The planned shutdown of hot water is a joke for residents of most CIS countries. It seems that modern innovative technologies fundamentally bypass the problem of depriving the population of hot water supply. We figured out why they turn it off in the summer hot water, and how things stand with this outside of Russia.

Ancestor inaccuracies

The problem dates back to the era of systems implementation district heating. It was designed without taking into account the conditions in which it will be used. The quality of the water flowing through the pipes and the control mode turned out to be too idealized during the design of the systems.

As a result, errors were made in the calculation of water activity, which largely destroys pipes. And the structures themselves are made of not the most best metal - heat leaking solution corrodes the inner surface of the pipeline.

Special attention should be paid to the water temperature - it is too high due to colossal heat losses during transfer from the source to the consumer.

The inaccuracies of the ancestors led to premature aging of systems and, as a consequence, the high cost of heat supply and its low reliability.

Solution

This problem must be solved on a large scale. And it is solved, which is why, after turning off the hot water, the population has to run around the apartment with basins in the summer.

Ideally, a transition from a centralized heating system to complete decentralization is required, when the heat source and consumer are located in close proximity to each other (for example, a boiler in the basement multi-storey building). The process is long and very expensive.

While the system still exists, although it is not optimal, it is necessary to maintain it in working order. Utilities don’t just replace sections of pipe that are unsuitable for use, but modernize them heating network. Plastic pipelines that are not susceptible to corrosion are being introduced. It turns out vicious circle- residents are deprived of hot water in order to provide it in the future.

To carry out preventive work, select summer period- the accident is more difficult to eliminate if you have to dig through frozen ground. In addition, for citizens it is fraught with more serious consequences: you can be left without hot water and heating when the temperature outside the window drops below 0.

By the way, in countries with more developed economies, planned shutdowns of hot water also occur. But usually renovation work take place in a shorter period of time. In addition, duplicate heat supply is common - additional construction of small boiler houses for each multi-storey building or microdistrict.

But modernization of heat supply is a problem for the top. So what to do ordinary people When does the hot water turn off?

What to do?

By the way, the law establishes that the duration of repair and maintenance work and associated hot water outages in Russia cannot exceed 21 days. Therefore, it is useless to scold housing and communal services if the water was turned off for 17 days instead of the promised 14.

The most economical and simple way is to humble yourself and toughen up. A cold shower may be appropriate after a walk in the summer heat, unless, of course, it does no harm. This is not for everyone, so we offer other options.

Boiler. Uses both gas and electricity as an energy source. The first case is much more economical than the second, but more difficult to implement. Can be used both during the period of planned shutdown of hot water supply and year-round.

Heating water. An old but proven method. Emotions and physical activity, as well as the likelihood of getting a burn, are guaranteed. The procedure is simple - heat water in a container for kitchen stove or using a separate electrical appliance, and then dilute it to obtain the optimal temperature.

Ask for it. You don’t have to be “tricky” with heating the water in your own bathroom, but kill two birds with one stone - visit a wealthy hot water friend with a set of bath accessories.

And each time the lack of water is discovered suddenly and, as a rule, does not add pleasant emotions. Why is hot water turned off in Russia, what is the reason for the shutdown of hot water in Russian homes and how to prepare for it?

Why do they turn off hot water in the summer?

Answering the question “Why do they turn off hot water in the summer?”, utility services explain that turning off hot water in houses is carried out in order to check the water and heat supply system for the autumn-winter season.
Every summer, workers appear on the streets of Moscow, whose task is to diagnose heating networks, check their strength and, if breakdowns or leaks are detected, eliminate such faults.

For how long is hot water turned off: maximum and actual shutdown periods

As for how long water can be turned off according to the law, the law clearly defines the duration of the shutdown - the maximum period for disconnecting residents from the hot water supply system is 10 days. This is the period allotted to utility workers for diagnosing and repairing heating systems; It should be noted that this period is the maximum, and residents are often disconnected from the hot water supply system for a shorter period, from one or two to nine days.
This difference in terms is due, first of all, to different technical condition water supply networks in different areas cities. If new equipment is installed on the site and Maintenance and maintenance of the system, then the period of scheduled work will take several days; if there is old worn-out equipment on the site that requires repair or replacement, then the period for annual work will be about seven to ten days.
For the convenience of Muscovites, utility services publish a schedule for the planned disconnection of residents from the hot water supply system on their website, in which they also indicate how long the hot water was turned off; In addition, there is a service for notifying about water outages via SMS.

Will they stop disconnecting residents from the water supply system?

According to plans for the development of the city and the replacement of heat supply systems, old pipes must be replaced with modern ones by 2020. It is expected that starting from 2021 there will be no widespread shutdowns from the water supply system, but only “spot” work will be carried out in certain areas of the capital.

What about abroad? Is hot water turned off in Europe?

Most of the countries of the world with the question “Why was the water turned off?” I haven’t encountered it at all; this is due to the fact that most of them do not have centralized hot water supply. As a rule, cold water is supplied to homes and is heated on site by a water heater. Such water heaters are installed in every house (so-called communal heating) or in every apartment (individual heating).
Hot systems centralized water supply have become widespread in the CIS countries, parts of Europe and Canada. However, here hot water is turned off for a shorter period of time, preventative repairs and diagnostic work are carried out in one or two days, and the question “Why is hot water turned off in the summer?” is not so relevant.
Among the states of the former USSR, the most for a long time Moldova can boast of shutting off hot water, where water is turned off for a whole month - from July to August.
As for Ukraine and Belarus, these countries “delight” their citizens by turning off hot water for two weeks.

Everyone knows the famous saying that says that a sleigh should be prepared in the summer. The same applies to the hot water supply system. And most of us are concerned about the question of why hot water is turned off in the summer. This is mainly due to the implementation technical work. And in order to keep houses warm on the coldest day, hot water is turned off for a certain period in the summer. Is there really such a need? After all, we, as consumers, experience inconvenience, even for a relatively short period of time. We will try to briefly talk about what the resource supplying organization does during a planned shutdown of the hot water supply.

Water supply is a complex and multi-kilometer network of pipelines. Before entering our apartment, the water passes through all bends and metal joints. In addition, the system is under high pressure. As a rule, the coolant is supplied from a thermal power plant or boiler house. In our case, Kirovsk is served by the Dubrovskaya CHPP. Normally, the water temperature should be 60 °C, but to exclude heat losses Before leaving the thermal power plant, the water is heated to 75 °C.

Centralized water supply and heating of cities was built back in Soviet times. By creating a single branched network into which water is supplied from the thermal power plant, it became possible to quickly and effectively solve the issue of hot water supply to residents of houses and deliver water to each apartment. All residents are in the same boat, which means that a shutdown of hot water supply or heating during repairs or testing will affect all residents.

Abroad, a different water supply system is used. For example, in the UK, almost every house is heated individually. In Finland, two types of heating are used: gas centralized and electric individual. At the same time, centralized costs approximately 150 euros (half the cost utilities), and the electric one costs a little less - already 100 euros.

Let's return to Russia and the Leningrad region. We organize everything in such a way that it is simply necessary to check the condition of the entire system as a whole before each heating season. In May, hydraulic tests of the networks are carried out, and in August, the thermal power plant is shut down.

From August 1 to August 14, Dubrovskaya CHPP LLC is shutting down for preventive purposes. The shutdown of the thermal power plant is carried out on the basis of the Safety Rules for Gas Distribution and Gas Consumption Networks, approved by Order of the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision dated November 15, 2013 No. 542.

What does it mean? In an area hidden from prying eyes, specialists conduct necessary tests boiler equipment. It is periodically necessary to flush boiler heat exchangers and replace fittings. In addition, heat metering devices are checked, which according to the rules must be serviced every two years.

During this period, an inspection of the equipment that purifies, heats and transfers water through the system takes place. The supply system is also being inspected process water from Vodokanal, repair maintenance of gas facilities, preventive inspection of the cooling system.

Thermal power plant operating on natural gas, carries out maintenance of gas pipelines and technical devices: checking the tightness of flanged, threaded and welded joints gas pipelines, stuffing box packings of fittings using instruments or foaming solution.

All this work takes a certain amount of time, and also takes time to troubleshoot problems. On average across regions, such a preventative shutdown lasts 2 weeks. Residents of cities are warned in advance about the shutdown of hot water supply through official websites, the media, as well as through the channels of Dubrovskaya CHPP LLC and management companies.

Let us remind you that in Kirovsk planned stop Hot water supply will last from August 1 to August 14.

Press service of the administration of the municipal municipality "Kirovsk"

Why is hot water turned off in the summer? Hot water in Russia is turned off everywhere in the summer - from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok, making consumers feel not entirely comfortable. Water in apartments disappears for several days or several months. The main reason for this situation is the implementation of preventive work by housing and communal services enterprises and services.

How city water supply systems work

A water supply system is a complex technical complex for selecting, purifying, storing water and supplying it to consumers. Sources of water are rivers, lakes, underground wells and wells. To get to the apartments, water travels many kilometers through pipes.

Water supply network includes:

• main system (large-diameter pipes transport water to urban areas);
• distribution network (smaller diameter pipes direct flow to specific buildings).

The Russian heating system has grown on the principles of centralization established under the Soviet Union. Central heating allows you to quickly resolve issues of heating and supplying each apartment with hot water.

However, after the heating season, the condition of the pipes must be checked. To the question “Why do they turn off the hot water in the summer?” utility workers answer: “To carry out regular maintenance or major renovation systems."

Heat losses on the way to home networks are inevitable, so water must come out from a thermal station or boiler house under high pressure with a temperature of at least 75° C. If the water outlet temperature is below normal, then a little water will flow from the taps in apartments. warm water. All this affects the condition of the pipeline, especially in the winter months.

What preventive work is needed in summer?

All homeowners make repairs to their houses and apartments from time to time. Any housewife takes care of her kitchen and household appliances. Every responsible driver annually carries out full maintenance and diagnostics of his favorite car. Even a table will fall apart if you don’t tighten a couple of nuts in time. Everyone understands this without exception.

The hot water supply system also needs periodic inspection and repair. This is also a kind of mechanism, only multi-component and more technologically advanced. However, once a person is deprived of a certain type of comfort, one can hear from all sides: “Why are they turning off the hot water again?”

According to the rules for operating heating networks, during a planned shutdown, specialists carry out mandatory hydraulic test main and linear pipelines. Within 15–20 minutes, water is supplied from high blood pressure, at this time network defects appear that need to be eliminated.

Preventive maintenance of heating networks, which are also hot water supply networks, includes:

• replacement of some components (for example, shut-off valves);
• repair of individual pipeline segments;
• updating insulating layers and protective elements of the network.

At the same time, workers of boiler houses and heating enterprises carry out maintenance of station equipment, wash heat exchangers, and check the condition of metering devices.

Central heat and water supply apartment buildings quickly entered our life under socialism. However, the conditions under which the systems were operated were not taken into account. The designers did not quite correctly calculate the parameters of the water and the pipeline itself. The pipes were not made from the metal that was listed in the engineering calculations. The water actively destroyed the pipes, and over time a rusty sediment appeared on their walls. The very principle of laying heating systems allowed for very large heat losses. In this regard, water supply systems require repair and reconstruction every year.

Sudden temperature changes, when there is boiling water inside the pipe and 25-degree frost outside, combined with high pressure After a certain time, they destroy the pipeline material, inevitably leading to an accident. Therefore, all summer work of utility workers is aimed at preparing networks for the next heating season. Any accident in winter is also dangerous because flows of water wash away streets, squares and embankments, turning them into a trap for pedestrians and drivers.

Timing of preventive shutdown

Why do they turn off hot water for exactly two weeks? In the central and northern regions of the country, several weeks without water cause certain inconveniences. The population of southern cities also suffers from the lack of this type of comfort. The Sanitary and Epidemiological Rules and Norms (SANPIN) establish the duration of turning off the hot water supply for prevention to no more than 14 days. Decrees of the Government of the Russian Federation also define such deadlines for completing the required amount of preventive work.

According to the law, residents must be notified in writing at least 10 days in advance of an upcoming planned interruption in water supply, for example, by notices in the entrances. Utilities are required to turn on the water supply no later than after the allotted 2 weeks.

If water is not supplied after the due date, you can complain to the authorities:

• local government (administration of a district, district, city);
• housing supervision (housing inspection);
• prosecutor's office.

Collective complaint signed by the majority of residents apartment building, will have a greater impact on those responsible than the appeal of one consumer. Responsibility for untimely provision of services rests with management company or HOA.

Appeal against the actions of public utilities planned shutdown Hot water supply to the court will not be possible if the shutdown period is no more than 14 days. The judicial practice of district and city courts shows that the period for disconnecting the hot water supply established by SANPIN is legal.

Supreme Court Russian Federation supports this position.

It is possible to solve disconnection problems

Utilities can block access to water supply services based on the decision of local authorities to carry out scheduled repairs. Planned preventive maintenance is carried out strictly in the summer. Management companies should not charge for hot water during the shutdown period.

Engineers, utility workers, and legislators are trying to find ways to solve the problem called “why is the hot water turned off again?”

There are several ways to reduce the period of water shutdown to 1-2 days:

1. Required complete replacement all the old ones metal pipes modern plastic ones, which are not subject to corrosion, have a longer service life. In addition, such pipes are more flexible and therefore behave better during installation.
2. Changing the principle of constructing heat supply systems. This means abandoning the centralized system. Some developers are already implementing the idea of ​​decentralization by installing a backup heat source in the basement or on the roof.
3. Refusal to receive hot water along with heat supply. It is proposed to heat water in a boiler using gas or electricity. The boiler can be used constantly or during periods when the DHW supply is suspended. However, the cost of installing such equipment for one home is 3-5 million rubles.

In the capital districts already full swing There is a gradual replacement of old metal pipes with new plastic ones. According to the Moscow development plan, these works are planned to be completed by the end of 2020.

Experience of European countries

Centralized system water supply is used only in post-Soviet countries. European countries buy gas at a fairly high price, and the issue of providing residents with hot water is resolved differently than in Russia:

In Finland, central gas and individual electric heating. Only Denmark, unlike its neighbors, has a central water supply. Of course, utility accidents happen not only in our country. But in the public utilities sector they do not have such a number of bosses, and besides, the rapid elimination of the consequences of an accident affects the wages of plumbers and electricians.

Useful information for the consumer

The consumer needs to know:

1. Utilities have the right to turn off hot water for no more than 8 hours a month, and for 4 hours a day.
2. The duration of planned preventative shutdowns by law does not exceed 14 days.
3. Management companies or homeowners' associations, on behalf of water and heat supply organizations, are required to notify residents 10 days in advance about upcoming repairs.
4. Hot water temperature standards should be within 60-75° C depending on the time of day (at night the temperature can be lowered, since there is no active use).

If utility services do not comply prerequisites provision of hot water supply, you can safely defend your violated consumer rights.