repairing cas iron baseboard

bovide_4

I just visited a customer's house with several leaks in his cast iron baseboard radiators. Can they be pulled apart, sanded, and the push nipples replaced? Would sealant help? I still have a can of "expando", never used.

Tombig_2

CIBB repairs

Of course they can be repaired. Pull 'em apart, clean with steel wool or emery cloth, clean rad and new push nipples with solvent, lightly silicone, and reassemble with new push nipples. If the radiator machining is etched from a long time leaking you may need a more aggressive abrasive (sandpaper) and sealant (epoxy). Don't use just the draw bolts to tighten. If you don't have an assembly tool hit the end with a sledge and block of wood while tightening the draw bolts. Take care setting long sections in place, sometimes six arms helps.

Good luck, Tom Goebig