My apartment building was built in the 1970 – no insulation and quite drafty.
Do you know of any companies that do air sealing? (i.e. air leaks diagnosis, then caulking / installing wheaterstripping)
Have you worked with them before? Any recommendations? Price range? What right words to search to find those companies / local professionnals?
Please don’t tell me to heat myself first, give me tricks of kotatsu/carpets/blankets/wear outside clothes indoors or tell me that Japanese homes are just like that and to get used to it. I’m not looking for more tips and tricks, just want to reduce the drafts in my mansion. Thanks 🙏☺️
Edit: I understand well how to navigate building science as it’s close to my profession. I’m also not looking for explanations about Japanese building efficiency or moisture problems or how to deal with my building owner/managers. I just want a recommendation for a company or the Japanese name of the profession I need to look for, and possibly a price range! Thank you!
Edit2: I also don’t want to DIY it.
4 comments
Someone’s going to ask whether you’re owning or renting.
A drafty house is really difficult to seal from the inside. You would most likely need to seal along the floor and ceiling, between each plaster board and around doors and windows, inside of closets etc.That would also probably mean you need to rewallpaper the apartment. You probably don’t have the best windows either if it’s a 70’s era apartment.
Since you’re renting the easiest thing would be to move.
Edit* didn’t catch that it was a concrete building even though it’s in the title. So never mind what I wrote.
The issue with air sealing an old building, is that it was never designed for fresh air return ventilation. People often forget this part but you need to exchange air throughout your room to prevent mold. Especially in Tokyo, you might find a lot of owners are not to pleased with this construction work as it increases mold risks exponentially.
To properly do it, youd need to have air return vents fitted to the outside of your rooms and vent work between interior walls. They are called 換気口
Since almost every Japanese buildings dont have air exchange units like western ones, you probably wont be able to get permission from the owner of the building (not building manager) for this type of work.
Why not do it yourself? The windows and door you are easy