
Therefore, in order to obtain information about the consumption of hot and cold water, the user must write down the readings from the black windows, rounding them up if the value in the red windows exceeds 500 liters.
How to fill out a receipt
We have already figured out what numbers are when taking readings from water meters and how we need to read them. But in addition, we need to figure out how to correctly fill out the receipts that we will use when paying. There are a number of special simple rules for this:
- In the second column and second drain, you must indicate the latest information from the cold water meter. There is no need to enter the last three digits from the readings - we will not need them here.
- In the third column of the second line, indicate data on cold water for the past month. Also, the fillings should not include the last 3 digits of the information.
- Third row, second column. Here we need data on hot water today.
- Third row, third column. The information here indicates hot water data for the past month.
- To fill out column 4, you first need to take information from the cold water meter for the current month and subtract the data for the previous month from it. That is, we need to calculate how many cubic meters of cold water and hot water you have used for the current month. Accordingly, information on cold water is indicated in the 2nd line, on hot water - in the third line.
- Usually the receipt already shows the current tariff for cold and hot water, so that it is more convenient for you to calculate the amount to pay. However, if this is not written, then you will have to personally find out this information from your management company or from the person responsible for transmitting the testimony, and enter it yourself. This information must also be indicated in column 4.
Once your receipt is completed, you can go pay your bills. This can be done at post offices, as well as through banks. If necessary, payment is made online through the City system, a personal account on the housing and communal services website, or through Sberbank online. Moreover, in most cases, no commission is charged, and the amount to be paid must be entered independently.
The article was written based on materials from the sites: fb.ru, ru-act.com, okanalizacii.ru, www.saures.ru, okommunalke.ru.
How to submit meter readings
In order to submit information on water consumption, today there are many ways, including:
- In most apartment buildings today there is a system in which all residents on certain dates must give meter readings to the person in charge of the building or place them in a specially designated box.
- You can also provide information in person to the resource supplying organization. To do this, go to her website, where you can see all the available methods. This includes submitting information via email, SMS messages or phone call. You must have your personal account number, full address, and current readings at hand.
- Through the housing and communal services website. Most organizations provide access to a personal account, through which testimony can be submitted online in a short time.
Today, most residents need to give meter readings through their management company. In 99% of cases, a responsible person is selected at the entrance to do this, who will record and send all the necessary information on cold and hot water within the established time frame. This method allows you to enter the necessary data accurately and in a short time.
Transfer deadlines
At the state level, the current deadlines for transmitting electricity and water readings are fixed. Here's when residents need to fill out and submit the receipts:
- minimum date - 23rd day of the current month;
- The deadline is the 26th of the current month.
Within this certain period, the water supply testimony should already be in the management company. Please note that if you do not have time to check your meters within this period and submit the necessary readings, you will have to pay according to the tariff, which entails a significant overpayment, since the supplied resource will not coincide with what was actually spent.
How to take readings from five-roller meters
On some meters, the whole part is represented by a roller scale, and the fractional part by three or four pointer scales.
Such counters are called “with a combined roller digital scale” or five-roller. If you have a five-roller counter, you take the whole part of the readings from the roller numbers, and the fractional part from the arrows.
One pointer scale shows hundreds of liters consumed, the other tens, the third units. To obtain the value of the fractional part, you need to multiply the value of hundreds of liters by a factor of 0.1, the value of tens by a factor of 0.01, and multiply the value of units by 0.001. Then add up the calculation results.
In our example, it will look like this: 7*0.1 + 5*0.01 + 9*0.001 = 0.759 cubic meters.
We add the fractional part of the readings with the integer: 6 + 0.759. We get the water consumption according to the meter to be 6.759.
Since we write only whole values on the receipt, your choice is: round the fractional part according to mathematical rules or ignore the fractional part.
In the first case it will be 7, in the second 6 cubic meters. No need to worry about missing liters if you choose the non-rounding option. The consumed part of the cubic meter will be paid by you in the next period.
Just like for eight-roller meters, when you first take readings, the entire number from the meter is included in the receipt: 7 or 6, depending on whether you round the fractional part or not.
Next month, we write down on the receipt the difference between the new and previous values: 5 (12 – 7) or 6 cubic meters (12 – 6) of water.
The main supplier of five-roller counters in Russia is the German manufacturer Zenner.
How to take readings from meters with electronic displays
Meters with an electronic digital panel are less common than others. They are more expensive, require electrical power, and do not have significant advantages over roller ones.
However, if you have a meter with an electronic display, write down the whole number of cubes on the receipt. Round the numbers after the decimal point according to mathematical rules or ignore them.
In our example: 25 (with rounding liters) or 24 cubic meters (without rounding).
All other rules for collecting, calculating, recording and transmitting readings for meters with electronic displays are identical to any other meters.
Manufacturers of meters with electronic displays: Siemens, Betar, Sayany, Grand and others.
Practical recommendations for recording readings
Here is a simple example of how to take water meter readings yourself:
New hot and cold water meters were installed in the apartment, on which the readings at the time of their installation were zero.
That is, it looked like this:
- Hot water: 00000000;
- Cold water: 00000000.
After a month of using the water, the readings changed as follows:
That is, by being careful and attentive, recording and paying for readings on time, you don’t have to worry about how to correctly take water meter readings, since making serious mistakes is unlikely. The main thing is to do everything regularly and responsibly.
We talked about how to submit water meter readings via the Internet in our other article.
If you have to purchase additional meters, perhaps our tips on choosing them will help you with this.
The video will clearly demonstrate how to take water meter readings.
Detailed example of taking readings
Before recording digital values, you need to determine which device takes into account the consumption of cold water and which one takes into account hot water.
The body of the water meter for cold water is usually painted blue, and for hot water - red. But it is always possible that the water meters were installed incorrectly or that you have a hot water meter installed for cold water (allowed by regulations).
Therefore, you need to open the cold water tap and see which meter starts working. Do the same manipulations with hot water. If everything is in order, we will begin taking readings.
To calculate consumption, only the first five digits, colored black, need to be taken into account. The values of the red numbers are taken into account only when they show the number of liters from 500 and above. In this case, it is necessary to round the total value by adding one to it.
On some devices, all eight digits are black, which means we don’t count the last three - these are liters. Foreign water meters have only five digits on the dial - use them in your calculations.
For example, you have a new device that was installed only a month ago, and the values on it are 00008, 521. It turns out that you used 9 cubic meters of water: 8 is the first five digits, plus 1 is rounding.
Next month your digital values have changed and in order to calculate the number of cubic meters, you need to write down the current values of the water meter numbers and, using simple mathematical operations, find out the difference between today's values and those taken a month ago.
We had - 00008.521 (we wrote it down as 9), now - 00013.230 .
Subtract: 00013 – 00009 = 4
This is exactly the number of cubic meters you need to pay this month.
Watch a video on how to correctly take readings from water meters:
Important! Select a specific date to withdraw information and do not forget to remove it on time!
How to take readings from meters with a roller scale
A counter with a roller scale is often called an eight-roller counter because there are eight windows with numbers on the indicator panel. Typically five black and three red.
The first five digits show the number of cubic meters consumed. The last three digits are the fractional part of the consumption - liters.
We write an integer on the receipt, so the first five digits are the main part of the readings.
The fractional part can be ignored or rounded to a whole number according to mathematical rules - if after the decimal point there is less than 499, downwards, if more than 500, up.
For example: in the figure, the whole part of the reading is 4 cubic meters, the fractional part is 736 liters. We can round liters to the nearest whole in the current month or include them in the payment for the next period (when the meter turns over the next cubic meter).
If you are taking readings for the first time, write down 5 cubic meters (with rounding of the fractional part) or 4 (if you decide not to take into account the fractional part) on the receipt.
Next month the counter shows 11 in the integer part and 235 in the fractional part. With and without rounding – 11 cubic meters of water.
In the receipt we write down the difference between the current readings and the result of last month: 11 – 5 = 6 or 11 – 4 = 7 cubic meters.
As you can see: whether you round the fractional part or ignore it, the total number of paid cubic meters does not change. Pick one method and stick to it every month.
Manufacturers of roller digital scale meters: Valtec, Itelma, Beregun, Meter, Okhta, Taypit, Alekseevsky, Economy, Norma and others.
Methods and recommendations for transmitting information about meter readings
Attention!
Readings from general (apartment) or individual metering devices (meters) for utility consumption must be submitted for each personal account, if the corresponding services are included in the account. Due to the proliferation of separate invoices from direct service providers, several separate invoices may be received for one apartment.
The main and simplest way to transmit current readings of utility consumption meters is to transmit the readings through the payment document “Bill for residential premises, utilities and other services.”
With this method, the readings are entered by the cashier of the payment acceptance point at the time of payment of the payment document.
Don't forget to check the receipt issued at the time of payment!
At the bottom of the check-order, the readings must be entered opposite the meter number that you submitted at the time of payment. If there are no indications, then you must contact the employee of the payment acceptance point for clarification.
An example of a payment document with fields for entering readings from individual (apartment) metering devices.
1.
Meter readings are recorded in dedicated fields and only for those services and meter numbers that are explicitly indicated (printed).
Only current readings
meters, regardless of what month you pay the receipt for. Indications are taken for the month in which you make the payment. Meter readings for the previous period, as well as the volume of actual consumption (cubic meter) for the past period do not need to be indicated (they are indicated in the “Last reading” column).
2.
Current readings (whole number of cubic meters without fractional parts) are written in neat handwriting, in whole numbers, without zeros on the left.
3.
If there are more than 5 significant digits (digits to the left, before the decimal point in the counter readings), then the last 5 digits before the decimal point are recorded. The numbers indicated after the decimal point do not need to be entered.
4.
Information for residents of communal apartments that have individual metering devices installed and include both privately owned residential premises and premises provided under social tenancy agreements.
In such apartments, meter readings must be submitted by both groups of residents separately
: one representative enters individual meter readings on behalf of the owners of the premises, the other on behalf of the tenants.
Recipients of the payment document “Bill for residential premises, utilities and other services” issued by JSC “VTsKP “Housing” can use alternative methods of transmitting meter readings:
- in the Internet service “Personal Account”;
- in the mobile application of the VTsKP partner - “ZhKHKH+” (Google Play or App Store);
- by phone 325-05-43 (automated system for receiving readings, works around the clock)
Please note that for registration of new or verified metering devices, on the basis of an installation or verification act, as well as when the readings of the metering device cross zero (recalculation based on the difference in readings taking into account the “crossing through zero”), cancellation of the metering device (rejection of the device accounting, breakdown, malfunction), you must contact the service provider using the contacts specified in the payment document “Invoice”, in the performers section.
When calculating fees for utility services, information on meter readings submitted no later than the 25th of the current month is taken into account.
Submission of testimony
We figured out how to take water meter readings
It is also important to submit them to the relevant organization on time - before the 26th of each month. Usually, for these purposes, a receipt and a coupon for it are filled out:
- Write down the full name of the apartment owner, address, number of residents and, of course, the payment period.
- The cold water (cold water) field indicates the values on the water meter for the past and present month. In our example these are 00004 and 00009.
- The same information is written in the DHW (hot water) column. In our example - 00003 and 00006.
- In the “Consumption” field, you indicate how much cold and hot water you consumed per month. For our example, these are 5 and 3 cubic meters, respectively.
- The column “Water drainage” is the sum of hot water and cold water. For our example: 5 + 3 = 8 cubic meters.
- For the “Amount” field, you need to multiply the “Consumption” of cold and hot water by the established tariff, and then add these products.
Receipts are kept by the owner of the house, and the tear-off coupon is placed in a special box, container placed near the entrance door or in another place established by the management company. In some places it is possible to transmit testimony virtually - through State Services.
If you cannot submit a coupon with information on meters on time, then you need to notify the company involved in this accounting. You should be given average readings for the current month, the basis for which will be your data on water meters for the previous three months. And for the next payment (when you are already able to take meter readings), you can submit an application for recalculation.
How to submit testimony correctly
The company that provides the resources independently decides how people will pay for their services. In any case, they should always provide a choice. An invoice for payment is provided directly or through Management Companies.
Indicators from metering devices are sent to one company:
- Management company.
- Unified Information Settlement Center.
- Directly to the resource provider (via the Internet, by phone number or special box).
In the age of the Internet and progress, some companies try to notify consumers through the following notification systems:
- A phone call.
- Via SMS notification.
- Electronic mail (email).
- Special mobile application.
- Personal account on the site.
In writing
Special forms with tear-off coupons where current indicators are entered. Often there is a line to indicate information for the previous month. Management companies or other places where payments are accepted have boxes for collecting such receipts. This type of payment system is used by older people who are not comfortable with new technologies.
This is important to know: How electricity is turned off for non-payment and what to do after the shutdown
Via the Internet
Each organization that collects payments has its own website where each user can register and gain access to their personal account. Each consumer must visit this site monthly and enter the readings copied from the meter there.
This significantly saves time on payment, since you can do this at any time and when it is convenient for you. Here you can also check whether you have a mortgage and how much you paid for water supply last month.