Hi community.
Around a week ago I’ve noticed sharp drop in temperature at home – it felt below 18 degrees.
I’ve notified maintenance company. Maintenance guy checked radiators and said they’re working fine but it didn’t help.
Next day temperature dropped to 17.
Week passed and now it’s 15. Maintenance company says that they can’t do anything. Insurance company says that I should call to maintenance company.
I have 3 y.o. kid and don’t understand what the hell is going on and what should I do so any advice is appreciated.
https://i.redd.it/sksakq3tv1gg1.jpeg
Posted by conockrad
9 Comments
I guess you could check your windows next? Perhaps the summer ventilation switch is open, or they need new sealing caulk (or whatever they use, I am no expert, but my guess is insulation is the issue here!)?
If the radiators are cold, maintenance should fix the issue. If the building is just leaking heat, it’s way harder to fix.
What kind of an apartment and building do you live in? Do you own the apartment or are you renting? If renting, is the landlord a private person or a company? If you are renting, contact your landlord. If you own the apartment, contact the property manager (isännöitsijä).
Note also that the temperature shall be measured at the middle of the room at 1 height with a calibrated thermometer. Close to walls or windows there might be colder spots and that is acceptable.
If you have thermostats on your radiator that you can turn yourself, turn them several times from warmest setting to coldest setting, and then leave it on warmest setting. Sometimes the valve needle gets stuck.
If the radiator is only warm at some spots, there might be air inside the radiator that needs to be let out, this is to be done by maintenance company for liability reasons.
Are the pipes delivering hot water to the radiator also cold or are they warm?
Is your apartment building connected to the district heating network, or does it have their own ground/air source heat pump system?
Hot take: you need to seal the windows.
The difference is almost 30 degrees and you say with a straight face that the heating is not working.
Have you asked any of your neighbors if they’re having similar issue?
Can’t edit post so will put updates in this comment:
1) Maintenance company said that it’s “water flow problem”
2) Windows are ok. Vents are closed. TV sockets were leaking a bit but I’ve fixed them with tape.
3) Pipes are slightly warm. Radiator slightly warm only in point where pipe attaches.
Get it in writing that the issue can’t be fixed immediately, so that you can claim the cost of the electric radiators from home insurance (depends very much on how good your insurance is). But from the situation you described, it’s just bad luck with a broken part somewhere in the system that can’t be fixed right away.
Have you tried the frozen peas trick? Put a bag of them on the dial knob thing, it might trick or into higher hot water flow, but if something is totally broken downstream, it won’t work. Label them so you don’t accidentally use them for cooking lol.
Get the radiators, wear wool socks, wear thermals and keep yourselves warm!