Prepare for a heating interruption
Finnish district heating has an exceptionally high level of reliability. In practice, this means that a district heating customer is without heating for less than two hours per year on average. Turku Energia's district heating service has maintained a reliability rate of 99.99% for a long time.
Heating interruptions can still occur, for example due to faults in the network or production, human activity, or prolonged power outages. Nearly all heating systems rely on electricity, including district heating, air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps. Below you will find tips on preparing for heating interruptions, as well as guidance on servicing and troubleshooting your district heating equipment.
You can view the current district heating supply status from Turku Energia on our interruption map.
How to prepare for a heating interruption
Save the following information channels on your devices so you can access updates during widespread or prolonged emergency situations. For example: the 112 Suomi app and Yle News website.
A heating interruption is not a reason to call the emergency number unless there is an immediate threat to life, health or property. However, download the 112 Suomi app app to your phone for emergencies and place its icon on your home screen. The app lets you quickly call the emergency number, and the emergency response centre automatically receives your location when you make an emergency call through the app.
Save Turku Energia's fault reporting number 0800 02001 in your phone. Please note that we monitor the heating network around the clock and update our communication channels as soon as possible. For this reason, there is no need to call us immediately when a heating interruption begins. First, check our communication channels.
Save a link to our interruption map in your browser's bookmarks. We monitor the heating network around the clock and update the map as soon as new information becomes available.
Rugs, towels, blankets, thick curtains or other materials that can be used to block cold air from entering through ventilation vents, doors and windows.
Warm, breathable clothing.
A warm sleeping bag and extra blankets.
Sleeping mats or mattresses that can easily be moved to the warmest room in your home.
Firewood, if you have a fireplace or a wood-burning stove.
You can find preparedness recommendations for households from Finnish authorities and organisations at https://72tuntia.fi/en/
Nearly all heating systems rely on electricity, including district heating, air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps.
If you are building or renovating your home, consider having a backup heat source. Fireplaces, other wood-burning heating appliances and gas heaters can operate without electricity. An oil-fired boiler can also be used during a power outage if you have a backup power system, such as a generator.
If your home has an alternative to electric heating, such as a fireplace, make sure it is properly maintained so it is ready to use when needed.
Take good care of your district heating equipment. You will find maintenance tips below.
A prolonged heating interruption may be caused by a power outage. For this reason, it is also worth reading our tips on preparing for power outages.
Tips for owners of district-heated properties
The typical economic service life of a district heating substation is 20–25 years.
During the summer, keep the heating circulation pump at setting 1 to avoid unnecessary energy consumption. If the water flow doubles, electricity consumption increases eightfold and the pressure loss increases fourfold. However, changing the pump from setting 1 to 2 does not double the water flow.
Most importantly, make sure the expansion vessel pressure is at least 50–100 kPa and no more than 250 kPa.
The greater the temperature difference between the district heating supply and return water, the more efficiently the system operates.
During the first year, it is advisable to occasionally close the shut-off valves and check for leaks. If a valve is leaking, a slight tightening is often enough. This helps extend the service life of the valve.
The domestic hot water temperature should remain stable within two to three degrees and stay below +60 °C. For example, if you notice unusually high temperatures early in the morning before anyone has used hot water, the control equipment should be serviced.
Check the pressure in the heating system regularly, but do not add water unnecessarily. It is normal for the pressure to vary as the system temperature changes.
Do not bleed the heating system or radiators unnecessarily. Bleeding the system requires adding more water, which introduces oxygen into the system and may cause corrosion.
Regularly inspect the pipework for leaks and make sure the control valves are not seeping and remain clean. Timely maintenance helps ensure reliable operation with low maintenance costs over a long service life.
Do not use dirt-removing inhibitors on either the primary or secondary side of the system. They can loosen deposits that clog narrow passages, often resulting in the need to replace the heat exchangers.
If your hot water is clearly greenish, there is likely a leak in the domestic hot water heat exchanger. This allows district heating water to mix with the domestic hot water. Contact a plumbing contractor to have the heat exchanger repaired or replaced. The dye is harmless and does not stain, but you should avoid drinking the water.
If you suspect a fault in the district heating supply, first check whether the heating or the hot water is working normally. If only one of them is working, the fault is most likely in your property's own heating system. If neither the heating nor the hot water is working, call the district heating fault reporting number 0800 02001. We will investigate the issue and provide further guidance if needed.
If the fault appears to be in your property's own equipment, check that the necessary pumps are running, the valves are open, the controls are correctly set, and the pressure in the heating system is sufficient.