Advice on a solution to leaking radiator; painting a previously painted cast iron radiator

LynnLennox · February 25

I have an 1858 home in Maine with steam heat. I purchased the house in 1983 and I'm pretty sure most of the radiators are probably originals (other than one or two refurbished that were added during a kitchen renovation). A radiator in a small upstairs room started to leak from the bottom years ago and has been turned off, but I want to start using that room again. I contacted a company here in Maine that refurbishes radiators, thinking that mine was a goner and I'd need to replace it. I always thought this radiator was way too much for this little room and they agreed, after calculating btus based on the info I gave her. She recommended getting the sections apart and turning it into a 4-section radiator, instead of the current 10-section radiator. I would have to use wedges and a sledge hammer to get the sections apart and deliver them for the work. They no longer pick up and deliver. The quote was almost $700. $400 was for sandblasting and painting. So, I have contacted them to see if they'd still do the work WITHOUT the sandblasting and painting. To be honest, I had some radiators sand-blasted and painted 15 years ago. Some are showing rust and are pitted. A radiator I painted with a Rustoleum spray product about 13 years ago is holding up pretty well with some pitting at the section seams on top. Painting technology changes pretty quickly so I'm wondering what the current consensus is on painting one that is in pretty good shape paint-wise. Also, is the above solution the best one for me? Although I could probably order a radiator, I imagine shipping would be ridiculous. I have certainly disconnected and connected plenty of radiators in my 43 years in this house, in order to paint behind them, or to paint the radiators. But at age 71, I don't think I'm up to lugging a radiator up the stairs! The problem is, no one seems interested in doing radiator replacements A-Z around here. Splitting it into sections at least solves the issues of getting the monster down the stairs. The vendor estimated that each sections probably weighs 40 pounds, so that radiator is 400 pounds. If the resulting radiator was about 160 pounds, at least my kids could haul it up the stairs with a hand truck. Here are some photos. Thanks in advance. I've gotten good advice and help from you folks in the past and am a big Dan Holohan fan!

Long Beach Ed · February 25

There are plenty for sale on CraigsList or Facebook Marketplace. Maybe you can find one matching the size you need locally or near buy.

The one you have there is nothing special. And the cost to make it smaller is probably more than it's worth.

They usually sell fairly cheaply. Unless you can do your own work, you'll have to find someone knowledgeable to handle and install it.

If you'd like to keep the one you have, see if the "rebuilder of radiators" knows someone who will handle its delivery and installation. That's not a very big or heavy radiator as radiators go for someone familiar with these things.

Wcurtis · February 25

I used this two years ago and so far it’s working flawlessly and brought new life to the old looking radiator.

Make sure you tape off thoughtfully because its very runny and the spews go everywhere, doesnt mix like regular paint.

Be prepared for a chemical smell after the radiator is used but it does slowly subside.

Bought a radiator paint brush for the hard ro reach areas.

AdmiralYoda · February 25

Here is an alternative thought….maybe you and your kids can fix it yourselves?

I had a similar radiator and one of the push nipples was rotted. I lied the radiator on its side and used four metal wedges, two on top and two on the bottom on each side of the push nipples and the sections came apart without too much trouble. I removed two sections and then reassembled. If too much heat is a concern you can always add a sloooooow vent or a TRV.

Reassembly takes some effort. I had to put the radiator on its side against a solid surface (baseboard with a piece of scrap wood against it to prevent damage) and used a sledge hammer to mate the sections back together. They are a pretty tight fit and will take some pounding to go back….don't hammer the radiator directly, use a piece of scrap in between.

Mine is still leak free about 7 years later. And the paint on your radiator doesn't look too bad. Clean it and put some fresh paint on it. No need for anything fancy. Some Benjamin Moore Ultra Spec HP primer and their Aura topcoat will make it look brand new!

mattmia2 · February 25

You can buy that style radiator new from us boiler or castrads. POR and KBS make some very durable direct to metal paints although they are likely overkill for that application.

EdTheHeaterMan · February 25

One thing to consider is that all your other radiators may also be oversized. If that is the case, you may want to rethink installing the correct size for that room. It may not give you the balance you think you are going to get by installing the correct size. That smaller radiator may need to operate for a longer cycle in order to get that room comfortable but all the oversized radiators will satisfy their respective rooms long before the proper size radiator gets even close to heating the room that it occupies If it was grossly oversized and caused that room to overheat compared to the rest of the home, then a smaller radiator might be in order, but be careful as not to get a radiator that is too small.

As for acquiring the replacement radiator, you may find that there are better deals available than shortening the one you have. Wagner Salvage Has an eBay store and I have heard good things about them. I don't know how close you are to them but they can ship one radiator. Look at scrap and salvage yards near you for something that will fit your needs. Just make sure you can get full credit if the radiator is a leaker, otherwise don't buy it.

mattmia2 · February 25

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1845064#Comment_1845064

The new ones from US boiler seem pretty inexpensive too.

Jamie Hall · 12:16AM

All good thoughts above — but, being me, I'll add a bit.

Paint. I use a top quality acrylic paint, such as Benjamin Moore's Aura, and I've had exceellent results. Clean them thoroughly, use a hand wire brush to get as much rust off as you can, and paint happily. Any colour you want. And almost no smell…

On taking a radiator apart. I do a good bit of car work, so I have no hand a pair of ball joint spreaders. NAPA, I think. They slip between sections, one at the top, one at the bottom, and use a screw to gradually spread. Quarter turn at a time, top and bottom in turns, and the radiator WILL come apart. Without damage (bashing on it may crack it). Then to put it back together, a smear of sealant on the nipples (very thing) or, if the nipples are shot, a ring of red RTV where the sections mate. Push it together by hand. Then use a pair of pipe clamps, again one at the top and one at the bottom. Again, quarter turn at a time, top and bottom by turns. Once it's all together, put in the tension rods, but just a bit over hand tight on the nuts. No more than that.

random12345 · 5:05PM

Speaking as a consumer and not in the trades, while the solutions presented above are useful and potentially doable for a 71 year old who's handy, that rad you have truly is nothing special as another poster said. Not worth preserving. I would buy a new rad with the same EDR and put a Maid O Mist vent with the smallest size opening (I think 4 is the smallest orifice size). Once you factor in paying a moving company to transport it to the radiator refinisher, getting it repainted, removing the bad section, you might as well just get a new one. A used rad is also a possibility, but again, you're going to need to pick it up and possibly repaint, and no guarantee it doesn't have problems. It's possible, even likely, that your boiler is oversized for the existing radiation, so I would not get a smaller rad which might throw off the balance of the whole system. That rad looks like it's about 32" tall, so it's probably 3.5 sq. ft./section, 35 sq. ft. EDR total. I found a site where you can get a slenderized 4 tube, 25" tall, 18 section rad (36 EDR) for a little over $700 including shipping to Bangor in 5-8 days. The rad is about $500, shipping is under $200. The point I'm making is that a new rad may not be as expensive as you think. I would not wait too long though because my understanding is most of these are made in China, and tariffs might have an impact.

Advice on a solution to leaking radiator; painting a previously painted cast iron radiator

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