Who should be responsible for replacing the sewer riser in the apartment?

Home/Water supply and sanitation/Replacement of risers in apartment buildings

Despite the fact that most residents are the owners of their apartments and pay for general building needs on a monthly basis, direct replacement of risers and other water supply elements is carried out by representatives of the management company (MC). Their actions are based on the regulatory framework of the laws of the Russian Federation. However, not many apartment owners know their rights if it is necessary to replace common communication elements located in their apartments.

The solution to replacing risers in an apartment building, the identification of responsible persons and the rules of behavior in conflict situations will be given below.

Attention! If you have any questions, you can chat for free with a lawyer at the bottom of the screen or call Moscow; Saint Petersburg; Free call for all of Russia.

Normative base

The regulatory framework for the replacement and repair of the water supply system is regulated by:

• rules for the maintenance of property located in the common possession of the apartment building (RF RF No. 491 dated 08/13/20016);
• standards for the technical use of housing stock (Resolution of the State Construction Committee of the Russian Federation dated September 27, 2003 No. 170);
• methodological manual for the operation, maintenance and repair of housing stock MKD 2-04.2004.

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.

Who should change risers in an apartment building?

It is a mistake to believe that if the common water risers are used by the residents of the apartments of an apartment building, then the responsibility for replacing them rests entirely with them. Ignorance of the regulatory framework of the Housing Code leads to unnecessary waste of money from the pockets of owners.

Attention

Decree of the Russian Federation No. 354, Article 149 (dated May 6, 2011) and Article 161 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation state that repairs, as well as complete replacement of risers in an apartment building, are the responsibility of the Management Company assigned to a specific building.

Every month, each apartment owner receives a receipt for utility bills, which contains the column “maintenance and repairs.” For those funds that come from residents from paying receipts, in particular for maintenance and repairs, all preventive and repair work must be carried out.

Consequently, in the event of a pipe break or other damage to the riser, the housing office is obliged to carry out repair work without charging residents (the reverse action is illegal).

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.

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Replacement standards

According to the standards for replacing risers in an apartment building, they must be replaced in two cases:

1. Expiration of the operational life of the metal structure.
2. Complete renovation of the apartment's bathroom.

Living conditions provide for 2 modes of pipe replacement:

• planned - when the time for replacement has approached;
• emergency - when the integrity of the pipe has been damaged and a leak has formed.

IMPORTANT
The warranty period for pipes in apartment buildings is at least 25 years. Even if after this period the structure is intact without leaks, the riser still needs to be replaced.

Increasingly, cast iron pipes are being replaced with polypropylene ones. This is due to a number of advantages of the material:

• efficiency;
• ease;
• strength;
• environmental safety;
• resistance to deformation from thermal effects;
• resistance to corrosion and other influences;
• sliding structure of the internal walls, which prevents plaque formation;
• long service life: from 50 to 100 years.

Which pipes to choose for replacing sewerage in an apartment

Material of pipes used for sewerage installation:

• ceramics;
• polymers;
• metal.

1. Ceramic pipes for sewerage.

This material option is quite expensive. Therefore, most likely, ceramic pipes are not suitable for installing sewer systems for private owners. It should be noted that ceramic pipes are the most resistant to aggressive environments. In this regard, their use is justified in industrial premises where pesticides are manufactured or used.

1. Pipes made of polymer materials.

In recent years, metal sewer pipes have been replaced en masse across Russia with polymer ones. The latter are distinguished by a perfectly smooth surface. They do not form growths from sewage and do not develop blockages. There are two types of polymers from which pipes are made: polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride.

Polypropylene (PP) is one of the most used materials for laying internal sewerage. Installing such pipes is not difficult. They are tolerant of temperature changes and last a long time.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has significant strength and is resistant to ultraviolet radiation. A negative characteristic of this material is the release of harmful substances during combustion and heating. In addition, they can change structure when exposed to aggressive environments. But using them to replace the sewer system in an apartment is quite possible.

1. Metal pipeline.

Traditionally, metal pipes are made from cast iron and steel. Steel products are durable and resistant to high temperatures. For this reason, they can be used to transport industrial waste in petrochemical industries. However, heavy weight and excessive corrosion resistance are decisive factors preventing the use of pipes made from this material for use in apartments.

Cast iron pipes are more expensive than steel pipes, but they are much more resistant to corrosion. Therefore, products made from this material can be used for installation in an apartment. Among the negative properties, it makes sense to note the large weight of cast iron parts, which creates certain difficulties during installation, as well as the tendency for pipe walls to foul and, as a result, reduce their permeability. However, one should not discount the significant strength and longevity of these products. Cast iron pipes can be connected to plastic pipes using a rubber coupling.

A special feature of connecting plastic pipes is the socket method. It consists of inserting the end of one pipe into the socket (expansion) of another until the joint is tight. The part that ensures the reliability of this connection is a rubber seal in the shape of a ring.

If necessary, you can cut off the excess pipe with a simple hacksaw or jigsaw. Next, to simplify the process of connecting two pipes, a chamfer is removed from the cut end of the pipe. This action is mandatory. Otherwise there is a risk of damage to the sealing lip.

What is included in replacing risers in an apartment building?

The process of replacing a riser in an apartment building is the direct removal of the old structure for a new one. However, this is not all that is included in the concept of “replacing a riser in an apartment building.”

Attention

First, you need to contact the management company and write an application to replace the pipe. The applicant will receive a satisfactory answer if the document is drawn up correctly and the facts supporting it do not raise doubts.

On the appointed day, representatives of the management company turn off the water in the risers and drain the remaining water. After this, craftsmen come from the management company or organization with which the management company has entered into an agreement. They carry out all the necessary procedures for replacing a faulty riser pipe in an apartment building.

1. The master uses a grinder to cut out old pipes.
2. Makes markings for new branches.
3. New pipeline structures are being installed.
4. They run water to check the tightness of all joints of the new riser.

By law, all necessary elements of the communication system that need to be replaced are delivered to the owner’s apartment. However, situations are not uncommon when the tenant himself, in whose apartment the installation is to be carried out, pays for all consumables and the element of the new pipe itself. By law, all expenses of the owner must be included in the payment of the receipt for the maintenance of common property for the next month.

Common property in the apartment building, which the management company repairs free of charge

Management companies must carry out free repairs of the following equipment that is part of the common property in the apartment building:

• in-house engineering systems of cold and hot water supply , including risers with branches up to the first disconnecting device, collective (common house) water meters, the first shut-off and control valves on the branches of the intra-apartment wiring from the risers, mechanical, electrical, sanitary elements related to these networks ;
• intra-house gas supply engineering systems , including gas pipelines laid from the gas source or the point of connection to the gas distribution network to the shut-off valve on branches to the intra-apartment gas supply system, gas-using equipment (except for gas-using equipment inside the apartment), technical devices on gas pipelines, control and safety valves, gas control system premises, collective (common house) gas meters, gas control unit that records its volume during the production of public services;
• intra-house heating systems , including risers, heating elements, control and shut-off valves, collective (common house) heat meters, and other equipment related to these networks;
• in-house power supply systems , including incoming cabinets, input distribution devices, protection, monitoring and control equipment, collective (common house) electricity metering devices, floor panels, lighting installations in common areas, electrical installations of smoke removal systems, automatic fire alarms of internal fire water supply systems, cargo , passenger and fire elevators, automatically locking devices for apartment building entrance doors, cables from the external border to individual, general (apartment) electricity meters, and other electrical equipment related to these networks (RF PP No. 491).

Read also Management companies will pay fines to residents for incorrect calculation of utility bills

Step-by-step instructions for replacing risers in an apartment building

A break in the water riser in one apartment requires its immediate replacement. Before carrying out repair work, the owner of an “emergency” apartment must discuss this action with the neighbors of the upper and lower floors. The fact is that the pipes are in a worn state along their entire length, despite the fact that the breakthrough occurred in a certain place. And for reliability, they should be replaced completely, in all apartments. If the neighbors disagree, the installation of a common water supply channel will be carried out only in one apartment.

The next step is to contact the Criminal Code. Their powers include shutting off the riser and draining the water. Next, complete or partial (in a separate apartment) installation of pipes takes place.

According to VSN 58-88 (r) “On the organization and implementation of reconstruction, repair and maintenance of buildings, public utility and social-cultural facilities,” planned replacement of water supply systems should be carried out every 25-30 years. Repair work is carried out inside privatized and non-privatized apartments, as well as in basements and entrances.

How to change it yourself

Partial or complete replacement of a cast iron riser is possible only with a plastic analogue, this is due to the fact that during installation the riser column is installed from the bottom up with pipes on top of each other in the nozzles, and to replace one of the fragments, a special compensation coupling is required, which allows inserting less than long pipe. Such products are difficult to find in shaped elements for the installation of cast iron, but they are produced in a wide range in the PVC pipe product line.

Tools and components

Before replacing the sewer riser in an apartment, purchase the following components:

• A plastic pipe along the height of the riser with a standard outer diameter of 110 mm.
• A typical cross with two 50 mm outlets for connecting drain pipes in the bathroom and kitchen sink and with one outlet for connecting a toilet. If the apartment has only one common outlet for transporting gray waste, use the appropriate tee.
• Rubber cuffs (in the absence of adapters from cast iron to plastic), one will be needed when installing a cross (tee) into the neck of the lower cast iron pipe, the other is put on the outside on the pipe end coming out from above.

Rice. 6 Single-pipe sewerage distribution inside the apartment

• An expansion coupling, which is a piece of pipe with an elongated expanded pipe with an internal diameter of 110 mm - thanks to this, the inserted pipe element can be moved within it over a certain distance.
• A transitional plastic coupling with a built-in cuff, which, if necessary, is installed in the socket of the lower sewer pipe and serves to adjust the cross to the required height if it is impossible to directly connect it with a cast iron saddle recessed in the floor.
• A transitional PVC coupling from plastic to cast iron with a rubber cuff inside the socket for the upper connection, its lower end is inserted into an expanded pipe with a rubber ring of a vertical plastic pipe.
• Metal clamps with rubber gaskets with an internal diameter of 110 mm, designed for fastening plastic riser pipes to the wall.

Rice.
7 Tools From plumbing and construction tools you will need to carry out the work:

• Angle grinder (grinder) with a metal disc for cutting cast iron and plastic pipes.
• A hammer drill for drilling holes in the wall, removing screeds and cement caulking in cast iron joints.
• Chisel, chisel, heavy hammer or sledgehammer for caulking joints and breaking cast iron pipes.
• Pencil, tape measure or ruler.
• A blowtorch for melting caulking materials - sulfur, lead, epoxy resin, is used in case of incomplete replacement of the riser, if it is necessary to leave the cross or part of the pipe intact.
• Protective clothing, gloves, glasses, respirator.

Rice. 8 Dismantling a wall riser - basic operations

Dismantling and caulking

When joining cast iron riser pipes, a pipe connection was previously used, in which a variety of materials were used to seal the joints instead of a rubber seal. Workers carried out the joining using various methods, depending on the technology adopted in the organizations: poured molten sulfur or lead into the cracks, laid fabric and coated the outside with thick cement, poured epoxy resin, pushed in a cord or rope soaked in bitumen mastic.

The main task of dismantling is to destroy the cast iron pipe connection using several methods. Depending on the sealing material, it is carried out in the following sequence:

• Before starting work, be sure to visit all neighbors on the floors above and ask them not to use the kitchen sink, bathtub, and toilet for some time.
• The toilet is removed and put away; to do this, disconnect the corrugation from the riser outlet, having first drained the water from the tank and shutting off its flow with the tap below, unscrew the toilet mounting screws and the supply hose, and take the toilet outside the sanitary unit.

Tip: After removing the toilet, be sure to lean the tank against the wall - otherwise, under the weight of the flush tank, it will turn over and most likely break.

Rice. 9 Methods for caulking cast iron joints

• Using a puncher, knock down the screed at the bottom, freeing and cleaning the junction of the cross with the pipe; if the solution from above interferes with dismantling and covers the outer shell of the exiting pipe, it is also knocked out.
• Use a grinder to cut the vertical pipe of the riser in the transverse direction at any convenient distance from the floor (about 0.5 m, so that you can place a bucket under the pipe); if it is impossible to get close to the pipe shell near the wall with a machine, use a practically used metal disc of small diameter. It is not necessary to make a through cut - if the pipe is not needed, it is subsequently broken with a heavy sledgehammer or hammer.
• Insert the chisel into the seam on the pipe obtained from the grinder disk and hit it forcefully with a hammer, trying to break the body; after it bursts, remove the fragments to the side. To avoid unexpected water flow from above, despite the warning, place a bucket under the cut pipe.
• They try to pull the cross out of the pipe of the lower pipe (you should be careful here; if the riser is broken, the expansion pipe may be damaged); if this presents difficulties, they use various methods of disconnection.

Note: When cement-sand sealing, the mortar is knocked out with a hammer and chisel, the frozen sulfur, lead, soaked rope and epoxy resin are heated and melted with a blowtorch, after which the crosspiece is pulled up.

• After dismantling the crosspiece, clean the lower pipe from dirt and debris to avoid blockages and begin dismantling the upper section of the pipe. It is pulled down, if resistance is encountered, the outer pipe is heated with a blowtorch, the shell can be carefully broken with a hammer, being careful not to damage the end of the riser coming out from the ceiling.
• After dismantling work, a fragment of the shell of the upper cast-iron pipe should remain on the ceiling, and in the floor there should be an expanding pipe of the lower pipe with the outer and inner surfaces, respectively, cleared of dirt.

If none of the above methods fails to remove the lower tee or upper pipe, they are cut with a grinder and adapters or couplings of a suitable outer or inner diameter are selected.

Rice. 10 Assembly diagram with examples

Installation of a new riser

After preparing the end sections of the inlet and outlet cast iron pipes, they begin to install the plastic riser, in which case it is necessary to join the cast iron and plastic pipes with internal bore diameters of 100 mm. The outer diameter of a standard cast iron pipe is 118 mm, the internal size of its cone-shaped socket is 123 - 127 mm. The plastic sewer PVC pipe has an outer size of 110 mm, and the inner diameters of the shell are 100 mm, and the socket is 110.4 mm.

It follows from this that to connect the PVC pipe at the top you will need an adapter from plastic to cast iron with outer and inner diameters of 110x120 mm, respectively, and a built-in rubber cuff. If the tee is being replaced from below in a sewer riser, the adapter from plastic to cast iron should have dimensions of 110x120 mm (inner and outer diameter) and an outer cuff, which is inserted into the cast iron socket (Fig. 10).

Installation of the riser is carried out in the following sequence:

• Place a transition coupling from plastic to cast iron with an internal rubber seal on a section of cast iron pipe protruding from the ceiling.
• Install a cross with a rubber cuff into the saddle of the lower cast iron riser; if necessary, install an adapter from plastic to cast iron with a similar seal.
• Place a vertical riser PVC pipe into the gap between the upper and lower sections, cut it 30 - 50 mm shorter, and put an expansion sleeve on its lower end until it stops.
• Place the assembled system vertically in the riser; if the length is too long, the pipe is further trimmed. After the ends of the structure coincide in height with the inlet and outlet openings, the compensation pipe is lowered down the pipe, immersing it in the tee at a distance of 30 - 50 mm.
• The riser is secured with rubber clamps to the mating part of the clamps with screws screwed into the wall in advance, the distance between the fasteners is about 400 mm.

Rice. 11 Installation of the riser

Replacing a sewer riser

The sewer riser belongs to the common property of the house, even though it passes through a private apartment (according to Article 290 of the Civil Code). Also, the RF PP No. 491 clause 5 dated 08/13/2006 states: “... the common property includes the drainage system, that is, the sewerage system...”.

Consequently, the management company is responsible for the installation and repair work of the sewer riser in an apartment building. For all the necessary consumables that will be required during the replacement process, as well as for the repair itself, apartment residents pay for it, paying monthly sums of money for receipts with the column “maintenance and repair of housing.”

IMPORTANT

On the day the sewer riser is replaced, the apartment owner does not have to pay anything.

But, if previously the owner of the apartment independently replaced the sewer pipe, and this fact is proven, then the owner is obliged to fully pay for the subsequent installation of this element of the communication system.

Before starting repairs to the sewer riser of an apartment building, a resident must:

1. Visit the management company and leave an application for replacement of the emergency element.
2. Draw up a report with a representative of the service organization, which will describe the condition of the sewer riser and (recommended) attach a photo.
3. Specify the date and time of the work to be carried out, and notify neighbors about it in a timely manner.
4. Determine the material of the structure that will be installed in place of the old one, as well as some nuances.

At the appointed time, repairmen come and carry out all the necessary actions to replace the sewer riser.

For your information

Upon completion, a “Certificate of Work Completed” is drawn up between the management company and the repair organization. The owner of the apartment should also keep a copy of this act.

When to change

Cast iron risers, due to their gentle operating mode, in which their contact with liquid waste occurs only briefly and the falling flow does not completely wash the walls, work in sewer systems for quite a long time. In multi-storey buildings on the upper floors, a cast iron riser will last much longer and will become less clogged, unlike the first floors, where the riser drain is in contact with the liquid for a longer time. The need to replace the riser may be caused by the following reasons:

• Physical deterioration . During operation, the walls of cast iron risers become thinner due to low corrosion resistance, cracks and fistulas form in them, pipes leak, and there is an unpleasant odor in the bathroom.
• Frequent blockages . With prolonged use, the inner shell of pipe risers becomes covered with plaque; over time, its thickness increases - this leads to the fact that the throughput of the pipeline decreases and in emergency situations the passage channel becomes clogged.

Rice. 2 Damaged drain pipe

• Mechanical damage. Cast iron is a brittle material; when struck by sharp, heavy objects, it splits and cannot be repaired. When carrying out major repairs, situations sometimes arise when the old internal sewer pipeline of an apartment in the inlet pipe of the riser is broken, and the shaped element (tee, cross) may crack. The adapter from the internal sewerage system to the riser cannot be restored - it must be replaced, and the riser pipe will also have to be removed, and if it is very worn out and clogged with plaque, it must be replaced.
• Repair. When carrying out renovations in an apartment, it may be necessary to replace the tee in the sewer riser that supplies wastewater to a vertical pipe to change its configuration, using modern PVC products. In this case, it is easier and more reliable to install a plastic product instead of an old worn-out cast iron pipe, which is not intended for joining with shaped polymer parts.
• Noise insulation. If an inexpensive PVC pipe riser is installed in the house, when using the sewerage system, noise often occurs in it, reducing the comfort of living and using the toilet. One of the radical options for combating sewer noise is to replace the vertical riser pipe with a low-noise, specially designed one that has a higher mass and, accordingly, cost.

Rice. 3 Low noise sewer pipes

Payment for replacement

The answer to the question regarding payment for replacing a riser in an apartment building is contained in Government Decree of the Russian Federation No. 491 dated August 13, 2006. The document determines what is common property, who is responsible for its maintenance and accordingly pays for its repair and replacement.

According to PP No. 491 and its section “Rules for maintaining the property of an apartment building,” each apartment owner pays for the maintenance and repair of all communications in the building. The same information is contained in Article 158 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation “Expenses of owners of premises in an apartment building”: all owners of apartments in apartment buildings are involved in the costs of maintaining and repairing common property.

Thus, all costs for replacing the water supply riser in an apartment building are paid by the housing and communal services from the funds that all apartment owners contribute monthly, depositing money for receipts for the maintenance of common property.

Owner's responsibilities

According to regulatory documentation, the decision on the need to carry out current or major repairs is made by apartment owners. The responsibilities of home and common property owners include:

1. maintain the technical condition of common building communications;
2. if necessary, make decisions about repairs.

The owners themselves are allowed to carry out repair work on equipment that serves only their apartment. Management companies are responsible for repairs of common property. This is a gratuitous agreement that provides for monthly payments that residents are required to pay. In return, general maintenance is provided.

What documents are issued to the property owner?

Upon completion of the installation of the MKD water riser pipe, a “Certificate of Work Completed” must be drawn up, which will state the following:

• date of drawing up the contract;
• serial number of the agreement according to which the act is issued;
• the volume of work performed and all actions taken;
• cost of work;
• name of the person performing the repair work;
• signatures of the contractor and the customer.

This document is made in 2 copies, one of which is given to the contractor, and the second remains with the customer. The contractor is the organization that replaces the damaged element. The customer can be the management company (in which case one copy remains with them and is not given to the owner of the apartment) or directly the owner of the property.

Even if the agreement was drawn up by a representative of the management company and the repair company, the apartment owner should make himself a copy of this act.

Housing office

The housing office or other companies with which the corresponding agreement was signed are required to carry out repair work necessary to ensure that the heating, water supply, and sewage risers are in good condition. To get started you will need:

• plan for their implementation;
• an act indicating the need to repair some
• or parts of the riser;
• presence of leaks and other malfunctions.

You can also contact the Housing Office with a statement, after consideration of which a response should be given.

Is it possible to refuse to replace risers in an apartment building?

“Is it possible to refuse to replace the riser?” - a pressing question for those residents who have undergone a major renovation of the apartment, because the proposed general house procedure implies some damage to the owner’s property in the bathroom. Is it possible to write a refusal?

Based on the information contained in clause 5 of PP No. 491, risers in apartment buildings are common property. According to the law, none of the residents has the right to prevent representatives of the contractor (MC), as well as emergency services, State control and supervision authorities from inspecting the current condition of communication equipment and carrying out repair work. A control inspection should be carried out no more than once every 90 days, and in case of an emergency - at any time.

Thus, apartment owners do not have the opportunity to refuse to replace common communication systems in an apartment building. In response to the refusal, the management company or HOA has the right to sue.

Important Tips

When carrying out operations to replace the riser with your own hands or with the help of plumbers, it is useful to adhere to the following recommendations:

1. The main reason for replacing a cast iron sewer riser is frequent blockages associated with low channel permeability, or significant damage in the form of cracks and falling out fragments . All other malfunctions in the form of leaks, fistulas can be easily eliminated with your own hands using sealing materials: cold welding, epoxy resin and others. Large damaged areas can be covered with applied rubber cuffs secured with clamps - due to the low pressure in the sewer line, high strength patches are not required to repair any damage.
2. Many novice and experienced plumbers carry out meaningless manipulations with sealant, covering cuffs and rubber seals in pipes with it. The sealant is intended for sealing cracks and seams between hard surfaces and is not an adhesive; when deformed, it will not adhere to elastic rubber and will even cause harm, preventing the rubber seal from fitting tightly to the pipe casings.
3. When installing brittle plastic into a vertical gap in a cast-iron sewer line, there is a high probability of it being compressed by the upper column; to eliminate the danger, measures should be taken to additionally secure the upper pipe. Its protruding end is attached to the wall with additional clamps; if possible, you can coat the shell with concrete contact, special glue, and wall up the free area in the wall using materials with good adhesion to cast iron or its new coating.
4. In order not to waste a lot of time when dismantling the old and installing a new riser, it is better to caulk it in advance without removing the pipes. Using a chisel or a sharp screwdriver, knock out the most common cement putty at the top and bottom; if a leak suddenly appears, it is temporarily sealed with plasticine.

Rice.
12 Price list for the services of one of the companies Replacing a cast-iron riser pipe with a plastic one can be done with your own hands; the task is greatly simplified if the apartment is located on the upper floors and the caulking is done poorly using fragile materials. To install a polymer riser, you will need a pair of transition couplings from cast iron to plastic, a cross or tee, a piece of pipe of suitable length, in addition to the standard construction tool in the form of an angle grinder and a hammer drill, you may need a blowtorch.

Possible conflicts and their resolution

When replacing a riser in an apartment, its owner may encounter situations that prevent repair work . Conflict cases may be as follows:

1. Refusal of the management company to replace faulty equipment.
2. Neighbors disagree with replacing the riser in an apartment building.

There is no point in delaying their decision, especially if replacement of the emergency element is required in the very near future.

When contacting the management company with an application to replace the riser in an apartment building, you may encounter a refusal to carry out the work. The reasons may be different, but most often the management organization refers to the serviceability of the communication system. In this case, the owner has every right to sue the management company, as well as to recover monetary compensation from them for the damage caused.

A common emergency pipeline often leaks not only in one apartment, but also in neighbors above or below. Or the riser is in unusable condition and requires a total replacement, and not just a separate “fragment”. Therefore, installation should be carried out in several apartments. But there are often cases when some of the owners refuse to carry out the necessary work.

It is possible to solve the problem through conversations, but they do not always lead to the desired result. In this situation, the best solution would be a trial. But it is not other apartment owners who must apply to the court, but the management company. In his application to the judicial authorities, the representative of the management company puts forward a demand to the court to force the owner to replace the riser.

For your information

Litigation is not a quick process, but it is effective. According to his decision, the owner obstructing the repair undertakes not only to allow repairmen to replace the pipe, but also to install the concealing box (if there is one). The judge can significantly speed up the process of the case by satisfying the plaintiff’s request in accordance with Art. 212 of the Civil Procedure Code.

General rules for independently replacing water supply and sewerage pipes in an apartment

In parallel with the distribution of water supply, plumbing work is being carried out to install the sewer system and replace the riser. It should be noted that the last type of work is estimated to be the most expensive among the services of companies in this area. Occasional replacement of individual segments of the sewer system is advisable, as it avoids sudden blockages caused by a thick, greasy mass with many food particles deposited on the surface of the pipes. The sewer network in all old houses emits a specific unpleasant odor, which distinguishes it unfavorably from modern apartment buildings. Characteristic signs of an old type of sewer system are: loud flushing in the toilet and sinks, quite frequent blockages of the system, leading to flooding of neighbors. Preventive measures used by plumbers are ineffective. Here you will need to act radically and change some of the networks.

One of the plumbing units that often fail due to a large amount of sewage deposits on its surface is a cast iron tee. Blockages cause corrosion of the metal, which damages the riser - cracks develop and leaks form. This causes problems for the owner of the apartment and his neighbors living below.

Before installing a new system, sewer pipes are selected by diameter, and the slope is calculated according to the design documentation. Horizontal sections should not contain 90⁰ turns. Initially, an area is cleared in the apartment where sewer networks will be laid. Next, the specialist dismantles the worn-out, usually steel, pipes and installs new ones made of polyvinyl chloride instead. All modern houses are equipped with this type of pipes. They can be mounted in open and closed (inside walls) versions.

In a water supply system, pipes are often laid in a niche. To improve aesthetics, the niche is lined with brick or tile, and after installation it will be difficult to get to the pipes. If, however, the sewerage system cannot function normally, all surrounding structures will need to be dismantled.

After the pipes have been installed and the riser in the apartment has been replaced, the plumbing elements are connected: a corrugation is installed in the drain, previously connected to a siphon (in the sink or bathtub); The toilet corrugation is built into the riser. Risers can serve for a long time if the installation work was carried out by competent specialists who comply with current standards and regulations.

We recommend that you carefully read the video demonstrating the features of installing sewerage in an apartment:

Complaint about poor quality replacement of risers in an apartment building

If the emergency riser is replaced poorly, the apartment owner has the right to file a complaint against the organization responsible for this matter. The complaint is submitted in writing to the State Housing Inspectorate of a specific region of Russia. It indicates the name and address of the owner where the emergency water riser is located.

The complaint consists of a statement and a request. The application must refer to Art. 161 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation “General requirements for the management of an apartment building” and indicate that the repair work did not eliminate the emergency situation. The petition contains the applicant’s request to oblige the management company to correct the problems in accordance with the standards.

It would not be amiss to attach to the complaint photographic materials proving poor quality work, as well as an act drawn up between the tenant and the management company.

First tap

Who is responsible for the condition of the first riser of the crane, the owners of the living space or the management company?
Over time, almost every owner is faced with this issue. If a faucet leaks, who should pay for the damage?

The supply of hot and cold water occurs through the so-called “risers”. From them, thanks to “bends”, intra-apartment wiring occurs at points of use (bathtub, sink, toilet, etc.).

As it has already turned out, risers are common property for which the management organization is responsible. Homeowners are responsible for allotments. The first tap from the riser is the boundary of responsibility. But who is responsible for it?

ATTENTION! According to the law, namely clause 5 of the Rules for the maintenance of common property, the first taps from the riser are not private property, but are included in the common property of the house.

Procedure

If an urgent need arises, the first thing you should do is contact the management company or housing office. You need to write an application to replace the risers, indicating a good reason and attaching at least 2 photographs of communications. The document is executed in two copies, one remains in the housing office, and the second with a mark of acceptance must be taken with you

To accept and consider the application, it is important that the homeowner be a bona fide utility payer

The following scenarios are possible:

1. The repair team quickly responds and replaces the emergency riser. The owner of the living space, in turn, provides access to the bathroom for unhindered repair work.
2. The management company refuses to replace the vertical pipeline, citing the fact that the pipeline is located on the owner’s premises and the owner of the apartment is responsible for it. In this case, you receive a written response with a refusal. You can then go to court with this document, but the process often drags on for several months.

What you need for self-repair

When carrying out sewer repairs yourself, it is important to consider the following points:

• The management company should be notified of the work being carried out, even if the entire activity is carried out independently and at its own expense.
• Neighbors should be notified about the time of work. It's better to do it in person.
• During the work, you will need to turn off the water in the riser and ask your neighbors not to use the drain.

You should purchase all the necessary materials and tools in advance. To work you will need:

• grinder for cutting pipes;
• perforator for opening interfloor connections;
• hammer, chisel, hacksaw, sharp knife;
• crowbar, nail puller;
• mortar or sealant;
• clamps for attaching pipes to the wall;
• a piece of pipe with appropriate fittings.

Note! For installation of a sewer riser, polypropylene pipes are the best choice.

Advantages of polypropylene pipes:

• mounted in a socket, equipped with a sealing rubber ring from the manufacturer;
• easy to assemble on your own;
• fit well (and are allowed to do so) with cast iron communications.

It is better to have a bucket or large basin on hand, which will be needed in case of an unexpected amount of drainage during dismantling.

What to do to avoid flooding your neighbors

The electricity meters in the apartment must be changed by the owners themselves, and on the landing - by the management company. Balcony repair The issue of balcony repair is controversial. After all, it partly belongs to the owner of the premises - the parapet, the roof, the canopy, and partly the housing and communal services - the protruding slab and load-bearing wall. Accordingly, what is broken is repaired by those who own it. The owner's responsibilities include: Strengthening the parapet. Replace window frames, broken glass, damaged doors. Remove rust and mold. Paint the façade and balcony ceilings with a special anti-corrosion compound. Monitor the condition of external fasteners.

Who should repair the riser and at whose expense?

Planned work to replace risers should be carried out at least once every 25–35 years. Risers are part of the general building communications; if they have become unusable as a result of aging, then their repair and payment must be made by the management company, because the monthly rent includes the amount that should go to the maintenance of risers, pipes and other components of engineering systems. If the residents of a particular apartment decide, on their own whim or as a result of improper operation, to repair the riser, then they must pay at their own expense.

As for municipal houses, they are the property of the city administration, therefore repairs of risers in municipal apartments are carried out at its expense. If repair work is necessary, you need to write a statement and send it to the city or district administration, and they, in turn, send a request for repairs to the management company.

If the engineering systems that require repairs are privatized, then all residents of the building will have to pay for this repair.

Well, and, of course, if the house is private, then no one other than its owner should bear the costs of repairing any engineering systems. Therefore, the owner himself must look for workers who will carry out repairs and pay for their work.

If those responsible for the condition of the risers of a particular engineering system strive to evade their duties, then the repair problem can be solved in two ways:

1. First, you can write a statement and send it to the management company; if there is no response to it, then you can send a complaint to the housing department. Most often, these measures are sufficient, but if the problem still cannot be solved, then you can go to court. This process is quite long and requires a lot of patience and strong nerves.
2. Purchase the necessary materials and pay for the plumber’s work out of your own pocket. This method is more expensive, but at the same time faster and simpler.