Topics
Reference topics
The reference is split into four topics, covering the questions that come up most often for anyone running a flat or a house. Each section brings together different kinds of material: step-by-step articles, short answers, collections and glossary terms. If you are not sure where to begin, pick the topic that is bothering you right now.
A home is a system: water, heat, electricity, belongings and people. It is easier to understand when you look at it one part at a time.
Selection criteria: the question is one an ordinary resident asks, not a professional builder; it can be answered without brand names, prices or invented standards; and if the safe answer is "call a professional", we say exactly that and give no instructions for work that requires certification.
Order and storage
How to arrange your things so they are easy to use, how to clean without excess chemicals and how to prepare for a move.
- A step-by-step deep clean
From sorting your things to the results checklist, with hypothetical examples and common mistakes.
- Your first flat
A collection for people who have just moved in: what to check and how to set up the household.
- Cleaning terms
The difference between cleaning and disinfection, and why products must never be mixed.
Kitchen and food
Safe food storage based on WHO principles, order around the cooker, household chemicals in the kitchen and what to do if you smell gas.
- Answers on kitchen safety
How long cooked food can stay out, how to store raw and cooked food, who to call if you smell gas.
- A five-step home walk-through
A quick check on the home page: the kitchen and hob are one of the five steps.
- A home with children and pets
A collection on storing chemicals and medicines out of reach of children and animals.
Utilities
How to read a bill, where to view charges, how to submit readings and why meters need verification.
- Answers on bills and meters
What a personal account is, where to view charges and when verification is due.
- Utility terms
Management company, utility supplier, GIS ZhKKh, verification interval.
- New articles
A feed of reference articles with their preparation dates.
Repairs and maintenance
Small repairs you can do yourself, seasonal checks of your home and the cases where you need a professional.
- Repairs: DIY or a professional
Short answers on which jobs are safe to do yourself and which are not.
- Before winter and before summer
A seasonal collection: windows, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and water.
- Building services
Riser, stop valve, circuit breaker, RCD — short and clear.
Related sections
Sources
- Housing Code of the Russian Federation
- Federal Law No. 209-FZ on the State Information System of Housing and Utilities (GIS ZhKKh)
- WHO — Five Keys to Safer Food
- EMERCOM of Russia — safety leaflets
Information is accurate as of the preparation date. Housing and utility rules, the way meter readings are submitted and official service guidance change over time, so check current details in the original sources, on your own bill and with your service provider.