Cold wind breezing through the window seams, cold apartment no matter how high temperature
you set for the batteries - most of us know this feeling.
Sealing windows is the single most effective energy saving action one can do during the winter time in Finland. Many old and new houses and apartments suffer from heat leaking windows and that sure is not energy efficient.
There are many ways to measure the heat leakage of your apartment or house. One can rent own equipment like thermal imaging camera and measure the leakage points. Most robust way of finding out whether there are any leakages or not is to hire a specialist to film the whole apartment or house with a thermal imaging camera and draw a leakage map for you.
After you spot the leakages, you can origin the faults to building phase if its in the walls or regular wearing out if its the windows. Most common leakage comes from the windows.
When you know where the heat is leaking out, you are ready to take the energy efficient builders first steps. You can get good equipment but moreover priceless tips and tricks from your local K-rauta. The staff is trained to give you advice on energy efficient building and heat leakages seem to be the most common fault.
After you know what the leakage points are and you have gotten the equipment from K-rauta, you can block all the leakage points and measure with the thermal imaging camera again after a day or two when the temperature evens out. If you dont find any greater leakage after sealing the windows, you have managed well.
You can measure your floors, closets and walls at the same time when you do the windows. For each of these you have your own equipment and tips and tricks, so go to your closest K-Rauta and get on with it.
Energy efficient (in Finnish: energiatehokkuus) building does not only affect the environment but it also shows immediately in your energy consumption which naturally means more money for you.
Remember, winter in Finland is long and cold so if you think of postponing the leakage covering for next winter - you might as well do it now.