Noxious radiator odor for years

citydweller

For years me and multiple neighbors get a disgusting odor from our radiators and heating pipes. For me its just the radiator in one of my bedrooms that smells terrible and I have to keep it off and the other bedroom its just mild transient odor but bathroom and living room fine. I asked many neighbors in my building there are 40 apt units and 6 floors some have issues with odor others haven't. And everyone has different areas of the apt that reeks. Some its the bathroom others the bedroom etc. Me and a few neighbors had their radiators swapped out and the only thing that it changed was the odor lol. Management refuses to help and tells us it's all in our heads. What could be the issue. I doubt it's the boiler or else every neighbor would have it. Also some of us have an issue in the shower where the water goes from hot to cold to cold to hot while showering I don't know if it's related to the heating issue.

Mad Dog_2

Dan has an article on this.... Dont be surprised.  .....A normal system should not stink like that.  Mad Dog 🐕 

citydweller

I'm sure it shouldn't lol. In the past everything was fine. Where's the article?

DanHolohan

One-pipe steam?

citydweller

Just a simple radiator

DanHolohan

If they’re adding chemicals to the water the smell of those chemicals will escape from the radiator air vents. 

Erin Holohan Haskell

https://heatinghelp.com/systems-help-center/reasons-why-theres-a-bad-odor-coming-from-the-system-and-where-to-look-for-solutions/

citydweller

My question is how come some neighbors have issues and others don't? Also it's not all the heaters in the house could be just 1 or 2. And all the apartments so far I asked or all randomly apart.

DanHolohan

I can’t answer that from here. 

dko

May not be the answer, but my free standing radiator supplier sent me a batch of radiators that were black primered like the one in your photo (did yours come like that or was it painted black?) and I have had numerous complaints of odor when it was heated.

Normally they have the dark gray primer, slightly blueish hue. They had brought in a batch from a different manufacturer due to shortage. Covid year

Odor remained even after a month after we recommended airing it out. Swapped the radiator to my regular stock one once it came in and odor went away.

It's either the primer or some bad cast iron(?). Never got to the bottom of it, I just returned all the black radiators and said to never send me those again.

citydweller

It's not a radiator issue. I had another radiator before that and it smelled too but different odor. The issue started for me and other neighbors almost 5 years ago.

New England SteamWorks

I vaguely recall Dan's story about the mis-treated building Super, who would urinate into the condensate tank, causing quite an odor upstairs!

mattmia2

You could replace the vent with a steam trap and pipe the vent outside with some tubing. Probably need to mount it upside down so the condensate would run back to the radiator.

citydweller

It's not just me it's multiple neighbors having the same issue. Could it be the boiler? But for it to be the boiler would everyone have issues?

DanHolohan

Are they adding chemicals to the boiler water? Who’s in charge of the heating?

random12345

Can you describe the smell?

citydweller

DanHolohan said:

Are they adding chemicals to the boiler water? Who’s in charge of the heating?

No clue.

citydweller

random12345 said:

Can you describe the smell?

When the issue started my radiator smelled like bleach. They gave me some old radiator from a vacant unit that one smelled like diry old laundry. New radiator smells like gas. My neighbors report different type of odors.

DanHolohan

Ask management?

ChrisJ

citydweller said:

random12345 said:

Can you describe the smell?

When the issue started my radiator smelled like bleach. They gave me some old radiator from a vacant unit that one smelled like diry old laundry. New radiator smells like gas. My neighbors report different type of odors.

What kind of gas?
Gasoline?
Propane? Natural gas? Ether?

dko

You may also have a more sensitive nose. Neighbors that say they don't have an odor may simply not notice or not enough to care. But if you went and smelled theirs, you'd say there was a disgusting odor.

While your conclusions may be logical in your mind, there are other factors that could lead to why some give off odors and others do not. Do not be quick to dismiss the boiler and other potential causes others have mentioned only because it wouldn't make sense to you.

Best thing to do is have someone from management come in while the system is running to verify your claims. Or leave a, "does your radiator smell?" poster in the lobby with 40 empty spaces for signatures and start a petition.

citydweller

DanHolohan said:

Ask management?

They say everything is fine.

citydweller

dko said:

You may also have a more sensitive nose. Neighbors that say they don't have an odor may simply not notice or not enough to care. But if you went and smelled theirs, you'd say there was a disgusting odor. While your conclusions may be logical in your mind, there are other factors that could lead to why some give off odors and others do not. Do not be quick to dismiss the boiler and other potential causes others have mentioned only because it wouldn't make sense to you. Best thing to do is have someone from management come in while the system is running to verify your claims. Or leave a, "does your radiator smell?" poster in the lobby with 40 empty spaces for signatures and start a petition.

Lol. Believe me you'd smell it. Anybody has was in my house said so too. And other neighbors who have the issue have terrible odors as well.

Petition sounds nice but lots of nosey kiss ups here they'd rip it off.

reggi

I don't know if anyone already pointed it out but there was a similar situation ( unsure of the outcome) but perhaps there's something in the words written already that may help you with your situation 😜   
https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/178332/radiator/p1

Intplm.

Water chemistry/water treatment to the heating system is most likely causing this. There are alternative water treatments that can be used. Ask what is being used to treat the system and ask for an alternative that will not have the smell. (Been there, done that.)

citydweller

Intplm. said:

Water chemistry/water treatment to the heating system is most likely causing this. There are alternative water treatments that can be used. Ask what is being used to treat the system and ask for an alternative that will not have the smell. (Been there, done that.)

I know they are doing something but why is it not all neighbors are afflicted only some?

Larry Weingarten

Hi, Is there a public agency that oversees rentals/landlords in your city or county? The landlord likely has to get a business license from someplace. If the landlord won't listen to you, they might listen to the people who could revoke their license to do business.

Yours, Larry

Intplm.

citydweller said:

Intplm. said:

Water chemistry/water treatment to the heating system is most likely causing this. There are alternative water treatments that can be used. Ask what is being used to treat the system and ask for an alternative that will not have the smell. (Been there, done that.)

I know they are doing something but why is it not all neighbors are afflicted only some?

@citydweller ........ Odors/smells are always a tough issue. They can go to the path of least resistance when that path calls for heat and not fade away quickly. And, air movement from other sources can also affect how this can happen.
There is nothing wrong with changing the heating system's water chemistry. It can be done, and can continue to treat the heating system. And it can be done without odor.

citydweller

Larry Weingarten said:

Hi, Is there a public agency that oversees rentals/landlords in your city or county? The landlord likely has to get a business license from someplace. If the landlord won't listen to you, they might listen to the people who could revoke their license to do business.

Yours, Larry

I called 2 different departments of the city and they said odor isn't a violation. And one of the agencies doesn't even deal with that sort of thing. I took them to housing court the judge ruled it isn't a violation although she gets radiator odor issues from time to time. This is why the landlords won't do anything. I bet whatever the issue is will cost a fortune so they won't repair it despite the own 4000 apartments thoughout the city.

citydweller

If the issue is the water treatment...can the odor be hazardous to health?

Larry Weingarten

Hi, I like your question about health. Have you called the health department?

Yours, Larry

citydweller

Larry Weingarten said:

Hi, I like your question about health. Have you called the health department?

Yours, Larry

they dont deal with that.

ChrisJ

citydweller said:

Larry Weingarten said:

Hi, Is there a public agency that oversees rentals/landlords in your city or county? The landlord likely has to get a business license from someplace. If the landlord won't listen to you, they might listen to the people who could revoke their license to do business.

Yours, Larry

I called 2 different departments of the city and they said odor isn't a violation. And one of the agencies doesn't even deal with that sort of thing. I took them to housing court the judge ruled it isn't a violation although she gets radiator odor issues from time to time. This is why the landlords won't do anything. I bet whatever the issue is will cost a fortune so they won't repair it despite the own 4000 apartments thoughout the city.

I do all of the work on my own steam system in my home.
My sense of smell is extremely sensitive and I never smell anything from it. When we first moved in I did notice a smell that seemed similar to rubber, or Band-Aids if that makes any sense. I also know the smell of rusty water pretty well but it was never anything offensive and I only smelled it if I was right by a radiator vent when it was venting.

But after changing everything, rinsing the system out good and running proper water treatment there's never any smell at all especially in the living spaces.

As far as cost, it probably won't much but they need to know what's going on and how to fix it. That seems to be very lacking in the real world. So they would rather just play dumb and hope the problem goes away. Either that or the smell is so little and you're being ridiculous. I'm sorry but, I have to assume that's also a possibility without actually being there.

STEAM DOCTOR

Hate to be the bearer of bad news. Unless the management is will to shell out the money, to properly assess the entire system, you are up the creak without a paddle. Steam is system and you will rarely solve any serious problems by addressing individual components. 

ethicalpaul

Some units might have leaking steam vents which could let a lot more smell in. Some units might have steam vents that are failed closed which will result in a lot less.

You can experiment with taping over the vent's hole during the heating season which might tell you if the smell is coming from the air/steam or from the exterior of the radiator.

citydweller

I experimented with taping the vent and venting it out the window didnt matter. And the smell is so strong you smell it through half of the apt. I had my parents live here and they were disgusted last winter and friends over everyknow can smell how pungent is and again multiple neighbors complain too and no hope. If I had money I'd just move out of here.

AdmiralYoda

@citydweller lets hold on a minute and back up a bit. Some questions.
1. Do you pay monthly for heat based on usage or is it included in your rent?
2. Is electricity included in your rent monthly or do you pay based on usage?
3. Show us a picture of your radiator(s). Is there a inlet valve that can be turned off? What do your radiator vents look like?

My first thought would be to 100% turn off the radiators for a bit either by turning the inlet valve off or removing and plugging the vent. Taping the vent shut probably isn't going to work. The heat and pressure will overcome the tape. And the pressure is probably higher than it should be.

Use an oil-filled space heater for a while to keep yourself warm for at least a couple days. Being an apartment building I doubt it will get seriously cold as the other apartments will keep you warm-ish.

Is the smell still there after this experiment? If yes...it isn't your steam radiators. I'm wondering if years of dead/alive critters are stinking up the place when the pipes warm up.

If it is indeed the radiators...your only choice is probably to go overboard being passive-aggressive. Anonymously post flyers at all the entrances and put flyers in everyone's mailboxes. In plain enough sight so management knows about it.

Something like:
"Recently many tenants have been experiencing odors from their heating system. Are you experiencing odors from your steam radiators during heating season? Management wants to know! Please let us know at 555-867-5309!!! Thank you!"

And keep at it. Every time management begrudgingly rips them down. Put more up.
"Is your apartment affected by heating odors? Let us know, we want to help, call Bob!!"

Then,
"We are scheduling appointments to fix the heating system odors in the near future. Please call us ASAP to make an appointment to have your heating system fixed!"

And make long term plans to get out of the apartment when the lease is up because in all likelihood the landlord is getting paid his/her rent money and doesn't care enough to fix the problem.

ChrisJ

If venting the vent out the window didn't matter the smell is not from inside the steam system.

It's coming from the outside of the radiator or the building it self by the radiator.
It's a cast iron radiator, there's only so much there....

citydweller

Heat is included with rent. I live in the northeast gets very cold here in the winter you need all the heat you can get lol I would get out of this place today but I'm in financial burden and serious health problems that prevents me from working. The rent is old rent from back in the day.

AdmiralYoda

If your electricity is included, use some space heaters instead.

Unless you turn off the radiator(s) completely during heating season to see if the smell goes away, you'll never know if it is the steam heat or something else. There are too many variables to determine the cause without eliminating the steam heat first.

citydweller

I can turn off the radiators obviously. So I turn that one off for sure. Space heaters don't do much and no electricity isn't included.