Help! Noxious Fumes from Painted Radiators

L. Brunn

Help!
A repeat of a previous message posted on the wall. I painted 1928 radiators with a metal primer, and then an oil based paint. Now the heat is on, and the fumes from the radiators are horrible. Will it burn off, or what? Please advise, I know this is a health hazard. Thanks.

John S.

If they're steam...

they should bake the paint relatively quick (overnight). After that, there shouldn't be much for actual fumes. Maybe just smell for a few more days.

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L. Brunn

Yes, they're steam

Thanks for your reply. I hope you're right about the burning off of the fumes. Since it hasn't been cold enough to run the heat more than 1 time a day, (we have a wood burning insert,) I guess I'll just have to run the burner and open the windows. Thank you, Again.

Roy Scott

smelly radiators

I have owned a commercial building for over 25 years. We have about 80 steam radiators dating back to 1934. Every other tenant paints, or wants me to paint, their respective radiators. Being a tech type purest I prefer sand blasted "clean" radiators. However, over the years I have been beaten into submission & do paint or assist tenants painting their radiators. The fresh paint stinks the worest for a few days or so, gets better in a week or so and then settles down. Crank the heat up for the first few days & open a lot of windows. Like a bitter pill face it & deal with it at once. If you try to hide it, ... it will take forever to go away. Slow "burning" a painted radiator will have a stinch for a long time, ... I did that also.

Roy Scott

ps

Makes no difference about Latex, oil, epoxy, laquer, polyamide, etc., ... they all stink as they "burn" off.

ScottMP

Roy

What type of paint holds the best ??

Scott

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Roy Scott

best paint

Epoxy, two-component polyamide (polyesters), polyurethanes all have great adhesive properties but tend to be expensive, especially to paint something as mundane as a radiator. A good latex made for painting metals is ok also. A large auto repair store have a good selection of "high temperature" spray paints for use on auto engines & parts under the hood (hot zone), ... they are usually a acrylic enamal or laquer. Paint spraying a radiator, or paint spraying a ventian blind or louvered door, or a louvered window shutter is a whole 'nother can of worms.

Roy Scott

ps on best paint

All the paints will adhere since you are essentially "baking" the paint after the paint application. Assuming you clean & prep the radiator before painting. Even "baking" paint is usually done from the outside only, ... like sending a newly painted car thru the paint "bake oven". You are, will be, baking the base material & the paint at the interface, at the most critical time, for a long time, thus assuring a more ideal paint bond.

thfurnitureguy_4

they all hold if you prep. use a 150 grit to sand all yes all surfaces the ones you miss are the ones that peal. paint sticks to the small scratches you install from sanding or sand blasting. Thinning oil baised paints a little will allow it to soak into the scratches on the first coat (this is called a wash coat). Let it tack off and re-coat with a full strength coat. If further coats are needed let dry for a few days or it will wrinkle. Do not use polyurithane paints like Rustolium industrial they do not handle the temp and burn/ stink/ flake/ off oil based house paint like from the paint store works fine, just prep.

Mad Dog_2

Openthe windows and let it rip

The stink WILL go away. Health hazard? Relax you breathe worse things in traffic. Mad Dog

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