USA Radiator emitting strong odor when heat goes up

[MARTIN LISTER]

Hydrogen sulphide gas venting from inside the radiator?

 

[John93]

Martin,

I don't think the old rad was venting sulphide gas. If you look at the pics in the thread. Who ever painted the rad before I bought this place, used multiple layers. And it appears like the top layers have formed a kind of seal, where the layer closest to the rad is off gassing, but the now hardened multiple layers surrounding it, are sealing it in and not really letting it burn off.

To Gmartin. I got screwed because this is a co-op property. Meaning I am the owner of this unit. The building is supposed to replace the rad. But now that this guy has used insufficient length, my main concern is not enough heat and down the road, difficulty selling this unit. Yes they paid for it. But it does not appear like they are going to go after this plumber to get him to put in the correct rad.

My question went out to any plumbers who may be able to predict if 5'5" will sufficiently heat a room that is well insulated. Heated rooms above and below. Double pane windows. Carpet. I think the building wants to see how much heat will actually be produced. I was not over reacting. I have had to get a lawyer involved just to get the building to replace the rad. They were supposed to replace it way back in 2014. Dropped it without any warning. It is only when I acted on the advice that JTS gave me, getting a lawyer involved, that the building finally took action. But the plumber screwed up. And now it is uncertain whether 5'5" will produce enough heat to comfortably use that space.

Not only did the plumber knowingly use the wrong rad to pocket more money for himself. But the building is not exactly on my side, and will not likely go after this guy. Which means I will have to go after them.

I don't know if they have co-ops in the UK. But moving into this kind of arrangement was a huge mistake. I regret it, and am trying to get the rad sorted so as to sell it and move out. But the problems persist. As if the plumber is not enough of a pain, the building does not want to do what is called for which is to get this guy to replace the rad with the correct model.

So yes, while I did not pay for it. The potentially insufficient rad, may affect my ability to sell this unit, and that is definitely screwing me over. To which there is no over reaction. Only an attempt to equalize and set right what has been misdone.

To anyone not familiar with co-ops. There is a board of directors. They are supposed to be chosen by the rest of the shareholders. But in some cases, as in this building, the majority of the owners do not want the burden of being on the board. And so the people who are left over and put to that task, are not only under qualified, but ill tempered and just generally the bottom of the barrel. These kinds of people can sometimes worm their way into positions of authority or decision making. And that is what has happened here, and it is the #1 reason I want out. The rad is the only thing that requires attention, as I do not want to do to the new owners what the previous owner did to me, which was sell me a unit with a rad that was off gassing.

Of course the obvious answer is to wait and see what the rad outputs. But my question was geared towards anyone who may have experience with this sort of thing and perhaps can relay some idea as to what I can expect.