New radiator smell

bherrick71

We just had a brand new radiator installed. The plumber had to solder a fitting onto a copper pipe to connect it to the radiator valve, then used pipe dope several times in all the junctions. Since it first started getting hot, there's an odor every time it heats up. It's been about 5 days. Is this standard? Is it the smell of the pipe dope heating up? And will it go away at some point?

EdTheHeaterMan

Edit. MOST Pipe joint compound does not smell that much and certainly does not last for days. Is the smell like paint or is it something else?

Did the plumber use excessive pipe dope? Did the plumber wipe off the excess pipe dope? Did the plumber leave a can of pipe dope or some other chemical near the radiator... maybe with the cap off?

bherrick71

Re: pipe dope--you can see it at the joints--there's a little there. There is no can open anywhere. It just smells like burning.

Danny Scully

Is this a 1-pipe steam rad? If so, it shouldn’t be copper but let’s just assume that’s what he had to connect to…it terms of the smell, it can take some time for it to dissipate, but the boiler should really be skimmed which would help with the smell and overall system performance. 

bherrick71

Single pipe, steam heat. This pipe is copper. Whole house is cast iron pipes, except for a 2 foot section that runs into the kitchen, which is what he had to connect to. (He had to shorten the pipe a little, and solder a new fitting onto the shorter pipe). 

So what exactly is the smell? Good to know skimming can help.  

EdTheHeaterMan

Danny Scully said:

Is this a 1-pipe steam rad? If so, it shouldn’t be copper but let’s just assume that’s what he had to connect to…it terms of the smell, it can take some time for it to dissipate, but the boiler should really be skimmed which would help with the smell and overall system performance. 

I did not think of the air venting from a radiator in a steam system. I assumed water radiator. Was the radiator new from the manufacturer with the openings sealed with plastic caps, or was this a second hand radiator from somewhere else? If the radiator was sitting around outside for some time then there could be any number of things growing inside it. 215° steam will eventually kill that stuff off. Just hope it is not a mouse or something, that will take a long time to burn off.

JohnNY

The radiator is new from the Governale Industries factory and we prepared the threads appropriately to make the connections. The smell is going to go away, Brian. I promise.

EdTheHeaterMan

Brian, You didn't say that @JohnNY installed the new radiator. You are in good hands There is no one better at this in your area!

bherrick71

I knew we were in good hands—I just wanted to know what to smell was . I’m just curious as to what it is! Appreciate it, John.

JohnNY

bherrick71 said:

I knew we were in good hands—I just wanted to know what to smell was . I’m just curious as to what it is! Appreciate it, John.

I've always been told that the smell comes from "talc" used in the manufacturing. I have no idea what that is/does but new boilers have that smell too. And yes it drives some people crazier than others, but it's always there at first and for a few days.

bherrick71

Got it! I’ll just have to bake some cookies!