How to gasify a private house: rules and benefits

You can heat a private house with solid or liquid fuel boilers, as well as electric and gas heating equipment. Operation of boilers of the first type – quite troublesome and costly business, because you constantly need to bring fuel, load it into the working chamber of the boiler, clean the chimney and boiler from ash.

Electric boilers and water heaters are convenient to maintain, but consume a lot of electricity, so the owner of the house will have to pay a lot of monthly utility bills.

The most economical option – the use of gas heating, because the blue fuel is an inexpensive energy resource and after connecting the house to the gas mains, the owner will only need to comply with safety rules and timely maintenance of gas appliances. This article will tell readers how to conduct gas to a private house and what documents are required to collect to obtain permission for gasification.

Which houses can be connected to gas supply

Centralized gas supply provides for the transportation and delivery of natural gas to the consumer. Connecting a capital building to the gas mains includes two stages – organizational and technical actions. The complex of organizational activities includes preparation and collection of the necessary technical documentation, submission of an application for gasification and conclusion of a contract in case of a positive decision of the gas service.

Technical actions: supply of the gas main to the land plot, connection of the house to the gas distribution network, installation of the gas meter and gas start-up.

Gasification of a residential house is clearly regulated by legislation. According to Government Decree No. 1314, gas connection is allowed for capital construction objects. If residential, dacha or garden houses, as well as garages and outbuildings for economic purposes have a strong connection with the land, i.e. are installed on the foundation, and registered as real estate, there will be no problems with their connection. In any other case, gas supply will be refused. Attempting to connect gas supply to non-capital construction objects is prohibited by law and, depending on the consequences, is punishable by a fine or criminal punishment. In an apartment building, gas is connected to the entire building. To connect capital buildings located on the territory of garage cooperatives, gardening or dacha settlements, an application for technological connection is submitted by the owner of the territory.

Required documentation

In order for the gas distribution organization (GRO) to consider an application for technological connection of a residential building to the gas distribution network, it is necessary to collect the following documentation:

• Documents confirming the applicant’s ownership of the house and land plot;
• a document confirming the compliance of the technical conditions of the house with the gas distribution network (TU);
• a copy of the passport;
• scheme of the land plot and the adjacent territory;
• calculation of the planned gas consumption;
• gasification project.

The application also specifies the location of the house to be connected to the gas main, passport data of the applicant and postal address, e-mail address or telephone number for communication. The application can be submitted electronically on the website of the gas distribution company, sent by mail or in the document acceptance center of the gas distribution company. The legislation provides for administrative responsibility for unreliable documents attached by the applicant in electronic format. The address of the gas distribution organization can be obtained from local authorities or found on the Internet, indicating the name of the subject of the Russian Federation.

The contractor considers the application within three days of receipt. If the applicant does not fulfill all the requirements, he is sent a notice that within 20 days it is necessary to provide all the missing information and documents. Consideration of the application is suspended during this time.

Ownership Documents

If you are not the sole owner of the land plot, then the consent for gasification of all adult owners is required. Your rights and the rights of the other owners can be represented by third parties with a power of attorney drawn up in a notary’s office.

If your house will be connected to the gas distribution network from a neighboring plot, the consent of the plot owner is required. However, capacity assignment is possible only if the neighboring building has been connected to the same gas distribution network for at least 5 years and there are no technical contraindications for connecting a new consumer.

A land plot diagram (situational plan) can be obtained free of charge from the local administration, as well as from the BTI and cadastral engineers; however, you will have to pay for their services. The calculation of the planned gas consumption is prepared by the contractor’s employees (GRO). If it does not exceed 5 cubic meters per hour, the document does not need to be attached.

Technical conditions for gasification of a residential building

A request for technical conditions is also submitted to the gas distribution service. They cannot refuse to accept an application for the provision of technical specifications if gasification is permitted by law and the applicant has submitted all the required documents. The expert examination will be carried out within the established deadlines.

The reason for refusal to issue a document on TU may be the lack of possibility of technological connection. In this case, the contractor shall notify the customer of the approximate terms of appearance of such an opportunity. In case of unreasonable evasion of the executor from issuance of the document of technical specifications, the customer may apply to the court with a claim for compulsory issuance of the necessary documents and compensation for damages caused by such refusal.

The following parameters are specified in the document on technical specifications:

• maximum gas flow rate (^m3/hour);
• name of the object;
• terms of connection of the house to the gas distribution main;
• characteristics of the network at the connection point;
• term of validity of the technical specifications.

The calculation takes into account the area of the house, as well as the technical characteristics of heating and water heating equipment. The capacity of the gas mains and the number of connection points are taken into account when developing the TU. A connection point is the point where the gas supply network is connected to the gas main.

According to the regulations, the house must be connected at one point. If there are two houses on the plot, it is possible to connect each house separately.

The TU document is valid for 70 days, excluding weekends, unless a validity date is specified. During this time you should have time to develop a gasification project and conclude a connection agreement. If you fail to meet this deadline, you will have to conduct technical expertise and draw up a report again.

Gasification project

Project documentation is drawn up on the basis of information about the TU. The list of the document includes the following information:

• the place of entry of the gas pipe into the private house;
• distribution of communications on the territory of the object and inside the house;
• the list of necessary works during connection;
• safety measures;
• estimates of works;
• recommendations on technical characteristics of gas equipment.

To develop project documents, the designer on site conducts the necessary measurements, while taking into account the customer’s wishes on the location of gas appliances. The gasification project can be drawn up by specialists of the gas distribution company, but the law provides for the possibility of attracting third-party companies to develop the project, but their services will cost more. However, in this case the documentation will be drawn up faster. When applying to a third-party design organization, it is necessary to check whether it has a license to carry out these works.

Previously, the project for gas distribution in the house was required only for buildings of 3 floors and higher with 1 family. However, according to SP 402.1325800.2018 from 06.06.2019 the gas supply project will be mandatory in other cases when connecting to gas.

Contract conclusion

After drawing up the project documentation and obtaining a permit for gasification of the capital structure, the parties conclude a contract on connection. This document is concluded in accordance with the procedure established by the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. According to the contract, the contractor (GRO) is obliged to connect the house or other capital construction to the gas distribution network taking into account all the parameters specified in the technical specifications. In turn, the applicant must pay for technological connection services. The contract is concluded in writing in two copies. Each party receives one copy, which contains the following terms and conditions:

• list of technical works for connection;
• obligations of the parties;
• terms of works;
• the cost of the gas supply project (except for cases when the project is developed by a third-party organization);
• the amount and terms of payment by the applicant for technological connection;
• the procedure for delimitation of gas consumption and gas distribution networks;
• liability of the parties for non-compliance with the contractual clauses.

The main terms and conditions of the contract are listed here. Depending on the region, location of the object, remoteness of the gas main from the site and other reasons, additional clauses may be included in the contract.

The terms for concluding a contract and connecting gas supply to a capital structure are strictly regulated by law, depending on the category of the applicant. Owners of residential, dacha and garden houses belong to the first category of applicants, as the hourly gas consumption does not exceed 20 ^m3.

If the gas pipeline runs close to the house, the draft contract is sent to the owner within 5 days, excluding weekends. In other cases, applicants of the first category must be sent the draft contract within 15 days. The applicant has 10 days to review the contract. If the homeowner disagrees with any clause of the contract, he/she must notify the contractor within this time. The contract is considered to be concluded from the day when the contractor receives a signed copy from the customer. Changing the conditions is possible with the mutual consent of the parties and is formalized by an additional agreement.

Fee for connecting gas to a private house

After formalizing all legal formalities, the contractor sends to the executive body for tariff regulation an application for establishing the cost of technological connection. In this case, it is necessary to notify the customer no later than 5 days from the date of sending the application. The application shall be accompanied by a connection agreement, a positive expert opinion of the estimated and design documents, cost estimate documentation indicating the cost of each type of work.

Having studied all the documentation, the executive authority within 22 days, excluding weekends, approves the amount of the fee for each type of work separately. If the applicant refuses to connect the house to the gas pipeline after the conclusion of the agreement and examination, the owner of the house will reimburse the executor for all confirmed costs.

Installation of the gas pipeline to a private house

The connection fee obliges the contractor to bring the gas distribution network to the connection point and to prepare the object for gas start-up no later than the terms established in the contract. Wiring of communications on the site and inside the applicant’s house is paid separately. If these works are carried out by specialists of the gas distribution organization, their cost will be calculated according to the tariff rates. In order to save time for work within the boundaries of the plot and inside the capital structure, it is possible to engage third-party companies. In this case, payment will be charged at market prices.

If a gas distribution network is laid to the boundary of the plot, installation work on gas supply to a private house for citizens of the first category should begin no later than 9 months after payment for technological connection. Connection of the house to the gas pipeline should be performed within 10 days from the start of works.

The final stage of installation works is installation of the meter, connection of gas appliances, checking of the system for possible leaks, checking of ventilation and control start-up of gas. These works can only be carried out by the employees of the gas distribution company. After that, a certificate of readiness is signed, the homeowner receives a receipt from the technical inspection, and the documents are again sent to the gas distribution organization. Within three weeks, employees of the state gas distribution organization must come and seal the gas meter. Then a gas supply contract is concluded with the consumer and the capital building is included in the gas supply system. These relations are regulated by Government Decree No. 549.

Benefits and subsidies for gas supply to a private house

According to Federal Law No. 69-FZ (version of 26.07.2019), Article 24 approves a list of persons who can be granted benefits and subsidies for connecting the gas supply to a private house and supplying gas. These include the following categories of citizens:

• pensioners;
• disabled persons of group I, II, III;
• veterans, participants of military operations and their widows;
• large families;
• liquidators of the Chernobyl accident;
• low-income families.

The amount of benefits is regulated at the federal and regional level. In most cases, a 50% privilege for gas connection is granted to owners of private houses belonging to these categories of citizens. However, the regional authorities of certain constituent entities of the Russian Federation may refund up to 90% of the cost of connection. Veterans and disabled veterans of World War II, blockade survivors, as well as persons who have reached the age of 80 may be granted 100% compensation.

To formalize compensation, you need to apply to the social insurance fund at the place of residence. You need to have with you:

1. Passport.
2. Documents confirming the ownership of the capital structure.
3. Pension certificate (for pensioners).
4. Medical documents confirming disability (for disabled persons of group I, II, III).
5. Certificate of family composition.
6. Certificate of income (for low-income citizens).
7. Contract with a gas distribution organization and a gas supply contract.
8. Acts of work done.
9. Payment receipts (to confirm the purchase of gas equipment and gas supply connection).

In case of providing false information, arrears, lack of documents or incorrectly filled out application, the compensation will be denied. Working pensioners can also be denied a subsidy. According to the legislation, preferential categories of citizens are obliged to confirm their status annually.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the convenience of operation and cheapness of blue fuel will pay off the troublesome and expensive procedure of gasification.