This week the Verkhovna Rada will consider draft law “On commercial accounting of heat”. If the document will support the parliamentarians by October next year, all high-rise buildings should be equipped with heat meters. According to the Ministry of regional development, on average, an apartment house with meter pays for heating by 34.8% less. During the heating season this allows you to save 400 thousand hryvnias. The website “Today” figured out how to quickly pay off the meter and how else can you save on heating.
When will pay off a counter
Heat to the house can establish from the service provider, the city budget, or the residents themselves. It depends on whether incorporated in the company’s investment program funds for the installation of meters.
If neither the city nor the supplier do not set timers for free, residents will have to raise funds independently. In the capital heat meter known European companies together with the installation will cost 50-70 thousand hryvnia, according to “Kievenergo”. The cost includes the meter, project documentation, installation and commissioning. In the house of 100 apartments each have to pay an average of 600 hryvnia. The metering device to pay at least two months.
Photo: archive
But if the apartment pays for the heating subsidy, the incentive to buy counter no. “We put a counter on a house for free. I fought for months trying to collect on this counter. Told that the pay will be less. And then began: in every other apartment of the issued subsidy, and so they pay for heating 200 hryvnia, why do they need this counter? And if it’s retired, she lives on the 1300 UAH herself, where she can take 600-700 hryvnia on the counter?”, – says the head of osmd in Zaporizhia Elena.
“And then began: in every other apartment of the issued subsidy, and so they pay for heating 200 hryvnia, why do they need this counter? And if it’s retired, she lives on the 1300 UAH herself, where she can take 600-700 hryvnia on the counter?”, – says the head of osmd in Zaporizhia Elena.
In Kiev in houses with meters the amount of payment for heating by an average of 30% less, says the expert of the National ecological centre Andrew Iron. If no meter, tenants have to pay not only for Gcal of heat, which actually utilizes, but also to pay losses in the networks. However, there are cases when after setting the counter for the warmth you have to pay more if, for example, a house loses a lot of heat because of the “leaky” walls, Windows, cracks.
“If the house consumes more of the norm and loses heat, you need to think about the condition of the house, utilities, analyze the situation and plan energy efficiency measures. Many activities can be carried out without any significant investment and can give savings of up to 20%”, – says the Manager of DTEK ESKO Sergei Svistun.
The Ministry of regional construction and housing has calculated that the national average in homes without meters for sinking pay by 34.8% less. During the heating season (October to April) one apartment building only through the metering device can save 400 thousand hryvnia, said Deputy Prime Minister Gennady Zubko.
For example, in Kharkiv for heating an apartment of 50 square meters at the rate will have to pay 1590 UAH, and with the counter – about 1037 UAH. The installation of a house meter in this apartment will allow you to save 3873 hryvnia per heating season.
All Ukrainians will be obliged to install meters
At the moment 2/3 of apartment buildings with heat meters, others pay according to standards. In some cities, such as Lviv, the counters are installed in more than 90% of homes, said Andrew Iron, at the same time there are cities where the same figure stands at only a few percent.
Photo: archive
At the end of last year the Cabinet adopted the resolution No. 865, according to which in cities where at least 50% of the buildings have meters, bills for heating form the averaged indicator. Businesses calculate the average heat consumption in houses with meters, and in this figure form the bills in houses without meters.
However, the resolution is valid only until the next year. This week the Parliament will consider the draft law “On commercial accounting utilities”. If the document is accepted, until the first of October 2018 in all residential high-rise buildings will have to install meters. As noted by Deputy Chairman of the parliamentary Committee on construction, urban development and housing and communal services Aliona Babak, the bill is a moot point – the Ukrainian debts for communal services will be obliged to pay a penalty. “In case of untimely payment for utility services the consumer is obliged to pay a penalty in the amount established in the contract, but not higher than 0.1% for each day of delay of debt”, – stated in the bill. So, the debt can increase by 36.5%. The maximum penalty cannot be more than 100% of the debt. There are penalties after the 20th of each month. So, if we defer payment for 10 days, you will have to pay only 1% more.
Not a single counter: how to pay less for heating
To spend on home heating at 50-70% less, will have to conduct a comprehensive modernization of the building. To insulate the house, said Sergey, Svistak, and during the heating season. “Insulation of exterior and interior walls, basement and attic, replacement of Windows and exterior doors in the hallways to energy efficient thermal insulation of the utilities (pipes and valves) can be carried out during the heating season. These activities are done quickly without disconnecting the house from the heat,” – says the expert.
However, such events will result only in the case if you install the meter and the heater.
“Insulation of exterior and interior walls, basement and attic, replacement of Windows and exterior doors in the hallways to energy efficient thermal insulation of the utilities (pipes and valves) can be carried out during the heating season. These activities are done quickly without disconnecting the house from the heat,” – says the expert.
It is important to note that to insulate the exterior wall of the house according to the “wet insulation” (mounting to the wall thermal insulation material, which needs to be plastered) at a temperature below five degrees Celsius. And insulate the wall inside the expert advises.
Photo: archive
Sergey Svistun sure the way to accurately determine the savings potential in the home, you should seek the advice of a professional energy auditor, to order an energy audit or an Express energy audit. “For residents the easiest way to determine the approximate potential for energy savings in your apartment building – go to map of heat meters on the website of “Kyivenergo”, find your house and click on it – in the drop down menu we will see how much percent of the heat of the house can save money if you go through with energy efficiency measures”, – says the Manager of DTEK ESCOs.
