Walls getting \"smoky\" on forced hot water system

Geoff Wilkinson, Jr

A friend of mine has a forced hot water system. The problem is above all of his baseboards there are black streaks. I can ascertain what the cause would be on a forced warm air system, but on a hot water system I find it to be out of character. I have heard theories from: it could be the cutting oil used for cutting up the baseboard panels and I've also heard it could be that the walls are just dirty. In one of my friends' rooms, you can actually see the nail markings into the studs from the black "smoke" markings. I find this to be incredibly strange....................

Geoff Wilkinson, Jr

Walls getting \"smoke\" color above baseboards'

A friend of mine has a forced hot water system. The problem is above all of his baseboards there are black streaks. I can ascertain what the cause would be on a forced warm air system, but on a hot water system I find it to be out of character. I have heard theories from: it could be the cutting oil used for cutting up the baseboard panels and I've also heard it could be that the walls are just dirty. In one of my friends' rooms, you can actually see the nail markings into the studs from the black "smoke" markings. I find this to be incredibly strange....................

Geoff Wilkinson, Jr

Walls getting \"smoke\" color above baseboards'

A friend of mine has a forced hot water system. The problem is above all of his baseboards there are black streaks. I can ascertain what the cause would be on a forced warm air system, but on a hot water system I find it to be out of character. I have heard theories from: it could be the cutting oil used for cutting up the baseboard panels and I've also heard it could be that the walls are just dirty. In one of my friends' rooms, you can actually see the nail markings into the studs from the black "smoke" markings. I find this to be incredibly strange....................

Geoff Wilkinson, Jr

Walls getting \"smoke\" color above baseboards'

A friend of mine has a forced hot water system. The problem is above all of his baseboards there are black streaks. I can ascertain what the cause would be on a forced warm air system, but on a hot water system I find it to be out of character. I have heard theories from: it could be the cutting oil used for cutting up the baseboard panels and I've also heard it could be that the walls are just dirty. In one of my friends' rooms, you can actually see the nail markings into the studs created by this discoloration. I find this to be incredibly strange....................

Cliff Brady

Burnham recommends tape

between the baseboard radiator and the wall to prevent streaking up the wall from the warm air movement. The warm air should vent out the front openings only. Taping this with a decorator's touch is the issue.

Patchogue Phil_27

Ghosting

This might be the problem. Ghosting often occurs higher up on the ceiling, but the cause could also be present just above the baseboard.

The combination of humidity in the house plus cold spots on the walls/ceilings attracts the moisture. Then dust in the air inside the house gets stuck to these moist condensation spots. Nailheads on the studs telegraph thru the drywall/spackle. Cold from outside sucks the heat thru the studs.

Ever look directly under the baseboard fins, on the floor? Lottsa dust bunnies. Convection currents (plus lack of vacuuming typical UNDER the baseboards) deposit that dust. Some of it gets carried up with the rising hot air currents generated from the baseboard. The dust hits the moist spots and sticks there.

Ghosting happens a LOT when people burn candles in the house. Many of the candles made today are made so cheaply that they create a LOT of soot and smoke.

Sealing all the air leaks and drafts both in the attic and around the floor & wall connection can cut down on dust/dirt being sucked up from below (basement, crawlspace). The baseboard heat generates a current that could be sucking dust from the wall.

HTH