The expert spoke about the impact of an abnormally warm winter on the operation of heat meters

The winter of 2025-2026 in Russia promises to be warmer than usual: the average temperature may be 1-2 degrees above normal, especially in the northern and eastern regions. According to the Ministry of Construction of Russia, the heating season has already begun in most regions, and the level of readiness of the municipal infrastructure for its launch has reached more than 98%. On November 2, Stepan Cups, Commercial Director of Teplokom, told Izvestia about the effect of abnormal heat on the operation of heat metering devices.

He explained that a warm winter reduces the heat load, reduces the duration of intensive heating and balances temperature fluctuations, which reduces peak loads on the network and allows the equipment to operate in a gentle mode.

However, reducing heat consumption has a downside. When the heating is running at minimum power, the impact of system errors in heat measurements, metering devices, and heat loss estimates increases. With low coolant flow rates, even minor inaccuracies in measurements of temperature or volume of water can greatly distort the final results. In addition, changes in hydraulic conditions at low temperatures of supply and return of coolant can affect the accuracy of flowmeters and thermal sensors.

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"A warm winter not only means saving resources, but also represents a test for accounting systems. With reduced loads, the relative role of errors increases, so the reliability of measuring equipment and the correct configuration of metering units become especially important," explained Cups.

Residents were advised to carry out a technical audit of the devices in advance, check their calibration and the serviceability of automation. It is also important to monitor temperature dynamics and actual heat consumption in order to notice deviations in a timely manner and optimize heat supply modes.

Despite the general warming, experts do not rule out short-term cold spells. Therefore, the systems must be prepared for a rapid increase in power without the risk of overload and measurement errors.

On October 6, Alexandra Fileva, an expert at the Hemotest laboratory, told Izvestia in which cases it is more useful to wear a sweater than to turn on the battery more strongly. Excessive dryness of the skin and mucous membranes negatively affects their protective function. The skin loses its natural lipid barrier, and the production and quality of secretions of the mucous membranes decrease. They become more vulnerable to infections and irritants, such as allergens.

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