Radiator smell

modelreject

I have looked around the web for causes/solutions to a smelly upstairs radiator. It only smells when the heat is on and although doesn't choke it is nasty to breath in for a while as it drifts downstairs. It smells old, fusty and a bit burny. I am assuming it is the paint but have never experienced this before.

I was wondering if you have any advice for solving this problem on the cheap, bar turning the radiator off and getting a new one.

Many thanks,
C

MX5huggy

I would try turning up the heating to full heat on the boiler, on a scale of 1 to 10 it should normally be on 6 or so.

This will hopefully clear the smell when you turn it down.

modelreject

It's been on high alot over the past year and it still stinks. Would burning emulsion paint smell?

Chunks

Could be paint (if oil based) or just dust. When mine first come on after non use, they smell a bit funky (note smell not as in Level 42...) smell soon passes. I have rads with fins and these trap dust. My rads upstairs are painted (now) with a water based satin paint and don't smell.

Try cleaning (if dusty) and/or repainting (if appropriate).

lutzi1

1) Do you have any animals in the house which might have peed on it?
2) Check there isn't a dead mouse or or some other foreign body behind it.

HTH.

modelreject

I will give it a good scrub with brillo and wire wool then repaint. Hopefully that fixes the problem. Ta everyone!

DVardysShadow

modelreject wrote: »

I will give it a good scrub with brillo and wire wool then repaint. Hopefully that fixes the problem. Ta everyone!

Scrub it first and try it. Putting paint on may seal the problem in an make it harder to deal with.

ariba10

It is probably the paint that you can smell.

It will wear off in time. (Paint it again and you will be back to square one.)

modelreject

Thanks for all the tips. Got it sorted!!!

I carefully used the back of a chisel to scrape the paint when the radiator was on. It was sticky to the touch went heated and went peeled it was almost rubbery. Just to sand down and repaint with proper radiator paint. the previous owners were prats to use whatever paint it was. It was in a childs bedroom to and the fumes were horrendous!