Standards for hot water supply in an apartment. What is the importance of temperature standards for hot water supply? Do you need a water heater?

For individuals living in different cities Russia, temperatures vary slightly cold water in the tap. In this regard, the question automatically arises of how many degrees the water should be according to the current state standard, and also why some residents have it colder than others. It will also talk about what measures need to be taken by individuals who are dissatisfied with the temperature, as well as the quality of the water entering their homes.

Since the generator of cold water, which enters the residents’ taps apartment buildings, is centralized water supply, then its temperature depending on various factors may vary slightly. Such factors include the time of year, how the pipelines are placed, what condition they are in, as well as many other details. However, there is a general state standard dictating temperature norm water, which must be observed regardless of the circumstances.

It should be noted that the executive authorities have adopted a number of regulations relating to building codes and regulations. This source notes the standards for relative cold water supply to residential premises that must be observed.

Building codes

In the current Housing Code Russian Federation stipulated that residents who systematically pay a certain price for supply to their houses water resources, should receive them in the amount that they require for a comfortable stay. In addition, the composition of the water must be safe for human health and not contain any dangerous impurities. However, such a source as building codes and regulations states that residents will be provided with water suitable for drinking only if it is supplied through pipelines that meet all sanitary standards.

IN different regions In the Russian Federation, water quality varies significantly. In this regard, in current legislation it is stated that temperature indicators, depending on certain quality characteristics, may vary slightly in different cities and even regions. Also in building codes and the rules indicate that during one month there may be no water in the taps of individuals for a total of eight hours. In addition, if residents are denied water supply for more than four consecutive hours on the same day, it is considered an offense.

The heat of water resources generated by the cold main does not in any way affect the level of living comfort of individuals. The same fact applies to sanitary conditions. Regarding the pressure that should be in the cold water supply circuit, the building codes and regulations state that the minimum value this indicator– is 0.03 MP, and the maximum is 0.6 MP.

What GOST says

As for the temperature indicators of cold water supplied to the homes of citizens of the Russian Federation, the state standard says practically nothing on this topic. However, what the quality and composition of water resources should be is described in some detail in this source. The following rules apply regarding the temperature characteristics of cold water:

• The water temperature depends on the season. IN warm time year, the water supplied to residents’ taps will be at a slightly higher temperature than in cold seasons. This fact is directly related to weather conditions. The water entering a special structure, which is designed to collect water from a source, will be much warmer in summer than in winter. In addition, a hydraulic structure designed to supply and drain water resources in a certain direction, called a water pipeline, is located close to the soil, the temperature of which also affects the temperature of the water.
• Temperature standards are set by the supplier. Since current standards legislation did not regulate temperature indicators directly related to cold tap water, then each individual organization that provides services of this nature independently determines these values. In most cases, the minimum limit is set at four degrees Celsius, and the maximum at twenty degrees.

How to achieve an acceptable water temperature

Since in 2019 the cost of using utilities is quite high, the demand from their suppliers is also growing. Thus, if an individual is categorically dissatisfied with the cold water temperature and/or its quality, then he needs to file his claim with in writing. This is done in the form of a special act. After this, this document must be noted in the registration log, and the supplier of a certain utility service must review it within three days.

Attention! If the supplier did not react in any way to the drawn up act, which was signed by more than two residents, and the quality of the service provided was not checked, then the document expressing a certain claim is automatically recognized as valid.

How to draw up an act

In order to avoid having to write the entire document by hand, we strongly recommend that you print out its form, which is freely available and is called a “Claim Act,” and enter the relevant information in the blank lines. First of all, you must enter the name in the blank form of the act settlement, and then the day, month and year of the conclusion of the document. After this, the following information is indicated:

1. About the consumer and the performer. If a cold water consumer observes that the supplier is violating the norms of the contract concluded between them, then he has every right to complain in order to restore justice. First of all, the agreement number is written down, and then the user’s last name, first name and patronymic, as well as the type of specific utility service, the quality of which the individual is dissatisfied with. After this, it specifically lists what the essence of the claims is.
2. About indicators. Simply expressing your dissatisfaction with the quality of housing or utility services will not be enough. An individual must enter into the act specific quantitative or quality characteristics. For example, in the case under consideration, if the cold water temperature is below the standards specified in the contract with the supplier, then you need to indicate exactly how many degrees it is. In addition, the day, month and year from which the consumer noticed this deterioration is displayed, and the date when the supply of utility services returned to normal is also indicated.
3. About the drafters of the act. At the bottom of the document there must be information containing information about the positions of the contractor and the consumer, as well as their addresses with contact numbers. Each party must sign the relevant data. The surnames, first names and patronymics of all other consumers who signed this act are also indicated, thereby confirming poor quality this utility service.

After the document is completed, do not forget to make a second copy. Moreover, each copy must have signatures as users of this public service, so individual, acting as a representative of the supplier. After submitting the act, the supplier is given exactly three days, during which he has the right to refuse to satisfy the requests set out in the document. If actions of this kind have not been taken, then by default it is considered that the supplier agrees with all claims and undertakes to correct itself.

According to the rules of SanPiN (2.1.4.2496-09) for an apartment, the temperature norm is hot water V apartment building from the tap is placed in the range of 60°C-75°C, regardless of the heating system. Resolution (No. 354-PP RF) allows deviation:

• at night - within 5°C (0.00-5.00),
• during the day - within 3°C (5.00-00.00).

The temperature of the water in the radiators determines the temperature norm for the premises, which is –18°C for the living room, kitchen and separate toilet, 20°C for the corner room, and 25°C for the bathroom. During the daytime, a downward deviation in a residential area is not allowed, at night - within 3°C, and upward - limited to 4°C. At the same time, if temperature regime is not observed, the consumer has the right to expect a reduction in the amount of payment. However, for this it is necessary to correctly measure and take into account a number of legislative requirements.
Legal requirements

The lower temperature limit for DHW, according to SanPiN, is determined by:

• preventing infection by viruses and bacteria (in particular Legionella Pneumophila), which in an environment with
• minimizing the content of chloroform,
• prevention of skin diseases and pathological changes in subcutaneous tissue.

If the temperature deviates more than the permissible limit, for every 3°C the amount of payment during the period of violations is reduced by 0.1% every hour. This time is calculated by the amount of time during the billing period. If temperature measurements show a value below 40°C, payment for hot water supply is made according to cold water tariffs.

A possible break in the hot water supply, after which the fee for each hour will be reduced by 0.15%, is:

• per month – 8 hours in total,
• one time – 4 hours,
• on a dead-end highway in case of an accident – ​​24 hours.

For heating, for each hour of deviation from the norm and exceeding the permissible break, the fee is reduced by 0.15%, and the permissible break itself is:

• per month – 24 hours in total,
• at a time - depending on the temperature of living quarters: 4 hours (8-10°C), 8 hours (10-12°C) and 16 hours (from +12°C).

Detection of violation of the established temperature regime

To correctly determine compliance with regulatory parameters, at the point of water collection (for example, from a tap), the cooled water is drained from the pipeline within 3 minutes (no more). It is assumed that the control measurement is made into a glass, into which a thermometer with a scale of at least 100°C is then lowered. The presence of water-saving devices similar to modernized aerators (http://water-save.com/) does not affect the quality of measurement.

Heating quality checks are carried out:

• in the largest living room,
• at a height of a meter and at a distance of half a meter from the battery,
• in the center of the planes, half a meter away from the outer wall, and in the center of the room.

Owner's rights in case of deviation from the temperature range

For apartment buildings and residential buildings, the Rules governing the provision of utility services in paragraph 31 determine that the service company must carry out maintenance of engineering systems and recalculate for improper or untimely provision of services. That is, in the event of a temperature violation, owners do not have to pay to eliminate the causes of this violation.

If the condition of heating or domestic hot water differs from that in apartments in residential buildings beyond the agreed tolerances and represents a systemic problem, the consumer can:

1. Inform the service organization about the problem and find out about its causes. In this case, it is advisable to record the request and data of the performer receiving the information.
2. If no measures have been taken, contact government agencies to initiate an inspection (according to Article 33 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation). For violations of utility standards, a fine is provided (Article 7.23 of the Administrative Code).
3. Set deadlines for receiving a response and eliminating the violation. Within 30 days, the official must send a response to citizens’ requests. (If sending the application by mail, it is necessary to add the mailing time). Failure to respond threatens the official with a fine (Article 5.59 of the Administrative Code). The time frame for eliminating violations is not the same for different houses, however, on average it is 45 days.
4. Increase the flow of requests of the same type to increase the likelihood of execution. Relatives or friends can write, even if they do not live in the house.
5. Contact the prosecutor's office if there are no actions aimed at correcting the situation on the part of authorized persons.

If the correction process has been started, then after the complaint a commission (an employee of the REU and a representative of the heating network) must come to the consumer to confirm the fact and reason for the complaint and draw up an appropriate report. After eliminating the problems, another act is drawn up confirming this.

They often provide poor quality utility services and are reluctant to eliminate various breakdowns in house communications. But this is their direct responsibility, prescribed in the rules approved by the government.

And if you are faced with violations of the norms and rules of service on the part of utility companies, you need to fight this. And we'll tell you how. In this article we will look at how to achieve high-quality and well-heated hot water supply to your apartment. After all, it has long been included in the list of necessary amenities for living.

Normal temperature of hot water in the apartment

Hot water is one of the most expensive items on the utility bill.

• Its cost is formed from the price per unit volume of water spent, multiplied by the number of cubic meters spent. But this is the case when a hot water supply meter is installed in the home.
• And when it is not there, the fee is calculated taking into account the consumption standard, the number of registered residents and the established tariff.

According to the standards enshrined in SanPin, the temperature of hot water supplied from the tap in residential buildings at the point of receipt must be kept in the range from 60 degrees Celsius to 75. Utilities do not have the right to exceed or lower this threshold. After all, we pay monthly for this service.

There are fixed standards for permissible deviations from specified values. At night, which lasts from 00 to 05 hours, it should not exceed five degrees. During the day - no more than three degrees up or down.

The State Housing Inspectorate and similar government organizations should control the quality of services provided to the population. They are obliged to respond to requests from citizens and send inspection inspectors to the “utility workers” against whom the complaint was filed.

The following video will tell you in more detail about the temperature standards for hot water in an apartment and what to do if it does not meet this standard:

Now is the time to find out what to do if the hot water temperature is below normal.

What to do if they are not followed?

So, what should you do if the hot water is at a low temperature?

Well, firstly, you need to take advantage of your right, prescribed in the Constitution of the Russian Federation, to appeal to government agencies. We are writing a statement about committing an administrative offense to the State Housing Inspectorate.

How to file a complaint

Let's look at how to properly file a complaint:

• in the upper right corner write where and from whom, indicating the registration address and contact information;
• in the header we write the word “statement”, and then this text “about the commission of an administrative offense under Article 7.22 of the Code of Administrative Offenses “Violation of the rules for the maintenance and repair of residential buildings”;
• then we move on to the text of the complaint itself in the form that at the address of such and such a housing department such and such does not comply with the norms of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation indicating the main essence of the problem;
• at the end, we write an appeal to the State Housing Authority official with a request to organize a verification of this fact, issuing an order to eliminate and punish the perpetrators;
• We put our signature and date.

A good sample application indicating all legal norms and acts, as well as its electronic submission form, can be found on the RosZhKH website. In addition, you can download such a statement.

Sample complaint about low hot water temperature in the apartment

Sample complaint about low hot water temperature in the apartment - 1

Sample complaint about low hot water temperature in the apartment - 2

Sample complaint about low hot water temperature in the apartment - 3

Procedure

Now we’ll describe step by step what to do if the temperature of the hot water in your home drops:

1. we write an application to the State Housing Inspectorate (if the application is not only from you, but also from your neighbors, then the utility services will begin to work much faster);
2. we send it there, either in person or by registered mail;
3. We are waiting for a response from the official. By law, he must give it no later than thirty days from the date of receipt, plus time for forwarding;
4. usually the time allocated for elimination varies, but on average it is one and a half months;
5. If the problem is not resolved within the agreed time, feel free to file a lawsuit.

Poor quality water: what to do?

Just as in the case of the temperature of hot water supplied to your home, the issue of its quality is spelled out in SanPiN. It clearly states that hot water should be clean, without excessive taste or unpleasant odor. Our “hard-earned” money is also retained monthly for this service. And, if the water still does not have the characteristics established by sanitary doctors, you need to complain.

So, what to do and where to go if poor quality water comes from the tap?

1. You can record the fact that such liquid is being supplied to your home by calling the emergency service. The dispatcher must record your complaint in the call log, indicating the time, address and reason for the complaint. After that, ask him to tell you the registration number. If the reasons associated with the deterioration of water quality in your home are known to a specialist, he should inform you about them.
2. Within a couple of working days, an inspector from a resource-saving company and a representative of the housing department must come to you. They draw up a report on poor quality water according to a standard model.
3. If the engineer does not arrive within the specified period, call an employee of the house management company and any two neighbors, draw up this document in their presence, after which all those present sign it with a note about the absence of the inspector. Such paper is considered valid. Based on the act, a statement is written.

The complaint scheme is identical to the one discussed above about the complaint about improper hot water temperature. You also draw up an application to officials from the State Housing Inspectorate, guided by the same regulations and review deadlines. The only thing that will differ in your complaint is the reason for your appeal. You indicate it as “poor quality water” or “water of inadequate quality.”

After following the entire procedure, we receive a response from the inspector and wait for the problem to be resolved. Remember, a collective complaint speeds up the solution to the resulting decline in water quality in a positive way.

Look for a competently and correctly completed application in electronic form at the same email address, at RosZhKKH. Or you can watch and download it directly.

Sample statement about poor quality water

Sample statement about poor quality water - 1

Sample statement about poor quality water - 2

How residents of an apartment building filed a complaint about non-compliance with hot water quality standards, see the following video:

We require recalculation

There are rules for payment and provision of utility services, which are regulated by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation. They cover very competently and in detail all recalculations for utility services provided poorly.

So about hot water it says that it must be delivered uninterruptedly and be of the proper temperature and quality. in case of a shortage or excess (which happens much less frequently) of temperature is: a decrease of 0.1 percent from the base tariff per unit of volume for every 3 degrees. In the case when the heating of hot water is less than 40 degrees, it is paid at the cold rate.

You can reduce the fee for the number of days or hours when poor-quality hot water was supplied as follows:

• divide the number of days on which hot water was poured in poor quality by the number of days in the month;
• We multiply the resulting amount by the tariff rate.

The resulting number will be a discount for poorly rendered utility services.

We hope that our advice will help you protect your rights against the “lawlessness of public utilities.” Never be afraid to do this - and you will always have all the necessary benefits of civilization in your home! After all, as judicial practice regarding consumer claims regarding poor-quality drinking water shows, it is really possible to do all this!

Many users are faced with the problem that the hot water that should come out of the tap is not as expected and it is barely warm. In such a situation, it is necessary to protect your interests and write a complaint.
We will tell you further what the requirements for hot water are, what temperature is optimal, and how to write a claim for poor-quality service.

Standards for hot water temperature in an apartment building

Current standards establish that the indoor water temperature supplied to the homes of Russians living in apartment buildings must be at least 60 C.

In this case, the legislator sets a limitation. Thus, the standard is valid for those citizens whose homes are connected to a centralized hot water supply (DHW) system. The law also determines permissible deviations from the minimum standard. They depend on the time of day.

So, in the period from 00-00 to 05-00 it is allowed that the water temperature in the apartment may be 5 C less, while in the remaining time the deviation should not exceed 3 C.

Therefore, based on the current rules, during the daytime the temperature of hot water can be 57 C, and at night - at least 55 degrees.

Standard 2019 SNIP and GOST

When talking about hot water supply in a private house (apartment), the first thing that comes to mind is the current regulations relating to this topic. The fundamental one is SNiP 2.04.01-85. In 2013, the Ministry of Regional Development determined adjustments to this standard, which were included in it under the name SP 30.13330.2012.

Note that the indicated act is expanded, has sanitary installations, and affects not only hot water supply issues, but also internal water supply and sewer systems used for apartment buildings. Rusty and poor quality water is also mentioned here.

This standard determines that regarding the permissible DHW temperature, it is necessary to focus on the provisions of GOST 2874-82. The following rules are outlined here:

• in centralized hot water systems connected to open heat supply systems at the point of intake, the optimal water temperature does not fall below 60 C;
• for centralized hot water supply systems connected to closed heat supply systems, the minimum norm is 50 C;
• The maximum water heating temperature for all heating systems is 75 C.

Standard 2019 SanPin

One of the key legislative acts establishing the rules regarding hot water supply is the current SanPin 2.1.2496-09. The standard was approved by Decree of the Chief Sanitary Doctor of Russia No. 20 of 04/07/2009. It has deep connections with other regulations.

The specified regulatory framework determines the maximum and minimum limits of permissible water temperature in an apartment building. Thus, the maximum value is 75 C, and the minimum is 60 C. At the same time, the legislator establishes some permissible deviation standards, which, depending on the time of day, amount to 3-5 degrees.

At the entrance to the house, the temperature of the supplied water may, accordingly, be slightly higher. This is logical, because in the pipeline networks of the house it can cool down!

Measuring hot water temperature in an apartment: rules

If the user intends to check the quality of the hot water supply service provided, he can measure the water temperature. Based on the data received, a citizen has the right to file a claim with the service provider if the temperature does not meet current standards.

There are certain rules for measuring hot water temperature. Consumers need to take mandatory actions. The order will be as follows:

• open the tap and leave for 5 minutes. This is necessary to ensure that the water drains, otherwise the indicator will be too high;
• You should take a container into which water is poured. The neck of the container must be wide to accommodate the measuring device;
• the temperature is measured, the container is placed under the flow of water so that excess water constantly drains from the glass;
• a measuring device is installed in the center of the container to record the temperature;
• The results obtained should be recorded and compared with current regulatory recommendations.

Why is the temperature below normal?

Problems with hot water supply often affect consumers. Many users do not know how to protect their interests in such a situation, and continue to pay the established tariffs of management companies.

If we talk about the causes of the problem, they can be divided into several categories:

1. Circumstances that have a legislative explanation. The law allows the temperature of hot water in taps to be lowered if new heating systems are being tested, or suppliers are introducing new requirements for the technical equipment of the plumbing system. When introducing new equipment, the state will not impose sanctions against violators.
2. Repair operations. Hot water supply systems periodically require repair and reconstruction, which can cause water supply problems. If this happens, the temperature of the warm water may drop or the water will disappear altogether. However, the management company must inform consumers about this in advance.
3. Deception and fraud against consumers. The management or resource supply company deliberately lowers the water temperature, providing a service of inadequate quality, trying to reduce the cost of heating it. By doing so, they violate existing laws and will be held accountable.

What to do if the temperature of hot water in the apartment is below normal, where to go?

If the water temperature does not meet the established standards, if it is not hot enough, the consumer may apply for a recalculation. In this situation, you need to pay attention to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354 of 05/06/2011. Here the further actions of the dissatisfied consumer are prescribed.

So, according to the document, the user will have to act as follows:

1. If the consumer discovers that the water temperature in his tap does not meet the requirements and has significant deviations, he needs to notify representatives of the supplier company and the management company about the problem. The notification may be either oral or written.
2. The dispatcher receiving the request records the fact of dissatisfaction. Note that he is obliged to do several actions, in particular, introduce himself and name his position. The request is recorded, after which the user is informed of the number of his complaint.
3. The consumer must clearly state the essence of the complaint to the dispatcher (lack of water in the pipes, low temperature, etc.), indicate his personal data, and also indicate the contacts through which he can be contacted to clarify the situation.
4. If the dispatcher knows about the existing problems, he will give preliminary justifications. If he does not have accurate information, the employee will inform the applicant about the upcoming measurement procedure, which is agreed upon with the consumer.
5. Based on the results of verification operations (measurements take place in the presence of the consumer), a report is drawn up in 2 copies. One of them is given to the applicant, and the second remains with the company receiving the application. If the measurement results do not meet the consumer’s requirements, he has the right to insist on measurements being carried out by independent experts.

Who is responsible for hot water in the apartment

The current principles affecting the problems of inconsistency of water temperature in hot water supply in residential buildings establish that management companies and homeowners associations, who are the actual subscribers and recipients of the hot water supply service, will be responsible in this situation. Also included in the area of ​​responsibility are direct service providers – resource supply organizations.

If any complaints arise regarding the quality of the supplied hot water in the water supply system, a dissatisfied consumer has the right to file a complaint with representatives of the management company, or directly with the supplier.

How to write a complaint

The legislator establishes a number of mandatory requirements that must be taken into account when filing a complaint by a dissatisfied consumer in the housing and communal services segment. So, if a citizen is not satisfied with the quality of the hot water service, and believes that the water temperature is low and does not meet the standards, he will have to pay attention to the following points:

• the application can be written manually or printed on a computer;
• in the upper left corner you must indicate the applicant’s current information, including full name, residential address and contact information;
• You must indicate the name of the organization to which the complaint is being sent and which is found to be non-compliant with current requirements. If the user knows an official involved in solving problems of this type, it will be necessary to indicate that the complaint is being sent to a specific specialist (for example, the city of Moscow, I.I. Ivanov, chief specialist in housing and communal services of the company “Your Everything”);
• in the main part of the appeal, you must indicate the reasons that prompted you to file a claim (unprovided hot water supply services), inform about the essence of the problem and attempts to solve it. The consumer must indicate when and where he applied to demand attention to the problem, and what answer the representatives of the management company or the resource supply structure gave him. It is advisable to make references to actual standards;
• after writing the main part of the claim, you must indicate all the attached documents, including the results of measurements made by independent experts or employees of the management company, witness testimony, information defining the epidemiological threshold for water safety, etc.;
• the date of writing the complaint is indicated, and the applicant leaves a personal signature with a transcript.

The application receives a personal code by which the user can track its further progress

Application for recalculation of payment for hot water of inadequate quality

The application for recalculation has the form established by law; you can study the current sample document and download it. ⇐

Recalculation for hot water deviation from the norm, degrees, formula

If the consumer has up-to-date information regarding current water temperature standards, he has the right to file a claim with utility companies in an effort to protect his interests.

Note that the legislator establishes a number of penalties for violators.
According to the provisions of Article 7.23 of Federal Law No. 195, officials will be punished with a fine of 500-1000 rubles, legal entities - 5-10 thousand rubles. In the future, it is planned to establish more serious penalties.

Recalculation is made using a specific formula. Thus, the legislator established that during the period when hot water did not reach the optimal temperature, the consumer will pay at a rate typical for cold water (recalculation method). At the same time, the formula establishes recalculation taking into account 0.1% for every 3 degrees of deviation from the norm.

Recalculation example

To analyze the situation, let's give an example of the following type. The hot water temperature is 53 degrees (the hot water system is open) and this value was observed during the calendar month. Therefore, for this period, payment should have been calculated at the rate for cold water. The consumer consumed 3 cubic meters of hot water at a rate of 100 rubles per cubic meter. At the same time, the cold water tariff is 30 rubles per cubic meter. Consequently, instead of the required 30*3=90 rubles, the payment amount was 100*3=300 rubles. They must return him 300-90=210 rubles.

To live comfortably in an apartment or private house, a person needs to have water in the plumbing networks with certain temperature limits. This allows you to satisfy all generally accepted sanitary standards for personal hygiene procedures and sanitary needs. The temperature of the tap water depends on the type of water supply and climatic factors. There are several types of technical solutions that allow maintaining the recommended temperature parameters in water intake systems.

The temperature of the water in the tap depends on climatic conditions, the depth of the water supply system, the location of water intake, and so on.

Accepted standards

A modern home provides cold and hot water to satisfy all needs. The temperature of cold water in the tap has regulations and can fluctuate between 5-15°C. Temperature limit values ​​depend on factors such as:

• climatic conditions;
• depth of water supply systems;
• temperature in the technical underground (basement communication networks);
• place of water intake by water supply networks (rivers, canals, reservoirs, underground sources).

In order to check the water temperature, you need to use a special device that can be attached to the tap.

The temperature of cold water rises in the warm season and decreases in the cold season. This statement is valid for typical water supply schemes for water utilities, when it is taken from canal systems and reservoirs. Since the water surface warms up in summer, the amount of heat in the water masses changes accordingly. In the case of water supply from underground sources, the temperature regime remains almost constant throughout the year, due to the constant temperature in the underground water layers.

The amount of heat in water from cold water supply networks does not have a decisive impact on the creation of comfortable conditions in the sanitary and domestic sphere. Any housing requires a parallel supply of hot water, and the necessary heat is achieved by mixing.

Sanitary standards regulate the temperature of hot water in centralized hot water supply networks within 60-75°C. A deviation at night from 00.00 to 5.00 is allowed by 5°C and from 5.00 to 00.00 by 3°C. These standards are based on maintaining the specified values ​​by boiler houses or central heating points (CHS). The calculated figures are based on the characteristics of boiler rooms and heat exchangers of central heating stations and allow them to comply with the standards of microbiological indicators in hot water pipes. Drinking water is supplied only through cold water supply networks.

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Disadvantages of hot water supply

In practice, the described temperature standards are not always maintained. This is due to a significant increase in the price of natural resources (gas, coal, fuel oil), which are used as fuel in boiler houses. Old-style boiler houses were designed to supply heat and hot water to hundreds of apartment buildings. Boilers have low efficiency, heating mains become unusable. Modern saving standards require switching to the creation of mini-boiler houses.

One of the aspects of unsatisfactory hot water supply is uneven temperature conditions. That is, the water in the tap does not become hot immediately; its temperature rises as it passes through the system. This is due to the facts of dismantling circulating plumbing systems in apartment buildings, due to their deterioration and due to heat savings by heat generating companies.

Such moments lead to the selection of an increased volume of water, which, given the high price for supplied hot water, is impractical. DHW utility networks use a specially prepared water reserve, to which various softening agents are added. It cannot be used as drinking water.

The consumer prefers DHW supply conditions in which hot water from the tap should be available year-round. Due to ongoing repairs and frequent emergencies, it is almost impossible to achieve these conditions.

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Autonomous sources

The availability of tap water at the required temperature involves the use of various autonomous devices designed to heat and maintain the required heat values.

There are several options for autonomous hot water preparation:

• use of electric storage water heaters (boilers);
• the use of combined boilers connected to a heating boiler;
• use of electric flow heaters;
• use of gas instantaneous water heaters;
• use of double-circuit boilers (for heating and hot water supply);
• use of alternative sources for heating (solar cells, heat pumps).

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Boiler systems

Installing electric water heaters, as a solution to the problem of non-compliance with temperature standards, is the most popular method of creating an autonomous hot water supply. The advantages of this equipment are that it can be installed in almost any housing stock. Boilers do not require electrical networks of increased conductivity and power, and can be connected to wiring standards of the USSR. At the same time, they completely solve the problem of insufficient water temperature in the municipal hot water supply. These devices work as a storage tank, that is, a certain volume of water is heated to the desired temperature for the required time using a heating element.

During water intake, cold water masses entering the boiler squeeze out already heated ones, the supply process continues until the temperature drops. Then it takes time to heat the incoming water volume again. As a rule, for 2-3 people it is enough to operate a boiler with a volume of 80-120 liters. To maintain the exact temperature at the water intake point, you can install a thermostatic mixer.

The described boilers are also available in a combined type. A coil is mounted inside their body, through which the heating boiler coolant circulates. Double heating occurs both with the help of a heating element and with the help of heat extraction from the heating system. Similar devices for hot water supply are used in private homes with gas single-circuit boilers as an alternative to gas flow-through heaters.

Advantages:

• low power consumption;
• Possibility of installation in any room.

Flaws:

• inertness (relatively long heating time of the entire volume);
• impossibility of continuous use (limited by the boiler capacity).

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Flow electric analogues

Flow-through devices for raising the temperature of hot water supply allow you to obtain a continuous and hot water flow. But there are serious limitations. This equipment cannot be installed in ordinary housing, since full-fledged and productive devices have a power of about 20 kW and require a three-phase connection. Single-phase heaters with a power of 3-5 kW have poor performance and can provide heating within ∆t = 25-30°C, which will not create comfortable warmth when heating a cold stream with a temperature of 3-5°C. Powerful heating devices are recommended for houses, cottages, mini-hotels, the electrical wiring of which is designed for this power.

Advantages:

• creation of a continuous hot stream (with appropriate power);
• compactness.

Flaws:

• requires a three-phase connection to the network and electrical wiring of the required cross-section for the specified power of the device.

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Gas devices

Gas flow equipment (columns) allows you to obtain the hot water temperature within almost any range and in any quantity, due to the heating of the water flow passing through a copper heat exchanger by a gas burner. The power of geysers is 15-25 kW.

Restrictions for use may include residential buildings that are not equipped with chimneys for such equipment. Nevertheless, the old housing stock was equipped with gas heaters. These devices with modern technical solutions can very accurately regulate the set temperature, regardless of the speed of water flow. This technology is carried out using flame modulation (changing its intensity, depending on the flow).

When a project is drawn up and approved by the relevant services, it is possible to install gas heaters in apartment buildings. In this case, devices with a closed type of burner are often used, which isolates the combustion chamber from the room. The intake of air and the emission of flue gases is carried out forcibly through a separately made chimney opening.

Advantages:

• high temperature delta heating;
• streaming mode;
• relative accuracy of the temperature at the outlet of the device.

Flaws:

• requires the availability of natural gas;
• technical conditions for installation and operation are required;
• Installation in bathrooms is prohibited.

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Double-circuit heating boiler

In private housing construction and apartment buildings designed to operate autonomous heating sources, double-circuit mounted boilers are widely used. Hot water is produced in a secondary heat exchanger, which transfers heat from the heating system fluid to running tap water. As a result, water with the required temperature is formed at the outlet. The technical conditions for the operation of such devices correspond to the conditions for the use of flow-type gas heaters.

Advantages:

• temperature accuracy;
• streaming mode of operation.

Flaws:

• availability of technical conditions for installation;
• heating delta is lower than that of columns;
• inertia at work;
• rare cases of installation possibility in modern apartment buildings.

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Alternative sources

There are methods of heating water using solar energy and heat pumps. The first method involves converting solar energy into thermal energy using special tower and mirror installations. Currently, it is not distributed in the CIS countries.

The second method involves the use of heat pumps operating on the principle of a refrigeration machine. Heat is taken from the air and transferred in special heat exchangers to the DHW circuit. This method is cost-effective, but has limitations:

• cannot be used at sub-zero temperatures;
• the water temperature in the hot water system is no more than 50°C.

Separately, it is necessary to say about cavitation water heating systems. The essence of their work is based on the passage of a liquid flow through a vortex cavitator, as a result of which it is heated. This method is economical compared to traditional thermal heating of liquid. It has been empirically proven that to heat the same volume of water to a certain ∆t using the cavitation method and the classical thermal method, different amounts of energy are expended. In the first option, 1 kW is spent to rotate the cavitator, and in the second option, 1.7 kW is spent to operate the heating elements.

Today, the method has gained little popularity, as it is not without a number of disadvantages, such as:

• limited heating temperature;
• noise of the engine and cavitator;
• A small amount of special equipment is produced.