Heating recalculation: how not to overpay for heating an

Heating recalculation is an adjustment of the amount you are required to pay for the heat provided to you in a centralized way. In principle, such an adjustment should be carried out regularly, but this is not always the case, and on this basis conflict situations often arise.

In our article we will try to consider in detail all aspects of the recalculation process with a mandatory legal justification, and also provide a number of recommendations for reducing energy consumption.

Legal details of recalculation

Fixed temperature standards

Payment for energy is usually one of the largest cost items among all utilities. Naturally, giving a lot of money, we look forward to receiving a quite certain level of comfort in our apartment. However, in some cases, the batteries remain barely warm, and the numbers in payment documents for some reason do not decrease.

This development is the basis for the beginning of a close and substantive communication with the organizations serving your home. But in order to demand recalculation reasonably, it is worth examining in advance all regulatory documents. And the most important here will be those relating to the temperature in the apartment.

Temperature values, which are accepted as the norm, are fixed in the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354 of May 6, 2011.

According to this document:

• If in your region the minimum average temperature during the coldest five days is -30 ⁰With and more, then in the central rooms of apartment buildings the minimum allowable temperature is +18 ⁰C, and in the corner and adjacent to the outer walls +20 ⁰WITH.
• If the temperature in the specified period falls below -31 ⁰C (average), then the norms become tougher: for central rooms +20 ⁰C, for side and corner +22 ⁰WITH.
• Also, this legislation describes the requirements for heating other rooms.: minimum for kitchen is +18 ⁰C, for bathrooms and toilets +25 ⁰WITH.

Note! At the same time, a decrease in temperature in the bathroom cannot be a basis for recalculating heating. However, if the situation is critical, it makes sense to try to solve the problem in court.

• Lowering the standard temperature by 3 degrees or less is allowed between 00:00 and 05:00 local time.
• It is also allowed to exceed the recommended heating level., but no more than 4 ⁰WITH.

In addition to the standards for heat, the above-mentioned decree also regulates the issues of switching off the heating for technical and other reasons:

• The maximum duration of the shutdown of heating can not exceed 16 hours (one-time).
• The total duration of all periods of heat disconnection per month should be less than 24 hours.
• At any cessation of the flow of coolant into the pipes, the temperature in the premises should not fall below +12 ⁰WITH.

As you can see, the restrictions governing the work of service organizations are quite strict. At the same time, the violation of even one of the parameters can be the basis for carrying out a complex recalculation of payment for heat. However, to achieve it is quite difficult, and therefore the following is a fairly detailed instruction.

Casting and writing applications

The first step in optimizing your expenses will be fixing the violation.

In order to receive grounds for appeal to the appropriate authorities, we need a properly drafted act:

• To document the deviation from the norms of heating the apartment is necessary to conduct a survey of housing. As a rule, the survey is carried out by a representative of the housing and operational organization, who conducts temperature measurements under certain conditions and records the measurement data in a special form.

Note! If the Housing Office refuses you to conduct such a check (alas, such situations are quite common), then the activation can be carried out by an initiative group of several tenants of your house. However, as you understand, with such a document it will be much more difficult to achieve recalculation.

• The time and date of the survey must be indicated in the temperature measurement report. To get a more complete picture that will help you to defend your positions in a reasoned way, you can draw up several acts during a certain time period.

However, by themselves, acts with temperature measurements are not grounds for changing the amount in the receipt. To reduce the price, you need to write a statement.

When drafting this document, you should follow these rules:

• The statement itself is made up in an arbitrary form, in the name of the head of the management company, which actually carries out the calculation of payment for heating the room.
• In the application, we must indicate the passport data: last name, first name, patronymic, address of registration. It is advisable to file a document either on behalf of the property owner or on behalf of the responsible tenant.
• Attached to the application acts of inspection of the room, and also enter information about the outdoor temperature. Ideally, these data should be indicated in the act itself, so it is worth checking this point even when inspecting the apartment.
• In order to minimize opportunities for refusal, it is advisable to mention in the application the regulations that guide your recalculation (the above federal law, local regulations, etc.).
• In the final part, it is necessary to formulate your requirements: either you want to reduce the amount of payment for the heat provided, or you want measures to normalize the temperature regime to be taken.

If the management organization responds to your application with an unreasonable refusal, you can apply to the arbitration court. In this case, you should not count on a quick solution of the issue, but if your claims were fair, the chance of their satisfaction is rather high.

Financial questions

To calculate the amount by which the payment for heating will change, it is worthwhile to use Government Decree No. 307 of May 23, 2006 on the provision of public utilities to citizens (clause 15). According to this document, for each hour when the temperature was below normal, the amount decreases by 0.15% (for each degree).

The calculation method is easier to explain with an example (approximate data are used):

So, let's say we need to recalculate the heating in Moscow (the average temperature of the cold five-day week is more than -30⁰WITH). Heating in the corner apartment (normal - +20⁰) ensured maintenance +16⁰Since during the whole of January, and we have to pay for it 2500 rubles.

Consequently:

• At night at a rate of 17⁰C (as we remember, a decrease of 3 degrees during this period is permissible) the heating deficit was 1 degree.
• Reducing the payment for 5 night hours will be: 2500 * 5 * 31 * 1 * 0.0015 = 581 rubles.
• In the daytime, the situation will be even worse, since we lose less than 4 degrees: 2500 * 19 * 31 * 4 * 0.0015 = 8835 rubles.
• In sum, a rather impressive amount is released - 9416 p. However, according to current regulations, the cost of reducing the service can not exceed the cost of the service itself, because in the asset we will have only completely free heating. True, the quality of it will leave much to be desired!

Note! If the situation in your case develops in the same way as described in our example, you will have every reason to go to court.

The main difficulties in the design

The most frequent controversies

Disputes may also arise at the stage of drawing up an act on temperature measurements, and at the stage of consideration of an application.

Below we consider the most common sources of conflict and give recommendations for resolving them:

• So, quite often the reason for reducing the temperature in the room is not a bad work of the heating system, but poor-quality thermal insulation. Typically, these points are identified at the survey stage, and in this case, the application for recalculation is likely to be refused.

• To avoid such a development of events, it is worth even before the heating season begins to warm the house (with your own hands or with the involvement of craftsmen). The minimum requirements include the presence of double glazing and the elimination of all leaks in the junction of windows and doors to the walls, but if you build an additional thermal insulation circuit - this will be an argument in your favor.
• If the cause of poor heating of the air is an airlock in the radiator, then it is worthwhile to demand not recalculation (most likely, they will refuse you), but to eliminate the problem. In principle, situations of this type arise mainly in the first days after the start of the heating season, therefore, with the operational intervention of the masters, you will not feel a strong decrease in temperature.

• Finally, a decrease in heat transfer can result from the silting of batteries. In this case, the output will be a reasonable compromise: the masters of the operating organization perform the flushing of the heating system, and if the temperature rises, you give up the claims.

Ways to improve energy efficiency

It is fair to say that in any case, the recalculation procedure takes a lot of time, and nobody wants to be cold during the heating season (even if we save on utility bills).

That is why experts recommend to provide a more comfortable microclimate in your home:

• First, you need to take care of passive insulation. The best option would be to install the exterior trim of polystyrene foam, the installation of energy-efficient windows and interior insulation of the balcony or loggia.

Note! But to mount the foam from the inside is not worth it. This will lead to a violation of the humidity regime in the room, and as a result - to the appearance of condensate and fungus on the walls.

• Secondly, it is necessary to properly connect radiators to the heating system. The diagonal type of connection is preferred, since the heat transfer will be as uniform as possible.
  

• Thirdly, we put the batteries in order. Instead of plugs it is worthwhile to install flushing taps to remove sludge, at the inlet - to install thermostatic valves. The radiator body must be cleaned to metal with a steel brush and painted with a special heat-conducting compound.
• Finally, it is important to check the performance of Mayevsky’s air valves and taps. It is better to do this before the start of the heating season, so that, if necessary, repairs are less laborious.

Conclusion

Before you write an application for recalculation of heating, you need to carefully study the legal framework of your region, as well as take a number of preliminary steps. Only in this case there is a chance that your requirements will be met and you can get it - by the way, deservedly so! - compensation for money spent.

The issue raised in the article is covered in more detail in the video posted on this page, so that all those interested should study it very carefully.