Rusty Radiators?

Question

Hi i am from the uk i own a house with some radiators that have gone rusty at the bottom the offending radiators are situated in both bathrooms , the small toilet and the kitchen. My question is how can i cure and repair / fix this problem

can anyone please help?

Answer 1

Run a flushing agent through the system. Twice to get the best effect. Then add fresh inhibitor to the system.

The reason they have rusted is presumably because there is so much gunk in your system that it has settled at the bottom of the radiators you mention and is rusting them from the inside.

If they are really bad you will find that using a wire brush or even sand paper to remove the rust will just cause holes to appear and water to flood out. Therefore if really bad it is easier just to replace. If you get radiators the same size when you replace then it is a simple job with a wrench and a roll of plumbers mate.

Answer 2

Turn radiators off, when they are cold get a wire brush and scrub them till rust and previous paint rubbed off. Re apply with radiator paint or spray, leave for 24 hours to dry properly, then turn radiators back on. Save you a few quid doing it that way, and they will look brand new if you take your time and do a decent job.

Answer 3

HI there.

It sounds like you do not have any fans or proper ventilation in these rooms.I would agree that the best course of action is to remove and replace them.

Have a plumber do it and ask him/her to update your controls as well (thermostatic valves ) .

Do you have many radiators in the system?

many thing influence the result but ventilation is the key.

Answer 4

It will be best to fit a new rad.

they are cheap.

The old ones will leak before long.

Switch off the boiler, drain down the system.

Remove the old one (beware of dirty water), fir the new one.

Add inhibitor to the system tank, refill the system, bleed, fire up boiler. Bleed again.

Job done.

A Rad

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/56912/Plum...

Inhibitor

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/94270/Plum...

Answer 5

Bathroom radiators tend to go rusty at the bottom.

Must be something to do with condensation.

Scrapethe rust off and sand it down, then paint them.

Be prepared to paint them regularly, i.e. every couple of years.

Answer 6

First make sure that they are not rusting through.  If the rust is mainly of the bottom seam you should be OK, but if it runs up above this, it's best to replace the radiator (or you could get a very wet surprise).

If it's just superficial, rub it down with fine wet & dry to get a smooth surface and paint over it with smooth Hammerite.  This binds with the rust and gives a strong enamel surface.  You can paint over it next time you decorate.