What to do if the radiators in the apartment are barely warm, where to turn?

Everyone wants their home to be warm and cozy. But if the creation of a pleasant psychological atmosphere is entirely in the hands of the residents themselves, then the microclimate of apartment buildings with centralized heating is controlled and provided by third-party organizations.

Heat is far from the cheapest expense item among other elements of the rent. It is all the more annoying when you have to allocate funds from the family budget for services that are not provided in the proper volume. What level of heat supply are utilities required to provide? How to achieve the required temperature in the apartment? Where should I go if the batteries are a little warm, and how can I do this to resolve the issue as quickly as possible?

Algorithm of action if the batteries do not heat well

Important! If the temperature in the room does not correspond to the norm, then you need to do the following:

write an application to the management company requesting temperature measurements. Remember that any document submitted to the management company must be in two copies, one of which remains with the applicant. By the way, this will help ensure that the application is registered;
require procedures for measuring temperature conditions, which must be carried out using professional equipment. Please note that the report must include the readings indicated on the instruments. By the way, the act is drawn up in two copies;
the management company must correct any violation of temperature standards that has been identified within seven days;
for the period during which the temperature conditions did not correspond to the norm, the management company is obliged to recalculate. Recalculation is made after writing an application to the EIRC (Unified Information and Settlement Center). For every hour in which the temperature does not meet the norm, payment is reduced by 0.15%. For every 3 degrees temperature decrease, payment is reduced by 0.1% per hour;
If a complaint about the inconsistency of the temperature in the room is not responded to, you should contact the housing inspectorate, which is the supervisory authority over the quality of utility services provided. You can also contact Rospotrebnadzor, because this is a violation of consumer rights.

ATTENTION! Look at the completed sample application to the Criminal Code for measuring the temperature in the apartment:

Termination of heat supply by law

On the territory of the Russian Federation, shutdown of heat supply is regulated by Article 22 of the Federal Law “On Heat Supply” dated July 27, 2010 N 190-FZ, which regulates the norms for shutting off heat supply in the absence of timely payment of bills (how are heating charges formed?). Since heat supply is a public service, Government Resolution 354 can also be considered regulators.

Normal temperature in an apartment during the heating season

Before figuring out where to go, you need to find out how much the temperature regime deviates from the norm; this determines how significant the violation of the temperature regime is.

The temperature regime in the residential premises must correspond to the following indicators:

18-20°C in a normal living room;
up to 18°C in corridors and kitchens;
up to 25°C in the bathroom;
5°C in the elevator;
4°C for the basement and attic.

Temperature measurements are carried out at a height of one and a half meters from the floor near the inner wall of the room. The measurement results are considered to be the average value between three measurements.

If the temperature in the residential premises deviates from these requirements, or the battery does not heat at all, you can find out the authority to which you should contact with a statement from the dispatcher of the city where the apartment is located.

There are situations in which no one wants to take action even after calling. Where should you turn if the batteries do not heat up?

How to prove unauthorized tapping into the heating system?

What temperature should be in the apartment, read here.

What is included in the renovation of an apartment building, read the link:

Hotlines for heat issues in citizens' homes

In large cities it is easier to find where to go if the batteries are a little warm. This issue can be resolved through unified dispatch services that have regional offices (telephone numbers can be found through local authorities or help desks). The call must be responded to on the day it is received.

If they didn’t respond to the complaint or couldn’t help for some reason, and the radiators in the apartment are cold, where should I go and what should I do?

Residents of the capital, for example, should contact the Moscow Housing Inspectorate. The service line numbers are listed on the official website. You can call to solve urgent problems related to heating in Moscow at any time of the day.

In 2022, the Moscow United Energy Company launched its rapid response telephone line. The phone number is published on the official website of the organization. In this case we are talking about Moscow.

Where to go if the radiators are a little warm, and the housing is in another city? It makes sense to call the thematic hotline in your region, stating over the phone your complaints about the condition of your housing.

Application to the Criminal Code regarding poor heating

There is no established form for such a statement, so it is drawn up in any form. The application can be typed on a computer or written by hand.

Please note! The legislation does not establish a specific sample, although the requirements for such statements establish the need to indicate the following data:

name of the director of the management company;
applicant's name: last name, first name, patronymic, telephone number and address;
the word “statement” is indicated in the center;
information about the owner of the residential premises, as well as details of the document confirming this fact;
attach payment receipts that confirm that there is no debt for utilities;
at what point did the temperature drop occur, and also what temperature is in the living room now;
indicate the requirements that are established at the legislative level: recalculation of utility bills), compensation for losses within a specified period;
list applications. All documents that can confirm the circumstances specified in the application are attached to the application: act, receipts, etc.;
date and signature with transcript.

Remember that the application to the management company must be drawn up in two copies, one of which with the date of receipt and a signature with a transcript of the accepting employee of the management company remains with the applicant, and the second is handed to the employee of the management company.

If an employee of the management company refuses to accept the application, then it must simply be sent by registered mail with notification of receipt of the letter and an inventory of what is contained in the letter.

The date of receipt of the letter of claim is the date of receipt of the letter by an employee of the management company. If the case has to be brought to court, then the registered mail receipt and receipt stamp will be evidence that the plaintiff complied with the pre-trial settlement procedure.

Incorrect connection is the reason why batteries do not heat in a private house

There are many poor design decisions that can cause a system to malfunction. The result is barely warm or even cold batteries.

Let's look at the main mistakes and oversights:

The very first reason is the incorrect position of the tap on the bypass. What is bypass? This is a piece of pipe that connects the “supply” and “return” before entering the battery. Its design essence is to shut off the water supply to the battery, so that the battery can be easily removed and mounted back. So, if the bypass is open, then the coolant will circulate through it, as if through the shortest path, bypassing the battery and, as a result, non-functioning batteries.

Illiterate installation of the heating system. Of course, you can outline in general terms the features of a well-installed heating system, but this is a whole science.

Even incorrect selection of pipe diameter or incorrect combination of the type of batteries and heating boiler can lead to constant malfunctions.

Often the cause of poorly heating batteries may simply be their characteristics. It is very difficult to say which radiators are of high quality and which are not, therefore, read the forum, communicate with trusted consultants and do not let low-quality products be sold to you.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=DHdt_67hTWs

Application for recalculation

Before drawing up an application for recalculation for heat, it is necessary to record the fact of inappropriate thermal conditions in the residential premises. The fact can be certified by an act that is drawn up when measuring the thermal conditions by employees of the housing office or management company.

Another option would be to involve two neighbors, the one who lives in the building or the one who lives in the house, when taking measurements. If these persons are present, you can draw up a report on measuring the temperature, which can subsequently be an appendix to the application for recalculation of payment for heat.

The act indicates the exact address, characteristics of the living space and current thermal conditions. The main problem is the quality of the equipment used, which must be verified. And the date of verification is indicated in the act, which will be recognized as the basis for recalculating payment for utility services.

Attention! A standard sample application for recalculation of payment for utility services should contain the following list:

name of the addressee and sender of the application;
basis for recalculating payment for the service. Usually this is a mismatch in thermal conditions. It is imperative to record the date and time at which temperature deviations were recorded. Otherwise, no recalculation will be made;
a requirement to carry out a recalculation indicating the period for which it must be carried out;
consequences in case of refusal. Indicate the consequences that may arise if the management company refuses to satisfy the applicant’s demands with reference to the law (forfeits and penalties);
a list of attachments that confirm all the circumstances specified in the application. In this case - a report on measuring the thermal regime.

Please note that the act must be drawn up correctly and without corrections or clerical errors. After all, it is the main basis for recalculation for utility services. Before drawing up an act or application for recalculation, consult with representatives of the housing office or management company, otherwise problems may arise.

A decision on such an application is made within two weeks from the date of its submission. You can attach to the application the calculations that you made, which will serve as a kind of reconciliation.

At the time of submitting the application, you must provide 2 copies so that your copy is stamped by the employee confirming the acceptance of the document by the organization with the number of incoming correspondence and the date of registration.

ATTENTION! Look at the completed sample application for recalculation of utilities:

Probable causes of violation of heat supply standards

There are various possible reasons for the lack of heat in an apartment. Among them the most common:

excessive wear and tear of the communication system;
errors made at the design stage or during the installation of the system;
incorrect adjustment of heat supply by an incompetent or negligent employee;
unauthorized connection of neighbors to the centralized system (for example, incorrect installation of heated floors).

To identify the person responsible, you may have to use the help of lawyers, who you can contact for advice not only in person, but also on the Internet. In order to avoid unnecessary costs, it is better to do this in the event of any refusal, since reviews of those who have already encountered the problem indicate incompetence in this matter even among some representatives of the Supreme Court.

Collective complaint

Any claim must be submitted in writing. Therefore, if an application is submitted from several owners of residential premises, it is necessary to collect the signatures of all applicants - this will be considered a collective complaint.

Moreover, the complaint is written in two places - to the housing inspection and the management company, 2 copies each. The complaint indicates the circumstances that served as the reason for its writing and the requirement to resolve the current situation.

Attention! Our qualified lawyers will assist you free of charge and around the clock on any issues. Find out more here.

One copy of the complaint remains with the organization as received correspondence, and the second copy remains with the applicants. This will be evidence of compliance with the pre-trial conflict resolution procedure.

The complaint can be submitted not in person, but using the Russian Post, but always by registered mail with notification of receipt. A collective complaint is considered within the period established by law.

ATTENTION! Look at the completed sample of a collective complaint to the Criminal Code:

Watch the video. Heating radiators do not heat, where to go, who to contact:

If the specialist does not arrive

The fact that a representative of the heat supply supplier fails to appear when called should not go unnoticed. It is necessary to repeat the call to the dispatch service and report a violation of the procedure for providing services. Demand clarification and indicate your intention to write complaints to the authorities monitoring their activities and higher authorities.

An explanation of the basis for the delay should be requested. It is necessary to insist on the immediate dispatch of a specialist to inspect the communications and remind him of his obligation to draw up a report.

It would be a good idea to record the conversation with the dispatcher; he does not need to be warned that a recording is being made. These recordings will serve as evidence in court.

After talking with the dispatcher, you need to dial the number of the chief engineer or director and briefly outline the essence of the situation, clearly stating the address and reason for the accumulated claims. Report the lack of response to the request addressed to the dispatch service, mention your intentions to file complaints against the organization with the supervisory authorities.

It is necessary to demand that the problem be corrected as soon as possible and ensure that a specialist comes to inspect the heating system. It is necessary to mention the preparation of a collective complaint if all residents of the house have a problem with the heating supply. In most cases, this will be enough to attract the attention of utility companies.

You will also be interested in knowing what to do and where to call if the power goes out.

Complaint to Rospotrebnadzor

Attention! When contacting Rospotrebnadzor authorities, applicants or the applicant indicate the following information:

About Me. Contact and personal information;
about an apartment building and the problem that exists in this building;
about past attempts to resolve the situation voluntarily. For example, contacting the management company and housing inspection;
about the demands and requests that the applicant wants to receive as a result of considering the complaint.

It is also worth attaching copies of documents that confirm the circumstances specified in the complaint.

The complaint is considered within a month. After receiving a complaint, Rospotrebnadzor authorities must take measures to eliminate the identified violations.

A complaint can be accepted online on the website of the local Rospotrebnadzor authority or consumer rights protection service.

ATTENTION! Look at the completed sample application to Rospotrebnadzor for the heating management company:

Remote heating control system

Many residents of country houses or empty apartments install a remote heating system. This makes it quite easy to monitor the temperature in the house and manage it effectively. Heating control occurs using a telephone via GSM network standards. Turning off or on the heating via SMS is a very convenient option for controlling the heating system from a distance.

GSM controllers can be connected to an electric, gas or convective heating system. The only thing is that you need an automation system and a good mobile signal. All data about changes in temperature conditions will be sent via SMS message.

Thus, the temperature in the apartment can be monitored from a distance by installing a remote system. Heating problems are not uncommon for apartment residents. The reasons for the lack of heat can be different

It is important to know what to do and where to complain about the lack of heating in the house. And the ability to competently write a complaint will increase the chances of a quick solution to the problem.

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Statement of claim to court

Appeal to the court implies filing a claim at the location of the management company.

Important! The statement of claim must comply with the requirements established in Article 131 of the Civil Procedure Code of the Russian Federation:

name of the court, plaintiff and defendant (legal entity: full name, legal address and contact information, individual: full name, address, contact information);
content part. It describes the violations that were committed by the Criminal Code and the harm caused to the plaintiff;
description of attempts to pre-trial conflict resolution;
evidence of all circumstances indicating a violation of consumer rights;
claims and amount of material damage;
list of attached evidence;
date and signature of the plaintiff.

Within five days, the statement of claim must be accepted for consideration, and the plaintiff is given a notice signed by the employee who accepted the claim.

When filing a claim in court, the plaintiff is required to pay a state fee of 300 rubles for consideration of the civil case.

ATTENTION! Look at the completed sample claim to court against the Criminal Code for heating quality:

Illiterate arrangement of an autonomous heating system

When arranging heating in your home, the question often arises as to why the last radiators in a two-pipe system are cold.

Why do batteries heat poorly in a private home?

In this case, the batteries may be cold from below, when the “return” and “supply” have been confused, or the coolant circulation rate inside the devices is not high enough.

In the first case, everything is simple. The battery was incorrectly connected to the supply and return pipes of the heating system. Here it is enough to disconnect the radiator and connect it correctly, according to the heating diagram.
When the radiator is hot at the top and cold at the bottom in the second case, it is explained as follows. When the coolant flows through the system at high speed, its elements will be hot everywhere. When the speed is low, the water gradually cools and becomes colder at the bottom of the radiators.

Insufficient coolant circulation

Insufficient coolant velocity occurs in such cases.

When the internal diameter of the pipe is narrowed in any area.
When the flow rate of the coolant is not high enough in principle.

A common reason for slow water movement is a low-power or faulty circulation pump. In the case of a gravity (gravity) heating network, it does not exist at all.

The internal cross-section of the pipes may unexpectedly decrease in such cases.

Incorrect choice of control valve, with a narrowed inner diameter.
Poor-quality soldering of plastic pipes, when internal sagging and burrs appear at the points of their connection.
Deposits on the walls of pipes that do not allow the possible volume of coolant to pass through and slow down its flow (hydraulic resistance).

There is another situation when the bottom of the radiator is cold and the top is hot. This is when the room is not insulated (for example, a cold balcony, veranda). If the air temperature in the room is low, then the coolant in the radiator will cool faster.

When the upper battery pipe is heated and the lower one is cold, then the “return” and “supply” are not confused. Therefore, valves and pipes should be checked.

If the battery has an adjustment valve, it is worth twisting it and checking it. If you find that its internal diameter is too narrow, you will need to install a valve with a sufficient flow area.
When the heating pipes themselves have too small an internal diameter or their walls are clogged with deposits, there is nothing left to do but change them.
There is another way out - install . However, this solution is not entirely correct, and its price is high.

Let's find out the reasons

If the thermal conditions in a residential area decrease, we have already found out where to turn. But you can try to figure this out on your own. If the temperature of the riser corresponds to the norm, but the battery does not, this indicates that hot water is not flowing into it.

In this case, you need to check the tap that allows access to the heating supply to the living space. Maybe they simply forgot to open the tap, or the riser was closed for technical reasons or as a result of an emergency.

Liability if a utility service is disconnected illegally

Responsibility for illegal shutdown of heat supply may be of the following nature:

Administrative. According to Article 7.23 of the Code of Administrative Offences. Violation of standards for providing the population with utility services entails the imposition of an administrative fine:
for legal entities - from five thousand to ten thousand rubles.
Criminal. According to Article 215.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, an official who was responsible for turning off the heat supply and this negligently resulted in the infliction of major damage, serious harm to health or other serious consequences is punished:
or restriction of freedom for up to three years;
or forced labor for up to two years;
or imprisonment for the same period.

The comfort of living in an apartment depends on how the heating system works and whether heat supply standards are met. On our website you will find articles about what are the rules of heat supply, standards for heating water in radiators of a heating system, rules for commercial metering of thermal energy, causes of noise in batteries, whether it is possible to install heat meters in an apartment, as well as what to do if the battery is leaking and who should repair and replace radiators and risers in apartments.

Airlock

There may be several reasons for a violation of the thermal regime in a residential area. This situation occurs every year for many residential property owners. It may be that for one owner the thermal regime in the residential premises corresponds to the norm, but for another it does not.

The main reason for this situation is airy batteries, that is, the appearance of accumulated air in the thermal system.

If you hear a gurgling sound in the battery, then this is the sound that is made by the accumulation of air that needs to be released from the battery.

The accumulation of air in the radiators does not allow hot water to move freely through the heating system, which must constantly circulate to heat the room. Air does not provide conductivity to warm water. As a result, the riser will comply with the norm, but the battery will not.

If there is airiness in the batteries, it shortens the service life of the heating system, causing rust to appear in the devices.

Why is the act needed?

The document confirms the poor quality of services provided and is the basis for the thermal energy consumer to appeal to the court, supervisory authorities, and also receive a recalculation.

For an act to have legal force, the following requirements must be met:

Avoid artificially increasing the temperature in the apartment under study.
Convene the composition of the commission.
Alert the housing service representative and service provider.

Directly on the day the report is drawn up, all heating devices must be turned off. When drawing up the document, the absence of heating supply services is recorded, so factors influencing measurements must be excluded.

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Calling a commission to measure temperature

Temperature measurement and drawing up a report

Turning off electrical appliances before measurement

If utility companies do not respond to customer requests

The commission must measure the room temperature and compare it with standards, taking into account environmental temperature fluctuations. The air in the room must be heated to 18 degrees Celsius. Minor deviations are allowed within a range of 2 degrees up or down.

Let's deflate

In cases where the riser corresponds to the thermal regime, but the battery does not, then the residents themselves remove the accumulation of air, for which they use a Mayevsky tap on the batteries.

Before opening the valve, you must first turn off the heat supply and place rags under the radiator, because dirty water will come out along with the air. The tap is opened using a screwdriver, which is inserted into a special recess.

When the accumulated air is released from the hole, it will come out with a certain sound. After the air leaves the battery, dirty water should appear from the hole. After this, the tap can be closed. After this procedure, heat supply is restored in full.

Please note! A tap is installed on each heating device, but you should not be zealous, so a similar procedure is carried out only with those devices that are cold. Please note that the tap may have to be opened more than once.

This procedure becomes more difficult if the air accumulation is not in indoor radiators, but in pipes located in the basement. You carry out the procedure described above, and the batteries are cold, then you should call a plumber from the management company, who will open the valve and release the air, which prevents heat from flowing through the batteries.

Responsibility

In the housing and communal services sector, there are heat supply organizations that are responsible for supplying heat to apartments in apartment buildings and maintaining the temperature in accordance with sanitary and hygienic standards. They receive appropriate payment for their services.

When purchasing an apartment, the owner signs an agreement through the management company with such a heat supply organization, in which both parties assert their rights and obligations.

It is the responsibility of the consumer to pay for the heat received in a timely manner and in full. But the service provider must also monitor the uninterrupted supply of heat to homes. The heat supply is turned on and off at certain times. The beginning and end of the heating season is determined by local authorities depending on the climatic characteristics of the region.

But when making its decision, the municipality must also be based on the norms of the Government of the Russian Federation, number 354.

IMPORTANT! If the supplier has violated his obligations, the heating in the apartment is weak or completely cold, you need to notify the supplier and get him to fulfill his obligations.

You cannot remain indifferent to such circumstances and wait until the problem resolves itself. The heat supply organization may not be aware of heating problems in a particular house or apartment.

The neighbors are to blame

In some cases, neighbors make changes to the design of the intra-house heating system, adding comfort to themselves, increasing the sections on the radiator or increasing the number of radiators. Thus, the coolant fills the area of the heating device, making it impossible to heat the next apartment. And then, as it travels through the system, the water cools. The result is that the battery in your living space is cold.

To get rid of this situation, you can also add an additional radiator, but this will only lead to the heating device cooling faster, so to establish justice, you should contact the management company.

General or specific problem?

The easiest way to evaluate the performance of a heating system is to touch not only the battery itself, but the pipes and the common riser. If it is hot, it may be a blockage inside the radiator or pipes connected to it that belong to only one apartment.

You can also ask your neighbors about the microclimate situation, and not just one - you should find out this point both from those with whom you have a common pipe (for example, living above or below you), and from those whose apartments are not connected to yours way. This will help determine the scale of the problem and, in certain cases, find helpers interested in solving it, as well as understand where to complain about cold batteries.

In the apartment, there may be no heating of all elements of the system or part of the pipes due to the accumulation of air in them, then they will be stably cold immediately from the beginning of the heating season. This issue does not require the involvement of third-party organizations, a large number of people and a long process of proving one’s rightness - only the intervention of the foreman of the housing and communal services branch servicing the house.