How tough/strong is an old iron radiator?

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Iron rads are EXTREMELY tough. I have seen them dropped from 2nd floor windows without breaking but they landed on loamy, moist earth--not concrete or each other...

It's difficult but not impossible to break them with a hammer and even a blow from a sledge hammer doesn't always produce immediate breakage.

Police have been known to handcuff the strongest, most violent men to radiators and they NEVER break the radiator.

Unless they're hell-bent on destruction a 10 year-old won't break one and you could put the entire family gathering at Christmas on top of one (and each other) without concern.

The surest way to break a radiator is to fill it with water and let it freeze. The expansion of water when it freezes is a virtual "irresistable force".

Al Roethlisberger

How tough/strong is an old iron radiator?

This may seem like an oddball question, but some recent admonishments I've given members of my family had me thinking... how tough/strong are old(ca1920s) iron radiators?

I've got very typical how water iron radiators, some quite big ones actually for a residential application I've been told.

I'd post a photo, but they are like the typical plain radiators you can see here:

http://www.ocsind.com/images/page4_bttm.jpg


Anyway, at times the kids or even adults will sit or even stand on the larger(approx 24"x72" 6 tubes) ones. I've even seen two grown women park on one of these larger ones like a window seat to get warm.

Now, obviously, these things are really quite tough. But I have to wonder what their "limits" are and if I should really worry about the errant 10 year old climing on top of one, or an adult or two sitting down to get their rear warm?

I have no idea if these are push or screw nipple radiators, if that helps makes them tougher or not, etc... but especially for the longer ones, that long span between the feet at the very end makes we worry that they may break one of these one day or cause a leak if too much weight is put upon them.

I'm thinking that standing or sitting on them really isn't a "good idea".... thoughts? Or maybe they're indestructible *shrug*

Al