Home/Heating rules/Start of the heating season
Every autumn, before the start of the heating season, residents of high-rise buildings experience discomfort because the apartments become cool. There are suspicions that utility companies are delaying the deadlines, wanting to save money. In reality, management companies cannot turn on the heating at their own discretion - there are regulations establishing the timing and procedure for this procedure. One more point: before starting the system, it needs to be tested and repaired - leaks and air locks often occur. It takes time to fix these problems so that there are no problems in winter.
Attention
The decision to turn on the heating is made by local governments, and not by the management company and TSN. The exact date has not been established; the law requires that you be guided by the weather. The heating season should begin if the average daily temperature remains below 8 degrees for 5 days. If the heat supply is delayed, residents have the right to complain to the organization servicing the house, demanding that the problem be solved and at the same time recalculated. If utility workers are inactive, you can contact the Housing Inspectorate, Rospotrebnadzor, or the district Administration.
Normative base
Relations in the field of heating residential buildings are regulated by several regulations:
- Basic Law – Federal Law No. 190 of June 27, 2010 “On Heat Supply”.
- The general rules for heat supply to residential buildings are established in Art. Chapter 7 3 Federal Law No. 416 dated December 7, 2011
- The procedure for providing utility heating services is enshrined in the Rules approved by Government Decree No. 354 of 05/06/2011.
- SANPiN 2.1.2.1002-00 specifies permissible temperatures in apartments during the cold and warm seasons.
When do you turn on the heating?
Government Decree No. 354 sets out the conditions for the start of the heating season. There are 2 of them: first, the average daily temperature outside should drop below +8 degrees, second, this value should last 5 days. Thus, even if the temperature remains abnormally low for 4 days, but warming is promised on the fifth day, turning on the heating will most likely be postponed.
There are no specific dates in the law. However, in fact, the heating season begins in September-October, depending on the region of the country.
Let's summarize
As has already become clear, quite a large number of factors influence the opening of the heating season. Whether it’s just weather conditions, the state of readiness of pipelines, data transmitted from weather forecasters, etc.
In no year will it be possible to say the exact filing date. Every year it is calculated again, finding all the necessary indicators and comparing them. Therefore, you should not think that it is so easy, just take it and turn on the heating.
Utility workers have to annually calculate a lot of indicators and collect a large amount of data in order to make a final decision. Naturally, some regions of Russia do not fit into this model, and they have already been turned on to 100% heat since September. But again, absolutely all factors and indicators will need to be taken into account!
Heating turn-on progress
First of all, heating is supplied to social buildings - clinics, kindergartens, schools. Then residential buildings are connected. Heating is started gradually, the whole process is extended over 2 weeks. This is due to the inertia of the system: it is necessary to fill the pipes that supply heat to each house, and this is tons of water that requires pre-heating to a certain temperature.
Additional Information
If you suddenly turn on the heating throughout the city, the load will instantly and greatly increase. As a result, circulation will deteriorate. Unforeseen situations also often arise, despite the long-term preparation of the system. In one place a crack is found in the shut-off valve, in another - problems with the valve. In this regard, plumbers carry out a thorough check after start-up.
Hydrodynamic flushing
If the radiator design allows it, it will be useful to carry out hydrodynamic flushing. To implement this you need to perform the following steps:
- Pipes are connected to the radiator outlets.
- Start the washing procedure. In this case, it is necessary to visually monitor the degree of contamination of the coolant.
- The flushing procedure often needs to be repeated several times to get the water clean.
Then the integrity of the connection between the radiator and the pipes is checked. In some cases, gaskets may need to be replaced to ensure reliability.
Using a gas boiler for heating Source stroi-mario.ru
How to find out the exact start date of the heating season?
The resolution of the district or municipal administration on approval of the heating supply schedule is published online in the public domain. This document can be found on the municipality's website. The resolution is also published in the city newspaper - the official body of local government. Other media are not required to publish the full text, but they always report information about the timing of the heating season. Until the official document is made public, it will not be possible to find out the date of heat supply even by personally contacting the heat supply organization or management company.
What factors influence temperature
The warmth of room air depends on many factors. The reasons for its decline are varied - problems in the boiler room, worn-out heating networks, old internal communications, negligent attitude of owners and tenants towards their housing.
External factors affecting central heat supply:
- Unsatisfactory performance of the heat supply company. The reasons are fuel saving by thermal engines and reduced pressure. In this case, the medium entering the heating network is initially poorly heated.
- High wear and poor quality thermal insulation of external and internal networks that are unable to retain heat.
- Failure to comply with SNIPs and other building standards during construction. Buildings with thin walls are difficult to warm up. The situation is typical for new buildings.
- Wear and tear of housing. In old housing stock, the engineering systems are very worn out, so the coolant in them cools down.
Indoor factors affecting temperature:
- Low level of heat conservation - open windows in the entrance, doors without closers and return springs, open attics and basements. The house is simply cooling down.
- The poor condition of the pipes inside the apartment building - depressurization, air pockets and blockages reduce the temperature level.
- Problems with the return line installed for the outflow of waste media. In such cases, circulation in the heating system is disrupted, which leads to low temperature readings.
- Actions of residents who make unauthorized changes to utility networks.
Why can it be cold in the apartment:
- The batteries installed are too small and cannot cope with the task. Instead, it is advisable to install modern powerful models that warm even a large room well.
- The regulation of the radiators is disrupted - in such a situation, they call a specialist who will bring everything back to normal.
- Heat sources are blocked by furniture or other objects that interfere with heat exchange. A reshuffle will save the situation.
- Old pipes that require replacement. They are replaced with new ones - metal, plastic, metal-plastic.
- Old, cracked window frames. They are being replaced with plastic structures.
- Poor thermal insulation. Insulating the walls will save the situation.
All these situations can be eliminated without contacting utility services.
Actions if you don’t turn on the heating and it’s already cold
Attention
If the heating season has already begun, the first thing you need to do is make sure that all the batteries in the apartment are working properly. If only your home is cold, but your neighbors upstairs and downstairs are warm, the problem may be an air lock. Plumbers will quickly fix it.
The temperature in the apartment is important. According to SanPin standards, in a living room there should be at least +18 degrees, in a corner room +20 degrees. If the temperature in your home is lower, you need to call the emergency dispatch service and leave a request to solve the heating problem. Within one or two days, the cause of the malfunction must be found and eliminated, as well as notifying you about it.
You also need to demand that a representative of the management company come and record the fact that the batteries are not working and the temperature is low. The drawn up act will become the basis for recalculating the cost of heating and will serve as evidence that, if necessary, can be attached to the complaint.
Ways to heat your home in the off-season
Fan heaters allow you to quickly heat even a large room, and at the same time they consume a small amount of electricity. Since they do not take up much space, they are convenient to store when not needed, even in a small apartment. However, it must be taken into account that their use worsens air quality - due to oxidation of the spiral material and dust combustion, the oxygen content decreases (pro
When can you complain about turning on the heating late?
Nothing can be done before the official start of the heating season. The management company launches the system in accordance with the deadlines established by local authorities and has no right to violate them. If the deadline for turning on the heating has already passed, but the house is still cold, you need to call your management company or heating supply organization and ask when the heating will be turned on. If you are not given a clear answer, you should file a complaint.
Step-by-step instructions for filing a complaint about late heating switching on
A complaint about turning on the heating late is written in free form; there is no standardized template. Typically the document is drawn up as follows:
- In the upper right corner, the applicant indicates his personal data and the name of the organization to which the complaint is being filed. You must leave a telephone number where you can be contacted in order to resolve the issue peacefully.
- Then the problem encountered is described in detail. You should list the measures that you managed to take before filing a claim - where you applied, who you talked to. Make a list of documents attached to the complaint, if any.
- The next block lists the requirements. Write that you will go to court if measures are not taken.
- At the bottom is today's date and signature.
Attention:
The complaint about the late switching on of the heating in the apartment must be made in two copies. One is handed over personally to an authorized employee of the management company, TSN or heat supply organization, if the contract is concluded with it directly. The second copy, with a receipt mark, is kept by the applicant. If a claim is refused, you can send it by registered mail or electronically on the organization’s website.
You can file a complaint for late heating switching on here.
Considerations and possible consequences
The management company is obliged to consider the claim to turn on the heating of an apartment building within 10 days and take appropriate measures. Based on this act, it will be possible to request a recalculation of the heating payment for the entire period when there were problems with it. For each hour that the temperature does not meet the established standards, the heating fee is reduced by 0.15% of the monthly payment. Therefore, the management company is interested in quickly establishing heat supply to the house.
If the situation does not change, you should file a complaint with Rospotrebnadzor or the prosecutor's office. If departments fail to act, you can file a lawsuit with a demand to oblige the management company not only to recalculate heating fees, but also to compensate for moral damages. The court decision is executed in 95% of cases. If this does not help, the residents of the house should hold a general meeting and discuss the issue of changing the management company or organizing TSN. This will be possible if the majority of owners vote for such a decision.
Typical problems
Some of the most common errors include the following:
- The heating system was started too quickly.
- Drain water from radiators in all living areas of the house.
- An attempt to get rid of air locks by removing coolant from pipes in the basement. This action will not help clear them from the heating system.
- When several buildings need to be connected at the same time, the risers are not checked immediately, relying on the fact that in the event of a malfunction, the residents will signal the presence of problems when starting the heating.
Do not commission the heating system while working alone. It's best to do this with two or three people.
Checking the radiator Source stroi-mario.ru
Nuances
Although the law requires that the timing of the heating season be determined by local authorities, there are still opportunities to deviate from this norm. If the communications are in order and checked for leaks and other faults, the management company can start supplying heat without waiting 5 days with an average daily temperature of less than +8 degrees. This is also allowed based on numerous requests from residents.
There are several other important nuances associated with the start of the heating season:
- Supplying heating later than 5 days with an average daily temperature below +8 degrees is a direct violation of the legislation of the Russian Federation. For this, organizations that provide such a service face serious fines.
- If apartment owners believe that the heating is turned on too late, they have the right to enter into an agreement with the heat supply organization. You can enter the exact dates of switching on and off. Then heating will be supplied at the specified time without taking into account the outside temperature. However, it is necessary to organize a meeting of residents and ensure that the majority of residents express their consent in writing. This can be difficult to do.
- If the heating has already been turned on, but the house is still cold, you should not complain right away. The system is adjusted by increasing the pressure gradually. Therefore, it sometimes takes several days for the batteries to become hot.
- It is forbidden to unauthorizedly weld pipes or install radiators with a large number of sections to make it warmer. This allows you to make the temperature of the house more comfortable, but may disrupt the operation of the heating system. Residents of other apartments will suffer - it will become cooler for them. Therefore, after some time, the relevant services will learn about such a violation. The owner will be fined and will still be required to return the old batteries.
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Startup procedure
During the warm season, batteries are not used. At this time, it is possible to carry out training to ensure their performance. Before starting the heating system, you need to make sure that all elements are in working order and ready for the onset of the season. Such activities will include the following:
- It is necessary to make sure that there are no mechanical damage to the heating system elements. If their presence is detected, then repairs or replacement will be required.
- If a boiler is to be operated in the house (it is usually used in private houses), it is necessary to ensure that the smoke exhaust system is functioning correctly. It is important not only that it is in good working order, but also provides good traction.
- Before starting the heating system, the ash and combustion chamber in the boiler are cleaned. To do this, remove debris from them and then clean them with a stiff brush.
- If there is an electronic control, it must be tested.
- It is necessary to check the internal cavities and ensure that they are cleaned of soot. If rust is found on galvanized pipes, traces of it must be removed. A visual inspection will help ensure that the chimney is tight and free of damage. If necessary, repair work will need to be carried out before starting the internal heating system.
- The management company of the apartment building must ensure that the internal heating system is pre-started. It will be useful to contact residents to inspect the pipes and radiators in their apartments. You must ensure that devices are not disconnected from the system.
- You need to make sure there are no leaks in advance.
- In order to finally make sure that the heating is working, you need to test run it for about a month or a month and a half. If everything goes well, you can be sure that the system is ready to perform its functions. It is better to carry out this event at a time when residents are at home and can monitor the operation of the heating equipment. During a test run, a higher pressure is set for the coolant than under normal operating conditions. It is 1.2 times higher than usual.
Checking the performance of cast iron radiators Source stroi-mario.ru
To directly start the system, you need to take the following steps:
- When the system is not filled with coolant, it will gradually rust. Therefore, before starting the heating, it is recommended to clean it.
- It is necessary to ensure that the coolant is started at minimum power. Filling must be done from bottom to top. If you act in this way, the air will be gradually displaced until it completely leaves the pipes.
- It is necessary to remove its remains. For this purpose, in the attic in gas collectors it is necessary to open the drain valve. While air is escaping through it, you will hear a characteristic whistle. When it stops, it will be a signal that there is only liquid in the pipes.
- In houses where there is no attic, the coolant can be drained using a Mayevsky tap.
- When you need to prepare several risers, before starting the heating correctly, you need to start with those that are farthest from the heating unit.
It is necessary that the pressure gauge readings comply with technical standards. After this, you can start the heating system.
Solid fuel heating boiler Source stroi-mario.ru
