Radiator cleaning: features of internal and external

And practice proves that it is necessary to look after radiators. Timely serviced constructions will please you with warmth throughout the heating period. And it is only necessary to periodically carry out inspections, and cleaning the radiator once every 5-7 years will relieve you of so many troubles.

About types and techniques

The cleaning process consists in removing the old paint from the outside of the radiator and various deposits from the inside.

Therefore, cleaning happens:

1. Outdoor, namely:

• Mechanical;
• Chemical;
• Thermal.

1. Inner. This type of cleaning has its own methods:

• Mechanical;
• Chemical.

For information! Options for cleaning radiators are much more, we highlight those that you can do yourself without special equipment. Although the mention of one such method will be.

Outdoor cleaning - troublesome methods

The radiator is a design that does not like the extra “clothes”. Timely cleaning and dust cleaning will relieve you of some problems, the vacuum cleaner will cope with this perfectly. But if during the repair of the premises there was a desire to repaint the old radiator into a cheerful, refreshing color, then it is necessary to remove the old paint and apply a new one.

This is done as follows:

1. Abrasives. You can use different tips on the grinder, brushes for cleaning metal surfaces, just sandpaper to remove the old layer. This method is invented for the "thrifty". He protects your wallet from unnecessary openings, but spends your time on the production of the entire range of works.

Tip! You have decided to clean the old paint in this way, be especially careful when working at the junctions of the links of the links. Abrupt movements with abrasives can damage the rubber sealing pad. As a result, together with a clean outer surface, you will receive a beautiful leak.

1. Temperature effects. You can clean old paint with a building dryer or blowtorch. Yes, you will see the result much faster, and the cleaning itself will take much less time. Paint under the influence of heat in hundreds of degrees Celsius instantly begins to peel off bubbles, but there is a "but."

Note! Temperature effects will not spare the rubber gaskets, which have already been mentioned. Therefore, if you are not ready to disassemble the battery into sections, then you will also have to forget about this method.

We use weighted

If you have time, and the desire to mess around with batteries is thorough, or besides cleaning the radiators from the old paint layer, you have a need to replace the old "leaky" gaskets.

In this case:

• Shut off the cranes leading and discharging, unscrew the connecting nuts with a wrench;
• We release water from the radiator into pallets and buckets. Dehydrated battery is removed from the brackets, laid on a horizontal surface;
• Special keys make the analysis of the battery section by section;

Tip! When joining the links, one connection has a right-handed wrap, another left, so as not to be mistaken, look at how the end-to-end plugs were screwed on, the connecting nipples will also be inserted. And yet, it is better to carry out the dismantling of radiators and the subsequent assembly together. With the build-up of sections it is quite difficult to carry out a uniform fit and pressing of the section.

• The disassembled sections are subjected to mechanical or heat treatment, after which we proceed to the assembly;

On a note! One type of final cleaning is steam cleaning of the radiator. This technology is more applicable for auto repair shops, but you can take advantage of the achievements of mankind, if the opportunity exists.

• A nipple with a new rubber gasket is screwed into one joint and baited on the other;
• Special keys of the connection are twisted and tightened to a complete hermetic connection;
• The entire battery is fully assembled.
• The result of all the action - you have a completely cleaned battery + replaced gaskets in the nipple connections.

And if replacement is not needed

Indeed, the replacement of gaskets is not always necessary, analysis and collection of the heater in a new way is troublesome and time consuming. How to clean the radiator then? Quite simply, there is a special outdoor radiator cleaner. Speaking in a simple way - this is the same paint remover.

Instructions for its use standard:

• A wash is applied to the old paint with wide brush strokes;

Tip! When working, the remover does not wet the surface, but washes; there is no need for savings.

• At the end of the waiting time (maybe 10 minutes, up to half an hour), the old paint begins to peel off from the radiator;
• The radiator is cleaned with a spatula.

Note! Paint remover - an active chemical reagent that will gladly remove old paint from the radiator and from the floor, varnish from the parquet, and the protective coating from the laminate. To prevent the undesirable action of the cleaner, a thick cloth is spread on the floor under the battery, it is possible burlap. Ideally, the battery is, of course, removed.

• That's it, the heater is ready for painting.

Internal cleaning

External heating radiator cleaning is aesthetics, interior is the quality of heat transfer. Go to the internal cleaning.

Let's start with the mechanics:

• Disconnecting the radiator from the network occurs by simply closing the taps;
• The connecting nuts are unscrewed and the whole complex is removed from the brackets;
• Visible mud deposits are removed by a brush or crocheted wire;
• Next is washing the battery with a stream of water.

Tip! There are recommendations for cleaning the battery in the bathroom. It is advised to lay out thick fabric, to construct a wooden platform or to lay a sheet of hardboard in order not to damage the enamel. We recommend that you not do this in the bathroom. When washing the radiator, dirt and debris from the side parts of the structure, not mechanically cleaned, goes to the sink. As a result, you can get a non-washed radiator, a clogged bath drain system + an unforgettable aroma of technical mud. If possible, radiator cleaning should be carried out only on the street. Unless of course this is not possible, nowhere to go, use the bathroom.

• The batteries are washed to clean water, after the whole structure is assembled and discharged into its old place.

From mechanics to chemistry

Mechanical cleaning of the radiator is a fairly simple and effective method, but there are situations when complete cleaning is not possible. In the old batteries under the influence of temperature and chemical reagents formed a conglomerate, which is almost impossible to wash off with water.

Then on the scene there are numerous chemical compounds, acids and alkalis.

Instructions for their use are almost the same type:

• Cleaning the radiator with citric acid, caustic and other agents begins with the dissolution of chemical compounds with hot water;

Recommendation! Water that is boiling is not used, the 100 degree temperature contributes to the destruction of acetic and citric acids. Water of such temperature interacts very poorly with caustic.

In more detail about simple ways in the table:

Note! Do not expect great wonders from simple reagents, you can use special car washes, but get ready for a pay for the effect, the price is much higher than a bag of citric acid.

Finally

How to clean the radiator outside and inside, we disassembled. The video in this article will demonstrate simple and effective techniques, proving once again that cleaning the radiator is useful and sometimes necessary.