How to take care of your apartment

Our target temperature for apartments is 21°C. The temperature can vary by about 1.5°C. Almost all our apartments have smart heating system. It automatically adjusts heating based on indoor temperature, house features, and weather forecasts.

• It is normal for the radiator to feel cool or to be warmer at the top than at the bottom.
• You can measure the temperature in your apartment by placing a thermometer in the middle of the room, about one metre above the floor.
• You can lower the temperature using the radiator thermostat. This can improve indoor air quality and reduce energy consumption.
• Do not use additional heaters. Additional heaters can confuse the heating system and make it lower the heating.

• Check the radiators. Make sure there are no furniture or curtains in front of the radiator or thermostat. This allows the warm air spread better into the room.
• Make sure that the ventilation valves are open. If air cannot flow through them, it can enter, for example through a letterbox or doorway, and cause draughts.
• Air out your apartment quickly, so the warm air does not escape.

If your apartment still feels cold and draughty, report the fault to your property’s maintenance company.

Exhaust air vents are usually located in the bathroom, toilet, wardrobe and kitchen. Clean them regularly, at least once a year. This will ensure that ventilation works as well as possible.

1. Rotate the outer ring anticlockwise. Tug the valve and pull it out. Do not rotate the central control - it will affect the amount of air flow.
2. Clean the vent with a detergent solution and wipe it dry. If the vent has a foamed plastic silencer, vacuum clean any dust from it.
3. Reinstall the vent by rotating the outer ring clockwise.

Our apartments have replacement or supply air vents in the living rooms and bedrooms. Replacement air vents are in the window frame or on the outside wall of the apartment. The supply air vents are in the wall of the apartment near the ceiling. Wipe the vents clean twice a year.

Remember to always keep the vents open to let fresh air into your home. If the vents are closed, the ventilation will not work properly. Air can then come in through a letterbox or a doorway, for example. This can cause draughts, coldness and odours in the home.

If there is too much draught coming from the windows, ensure that the shutters and locks are closed. If this does not solve the issue, report it to the maintenance company. The maintenance company will inspect the windows and seal them if necessary. Sealing helps keep the heat in.

The drain trap of the sink can get clogged if, for example, hair gets into the drain. If the sink drains slowly or if there is a bad smell from the drain, report it to the maintenance company on EAsy. The maintenance company is responsible for cleaning the drain trap.

Clean the floor drain once a month to prevent it from clogging. A blocked floor drain can cause water damage. You can get a filter that collects hair and prevents it from clogging the drain. Use rubber gloves when cleaning the floor drain.

Do as follows:

1. Lift out the floor drain cover. You can use a pen or screwdriver to help, for example.
2. Clean the drain, remove hair and other solid matter. Rinse with warm water.
3. If the floor drain has a separate drain trap, lift it up and clean it. After cleaning, make sure you put the trap back tightly in place. A properly placed drain trap will prevent sewer odours from entering the bathroom.
4. Wash the floor drain and its parts with warm water and detergent. For example, you can use an old dish brush. 

A leaking toilet seat or tap can cause water damage. Report the leak to the maintenance company immediately.

Check if the tank of the toilet seat is leaking:
You cannot always see or hear a toilet seat tank leak, but you can test it:

1. Place a piece of toilet paper on the inside of the back edge of the toilet seat.
2. Wait a minute. If the paper stays dry, the tank does not leak.
3. If the paper gets wet and falls, the tank is leaking. Notify the maintenance company without delay.

Use water wisely:

• In the shower - Turn off the tap while using soap or hair products.
• Laundry - Wash only full loads.
• Dishwashing - Do not wash dishes with running water. Use a sink plug or a separate washbasin.

Do not put grease, cat litter or food waste in the sink, basin or toilet bowl. Trash can block pipes and cause significant damage to the property. Food waste and grease in drains can also attract rats. Put all rubbish in a bin!

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• Sorting

• Remove dust from behind the fridge, the freezer and from the grille on the back of the appliance a couple of times a year.
• Check the fridge’s meltwater pipe/ defrost drain regularly. The meltwater pipe is usually located inside the fridge at the bottom of the rear wall. If it gets clogged, water may accumulate at the bottom of the fridge.
• Defrost the freezer a couple of times a year. Frost build-up in the freezer increases electricity consumption. Remember to monitor the defrosting process to make sure water does not spill onto the floor and cause water damage!

You can find the instructions for the fridge and freezer in the instruction manual left in the apartment, in the digital home folder (EAsy) or on the manufacturer’s website.

Clean regularly behind and under the cooker. Pull the cooker away from the wall so you can clean the cooker and its base properly. If dirt and grease accumulate over a long period of time, they are difficult to remove. Wipe the cooking plates and cooker immediately after use to keep them clean. Also keep the oven and cooking trays clean – burnt dirt can cause an unpleasant smell and affect the taste of food.

Most of the appartments are equipped with a cooker hood. The grease filter of the cooker hood must be cleaned at least 3–6 times a year.

It is important that you clean the grease filter regularly, as a dirty grease filter can cause a fire. When the grease filter is clean, the ventilation in your home will also work properly.

Do as follows:

1. Remove the grease filter.
2. Soak the filter in hot water. Washing-up liquid removes accumulated fat. Most filters can also be washed in a dishwasher.
3. Dry the filter after washing and reinstall it.

You can find the instructions for the cooker hood in the instruction manual left in your apartment, in the digital home folder (EAsy) or on the manufacturer’s website.

• Remember to always turn off the tap after use.
• Do not leave the dishwasher on when you leave the apartment.
• Check regularly for signs of water leakage at the water and drainage pipe joints.
• Clean the garbage filter at the bottom of the dishwasher regularly.

Resident’s own dishwasher

• A dishwasher can be installed in an apartment if there are a dishwasher tap, a space for a dishwasher and an electrical socket in the sink unit at the kitchen.
• Dishwasher installation should always be carried out by a professional.
• A drip tray must be placed under the machine.
• If you disconnect the dishwasher, plug the inlet and outlet connections.

If there is no place for a dishwasher in the apartment, you cannot make the necessary changes to the installation without a permission from Espoon Asunnot. Read more about applying for a permission (link Renovation by the resident) 

The apartment is equipped with a dishwasher

• In our newer buildings, the apartments are already equipped with a dishwasher. You need to check regularly that the dishwasher is not leaking. If you notice a fault, notify the maintenance company immediately.

• We recommend that the washing machine is installed by a professional who can ensure that the connections are pressure-resistant.
• Always keep the tap closed when you are not using the washing machine. This reduces the risk of water leakage.
• Do not leave the washing machine on when you leave the apartment.
• Avoid doing your laundry between 22.00 and 7.00, so you don’t disturb your neighbours.

• Do not store any items in the sauna that don’t belong there.
• Do not dry your laundry in the sauna even when the sauna stove is off.
• Before heating the sauna, check that there is nothing in the sauna that could catch fire.
• Turn off the sauna stove from the control panel after using the sauna.
• If the sauna stove does not work, report this to the maintenance company immediately. Do not use a faulty stove.
• As a tenant, you are responsible for replacing the stones in the sauna stove. Always wash new stones before placing them in the sauna stove. Make sure there are enough stones and that they cover the sauna stove’s resistors. Also make sure that the stones do not crumble.

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• Safety

• Indoor outlets must not be used to power appliances used outdoors or in damp spaces.
• The outlets in stairways are for cleaning and maintenance use only.
• Residents are responsible for their own ceiling lamps (not including those already fixed in the apartment), burnt-out bulbs, fluorescent tubes, batteries and fuses at their own expense. 

Residual-current device

A residual-current device is an additional protective device installed in an electrical cabinet or in a bathroom socket. Test the operation of the residual-current device every few months:

• Press the test button. The lever must move to the 0 position and the power must switch off.
• Restore power by turning the switch back to the I position.
• If the device does not respond when you press the test button, immediately report the fault to the maintenance company. 

The replacement of fuses and the use of automatic fuses

The replacement of fuses and the use of automatic fuses are the responsibility of the tenant. The fuse board is usually in the hallway. If the power goes out in part of the apartment, the first thing to do is to check the fuse board. The fuses should be intact, or, on an automatic fuse board, the switch should be in the up position. If necessary, replace the blown fuse or reset the blown fuse on the automatic fuse panel by moving the switch to the normal position.

• You are not allowed to build fences, patios or other fixed structures in the yard or on the balcony.
• Do not drill holes in the balcony walls or ceiling, or in the building’s exterior.
• Playhouses and other structures must be easy to move. The resident is responsible for moving them when maintenance work is needed.
• Terrace slabs can only be placed on top of concrete slabs belonging to the property, not on a larger area.
• When you move out, you must remove all the structures you have built.
• On balconies, flower boxes must be placed inside the railing to prevent them from falling.

• You can place a trampoline or a small wading pool in your own yard, but not in the common yard of the property.
• The wading pool must not be more than 200 cm in diameter and 40 cm deep (maximum volume approximately 1.25 m3).
• Swimming pools, large paddling pools and hot tubs are not allowed.
• The person who sets up the trampoline or wading pool is responsible for making sure it does not cause any danger or damage.

• You can plant small shrubs, low perennial flowers and other low-growing plants.
• Plant the plants far enough from the wall (0.5–1.5 metres, depending on the plant) so that roots and branches do not damage the building.
• Do not plant climbing plants against a wall.

• You can use an electric or gas grill in your private yard, if it does not disturb your neighbours.
• Only electric grills are allowed on the balcony.
• Always place the grill far enough from walls and windows. For fire safety reasons, it is advised that the grill should be placed at least 4 metres away from the wall. 
• Ensure that no smoke or fumes from the grill enter the building’s ventilation system.

Feeding wild animals is prohibited on the property. Bird droppings make a mess and can spread infectious diseases, such as salmonella. Food left in the environment can also attract rats. Remember that pest control always involves extra costs and therefore affects rents.