Putkissa

Putkissa is a Finnish term meaning "in the pipes." It is the inessive plural form of putki, the word for a pipe or tube, and it is used to indicate location inside piping systems. The phrase is common in discussions about plumbing, heating networks, water and gas distribution, and other contexts where pipes are the subject of maintenance or analysis. In everyday language, putkissa can refer to a literal space within a building’s or utility’s piping network, but it can also be used more broadly to indicate problems within such systems.

Grammar and usage: The -ssa suffix marks the inessive case, so putkissa literally means "in the pipes" or "inside the pipes." It typically governs plural references and is combined with verbs or adjectives describing the state of the pipes, such as "on" (is), "vuotaa" (leaks), or "tukossa" (blocked).

Examples: "Vika on putkissa" (The fault is in the pipes). "Putkissa on vuoto" (There is a leak in the pipes). "Putkisto on tukossa" would refer to the piping network as a whole rather than a single pipe.

Related terms include putki (pipe), putkisto (piping system), vesijohto (water pipe), and viemäri (drain). Putkissa is a neutral, technically oriented term used in maintenance notes, service reports, and coverage of infrastructure issues.