Replacement of sewerage and water supply risers in an apartment, including in the kitchen and toilet, and who should carry out repairs according to the law in an apartment building?

In older houses, pipes were usually made of strong, but not the most durable cast iron, which was unlikely to be properly maintained, especially in the 90s. By now, it is high time for the owners of Soviet apartments to think about replacing the riser, so as not to lead to an accident and to paying compensation to their flooded neighbors.

A natural question arises - if a pipe runs through the entire house from the first floor to the last, then who is responsible for replacing it? How and by whom risers are changed according to the law will be discussed in the material.

Communications under the law: whose property and responsibilities?

Water supply, sewerage and electricity are communications that serve all residents of an apartment building, which means they are considered common property. Risers, including water supply, which are located in the apartment, are just one of them, and in accordance with Art. 39 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, they are maintained at the expense of residents on utility bills, which the owners pay every month.

Unlike risers, those pipes that extend from them and connect to faucets or to a gas stove are considered the private property of the residents of the house and are maintained at their individual expense.

It is important not to get confused here: the pipes that branch from the riser to the first connecting connection are also common property, and the management company is responsible for it, and after the connection they are already private, which only the owner should repair.

In Art. 161 part 1.1 clause 5 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation states that the management of common property must ensure the constant readiness of utilities, metering devices and other property from the common property of apartment residents, as well as give citizens the opportunity to use communal resources for which they pay money.

The property that ensures that residents receive home services is enshrined in Appendix 1 of Government Decree No. 354 of the Russian Federation “On the provision of utility services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings.” Among others, the following are considered common property:

Sewer riser in the toilet.
Water supply riser (DHW and cold water supply).
Gas riser.
Heating riser pipes.

It will be useful for you to learn about the nuances of operating meters in articles from our experts. Read about what to do and where to go if the meter breaks down, and whether it is necessary to seal it.

Pipe layout diagram

Tee and manifold pipe layouts

Having determined the number of plumbing fixtures that will be connected to utilities, a choice is made of the location where it will be located.

It is necessary, first of all, to determine where which plumbing fixtures will be installed.

To do this, you need to mark all the places where plumbing items will be located and circle the kennels on the floor, and then remove the equipment from the bathroom. Now you need to draw a diagram of the room on a piece of paper and put on it a diagram of how the pipeline will run.

To do this, it is advisable to use principles such as:

Undesirability of crossing pipes;
It is recommended to lay the water supply very close to the sewer. This is necessary so that they can be easily closed with a box in the future;
When the plumbing is installed, there should be easy access to the place where the pipes will be connected to flexible hoses. In this case, most of the system should be hidden behind a special box.

There is no need to complicate the pipe layout; it is advisable to make everything as simple as possible:

all main communications must be laid below, directly above the floor;
It is imperative that water outlets be made through tees, which will be directed perpendicularly upward relative to the main pipes;
It is recommended to make sewer outlets without a vertical part, using them only as tees to which flexible hoses will be connected directly.

Who should change pipes, including sewer pipes, and when?

All common property must be repaired by the management company, which is charged by the residents with the obligation to monitor the condition of the common property. The ability to place control in the hands of the management company is enshrined in Art. 161 part 2. clause 3 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, and, as a rule, most residents of apartment buildings in Russia have a separate organization that manages their communal affairs.

Repair and replacement of sewer and water pipes will be carried out by employees of the management company, homeowners association, housing and communal services or other repair organizations at the request of the apartment owners and with the help of an act that indicates that some part of the pipe requires replacement. They are also responsible for repairs according to plan or for eliminating the consequences of an accident that was caused by their connivance.

Capital repairs of pipes of management companies/homeowners' associations are also required to be carried out within the prescribed period, but it can be done ahead of schedule at the request of the housing council.

From the video you will learn at whose expense the pipes in the apartment should be updated:

What is the service life according to GOST?

The service life of pipes, provided they are properly maintained and promptly cleaned, varies greatly depending on the material from which they were made. Every ten years the pipes must undergo major repairs. Below we give the service life of communications made of various materials according to GOST:

Steel pipes for cold water supply last 30 years.
Hot water risers with a closed system – 20 years.
Open water supply system – 30 years.

Which water pipes are better?

It is impossible to say unequivocally which pipes are best for wiring - there is no ideal material, there are more or less suitable ones for given conditions. Let's look at the most popular options, their advantages and disadvantages:

Polypropylene pipes

The option is good for everyone, except for the large thermal expansion - up to 5 cm per 1 meter, which is a lot. If the route is long, it is necessary to install a compensator or use reinforced pipes. Their thermal expansion is several times less, but their prices are higher. For hot water, you definitely need to use reinforced pipes, but whether you use fiberglass or foil is up to you. The routing of cold water pipes can be done with a regular PPR pipe for cold water - here thermal expansion is not so critical.

Polypropylene pipes for water supply distribution are an excellent choice

Another point that is relevant if you are doing the work yourself, or if you are planning to install hidden communications, is the quality of the connections. In principle, there is nothing complicated in soldering polypropylene, but without experience you can “mess up”, as a result, after a while the connection may leak. If you have no experience in welding polypropylene, it is very undesirable to hide joints under finishing. In this case, it is better to choose an open installation method.

The installation of polypropylene pipes in the bathroom and toilet has many positive aspects:

a correctly made connection turns out monolithic;
there is no narrowing of pipeline diameters at soldering points;
high maintainability;
long service life;
ease of installation.

In general, it’s not for nothing that this material has been so popular lately.

PVC for water supply

When laying PVC pipes, an adhesive connection is used. There is a special glue that dissolves the top layer of polymer. Both parts to be glued are lubricated with it, pressed against each other and held for some time. As a result, the connection is almost monolithic, strong and reliable.

PVC pipes can bend

There are two types of connections: butt, when two pieces of pipe are joined, and using fittings. It is easier to work with fittings, but the joints are narrowed. With a butt connection there are no narrowings, but it is much more difficult to do it qualitatively.

In principle, all the pros and cons are the same, with the addition of a few disadvantages - it is only suitable for transporting cold media - no more than +40°C, that is, you will have to use other pipes for hot water supply. Scratches and chips reduce the strength of the pipe, therefore a threaded connection is excluded.

Metal-plastic

The water supply system made from metal-plastic pipes is also suitable for hot water supply - it can withstand temperatures up to +105°C. A positive difference from all of the above is its high plasticity - these pipes can be bent with a fairly small radius. This simplifies and reduces the cost of installation (fittings are expensive).

Metal-plastic is not the best choice

The disadvantage of using metal-plastic pipes for water supply is the strong narrowing at the joints - in the fittings. This leads to a significant decrease in pressure in the system. This is precisely what limits their use.

At whose expense is work carried out in the apartment and entrance?

Replacement of old and leaky risers is carried out at the expense of the owners of the apartment building. They are the ones who bear the financial burden for the maintenance of common property. Money for repairing communications will be taken from their utility payments, which the management company collects monthly for the maintenance of the house.

In the utility bill there is a separate expense item “Maintenance and repair of housing” - this is the money that should go to replacing the old riser pipe. If there is a major replacement of the entire pipe in the entire house, then these are other funds, and they are taken from the residents’ payments under the heading “Major repairs”.

When replacing here and now, you don’t need to pay anything - the resident already contributes money every month to replace the public pipe, and the management company employees have no right to demand that he pay for the work or pay additional expenses.

An exception may be the personal fault of the apartment residents. If they are responsible for a sewer break either intentionally or through negligence, then they will have to shell out money for repairing a bad pipe out of their own pocket.

It is important to note that money will be paid from the general fund only for the repair of pipes that have long exhausted their reserves or are in disrepair.

If the owner of the apartment wants to deal with the riser for his own personal reasons - for example, if he is undergoing redevelopment - then he will pay for the work from his own funds, and not from the “utilities”.

The situation is completely different for owners of non-privatized public housing, which is in municipal ownership. The citizen registered in it is considered a tenant, not an owner, and the landlord, the municipal authorities, is obliged to pay for the repair of the risers.

Installation of a heated towel rail

A heated towel rail is an essential attribute of every bathroom, especially if there is no balcony. Its replacement is also a pressing issue, since over time, metal pipes become overgrown with a layer of rust, becoming less efficient. The replacement of the heated towel rail is carried out jointly with the water supply networks and is thought out in advance. The procedure for dismantling and installing the dryer is carried out according to the following rules:

The heated towel rail is installed on heating or hot water pipes. The second option is easier to implement and does not require coordination with utility services.
We install taps on the branches prepared in advance, which will allow you to turn off the device in case of an emergency.
We fix the taps in the bends and immediately transfer them to the closed state.
After the tap, we install an adapter of the required diameter, which will allow us to continue the network and connect the heated towel rail to the water supply network.
We tighten the union nuts until they are completely secured and open the taps, starting the flow of water into the system.

To check the functionality of the heated towel rail, leave both taps open for a day. If during this time the system does not begin to leak, and water oozes from the connections, then the device is installed correctly and will work fully.

Installation of a heated towel rail

How to carry out the procedure for free through the management company/housing and communal services?

If the pipes have long served their service life and need urgent replacement or repair, then before you start collecting papers and writing a statement, it is better to first call a plumber to the house, who will inspect the pipes and make a decision: whether the riser needs to be changed or the owners just Imagination ran wild and the pipe worked.

The specialist will draw up an inspection report of the riser, where he will describe its condition, list the damage and issue a verdict. The expert's opinion is an important document that can play a vital role in the entire procedure.

Where to contact?

Responsibility for replacing pipes, including in the kitchen, lies with the management company, which means you need to apply there for repairs of a faulty riser. The organization must have a reception desk for citizens, or you can leave the paper in the accounting department. It should be drawn up in the name of the head of the management company and the reasons for the repair and the deficiencies noticed should be clearly described in the text. We will look at how to do this correctly below.

Required documents

In order for the operation to be successful, the apartment owners will have to take care of the following package of documents for replacing the riser:

Application for replacement of communications addressed to the head of the management company.
A certificate of inspection of the pipe by a plumber, which states that the riser is in very poor condition.
Additional evidence of the emergency condition of the pipes is video or photographs, which clearly shows that it is time to replace the riser.
Certificate of ownership of the apartment, if it is privately owned.
Identification card (to confirm that it is the owner who is going to change the pipes).
Receipts for timely payment of utilities.

Drawing up an application to the management company

The application is drawn up in free form, observing a number of formalities for standard documents. You can write it either by hand or using a computer, then printing it out on a printer. You need an A4 sheet, clean on both sides, without dirt or damage.

The text should not contain:

spelling errors;
blots;
corrections;
emotional judgments - everything is dry and to the point.

It is prohibited to use obscene language and threaten CC employees.

There is a greater chance that the application will be accepted and considered for those residents who are not late in utility payments and do not have debts for the apartment.

The paper is compiled as follows:

In the upper left corner: full name, position of the manager and name of the management company for which the application is being drawn up - all in Date. case.
Below is the full name, address and contact number of the applicant - in Rod. case.
By .
Next is the main part:
justification of the reason for repair (leakage, wear, breakthrough);
an indication of problems with the communication system with reference to an inspection report of the pipes by a plumber (you can also mention that the paper is accompanied by a CD with photographs where the damage and the general poor condition of the riser are clearly visible);
to give additional weight to the documents, you can refer to Art. 39 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation on the maintenance of common property or at Art. 161 clause 2.3 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, which states that the residents gave the management of the house to the management company (or to an agreement between the residents and the company);
information that utility payments for the apartment were made regularly and without delay (link to attached invoices);
mention that if the work is not completed as required by law, then a complaint will be filed against the company with Rospotrebnadzor or the Prosecutor's Office.
At the end there is a date and signature of the applicant with an explanation of the surname.

We do not recommend completing the documents yourself. Save time - contact our lawyers by phone:

8 (800) 350-14-90

It is better to make two copies of this document: one is transferred to the management company, and the other should be kept by the owner of the apartment.

The main thing is not to forget to ask the employee to mark that the company saw a duplicate. If the management company refuses to fulfill its duties without a clear reason, it can be sued and a copy of the statement can be used as evidence of inaction.

Deadlines

If everything is in order with the application, then the management of the management company is obliged to review the paper and make a decision. According to Art. 31.k Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354 “On the provision of utility services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings”, a period of no more than three days is given for processing applications from the date of registration of the document.

During this time, the company must determine whether the demands for replacement of the riser are justified, and if everything is correct, send written confirmation to the owner and immediately begin repairs.

They can send their own expert to the apartment, who will draw up his opinion on the condition of the bathroom, where he will speak out whether pipes need to be replaced. The owners will have to provide him with access to communications.

Errors when replacing a pipeline

During the renovation process, errors in plumbing installation occur frequently. Especially when a person does the job for the first time.

The most common mistakes:

Choice of material. No need to save. Low quality material does not meet standards. Even if the system does not leak, its service life will be reduced.
Lack of access to pipes. Closed wiring is beautiful and elegant. But few people plan to have access to pipes before problems arise. It doesn’t matter whether the pipes are hidden under plasterboard or cement, you will have to either dismantle the sheets or break the brick wall. It is better to close the pipes, but leave as much access to them as possible, especially to the joints, meter and inlet valve. You can even leave the hole open, but block it with a decorative cabinet, water tank, washing machine, etc.
The riser has not been replaced. The sewer or water supply accessory is made of steel. It is located inside the wall and is constantly in contact with water. This often leads to his breakthrough. Therefore, you can replace the old pipe with a plastic one in your apartment without touching your neighbors’ riser.

Choosing low-quality materials is a common mistake when replacing a pipeline.

The tightness of the system should be carefully checked, since pipes can leak even at night. And this will lead to flooding of neighbors, who will then demand compensation for repairs after the flood. Inspection is the most important point when replacing a pipeline. Therefore, it is necessary to be guided by reliable sources of information and not install sewer systems, learning from mistakes. It's better to take the time and prepare in advance. This will save you from mistakes.

When can they refuse and what to do in this case?

The management company may refuse to repair the riser for the following reasons:

The application was drawn up extremely carelessly, and they simply refused to accept such a paper.
The homeowner has no reason to carry out repairs - a specialist visited the site and, according to his conclusion, the pipes are in excellent condition.
The owner has large rent debts or constant debts.

Management company employees can justify their refusal by the fact that since the riser is in the apartment, then the owner of the apartment must pay for it. Such a decision is illegal, and the Criminal Code does not fulfill its duties.

Personal expenses are valid only for the pipes that extend from the riser, but not for the riser itself.

If the owner believes that the decision of the Criminal Code violates his rights or does not agree with the conclusions of the experts, then he should obtain a refusal in writing. This paper will serve as one of the evidence in any authority to which you can file a complaint about the negligence of the company’s employees:

to Rospotrebnadzor;
to the housing inspection;
to the Prosecutor's Office;
or even to court.

Here you will have to write your application addressed to the head of the body where it will go.

Necessary tool for plumbing work

For high-quality installation and dismantling, specialists use the following tools:

Bulgarian. Essential for fast and efficient pipe cutting.

Electric drill. The tool is necessary for firmly fixing the structure;
Welding machine for polypropylene pipes. The tool will be needed when installing plastic or polypropylene pipes. Without it, you will not be able to connect the ends of the products.
Thread cutting tool. You can use an electric clamp. To cut threads correctly, you need to select a specific nozzle.
An adjustable wrench selected according to the diameter of the pipes;
Pipes, fastenings and additional equipment for them.

Difficulties with the law when doing independent repair work

There is no ban on changing the riser yourself, as such, but there are nuances. Residents are allowed to repair common property on their own using their own money, but before starting work, they will have to inform the management company that the owner wants to deal with his riser on his own, and also obtain permission from the neighbors through whose apartments communications pass. It is difficult to get permission from the management company, because the owner is often not a specialist.

If you decide to change the riser without the knowledge of the management company and other neighbors, then such an operation will be considered illegal, and the owner who carried out the secret replacement risks receiving a subpoena from his management company.

Check out other materials on our website about water supply and the problems that arise with it. Read about what standards of water quality and pressure, under what circumstances the resource can be turned off, how to pay for water according to standards and meters, what standards are without meters, as well as about the recalculation procedure and what to do if the water pressure decreases weak.

On your own or with the help of specialists?

Photo of the procedure for replacing a sewer riser in a bathroom

Many people ask this very question when they realize that they still have to replace the riser. There are two options for solving this issue - do everything yourself, or trust specialists in the relevant field. Each of them has its own characteristics and nuances.

Specialists:

Saves you time and effort;
The quality guarantee for work performed is close to one hundred percent;
The services of specialists can cost you a pretty penny.

With your own hands:

You save a lot of money;
You will need to invest effort and your own time;
The result is not always what you expect.

Please note that when you make such a decision and do not know whether replacing the heating riser in the apartment will be done with your own hands or with the help of craftsmen, take into account the cost of materials, as well as the price of equipment that will be required during the work process. Sometimes the correctness of the decision depends on this.