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Has anyone ever had to replace a cast iron baseboard heater? I'm trying to get an idea of how much it would cost to replace about a 10-foot section. We have a small leak so I had someone come out over the weekend and they said it looks like there might be a crack in the cast iron and that the entire 10-foot section may need to be replaced. He said it could be quite expensive. Any ideas?
Baseboard heaters are usually copper. However cast iron radiators in older houses were very common. If it is an older one, we found that the best way to get one is ot go to salvage places. We paid anywhere from $20 for a radiator to $15 per fin for fancier ones. It takes a lot of searching to find the right size. Size does nto ahve to be exact.
If you have the copper ones, they are cheap, just go to a HVAC supply store and buy a new one, or find one online. I owuld nto replace your cast iron with a modern copper one unless you ahve no choice. Cast iron is much more efficient.
Cast iron, maybe...but there are steel versions as well. Interestingly, we have steel on the 2nd floor of our house and cast iron on the 1st. Along with a nice selection of traditional radiators. Anyhow, Coldjensens is probably right - a building salvage company is your best bet. Most of the cast iron/steel baseboard bolted up in component sections...so you you should be able to find some pieces. Remember, too, if it's steel it can be welded, so make that determination first, I suppose. In any event, DO NOT replace old cast/steel baseboard radiation with modern copper finned tube. I've seen it done and it doesn't work right as the heavy, old sections contain a lot more water and have significant mass to hold heat. If you've got this stuff in your house I would bet that your circulators run intermittently - or you might have a gravity system without pumps. Copper finned tube cools quickly so when it's mixed with steel/cast iron radiation it either doesn't do the job [with intermittent or gravity circulation] or you jack up the circulators to run more, and then the steel/cast iron shoots the heat over the target.
I have old cast iron radiators at my three family property, they run on a one pipe steam system. While troubleshooting a leak, I found that one section had cracked in the radiator, about three inches long. I cleaned it with a wire brush wheel on my die grinder, got it spotless. Then I used this two part epoxy I found at home depot (JB-Weld) to cover the area, I attached my shop vac to the inlet of the radiator to pull a vacuum, sucking the epoxy into the crack. Worked like a charm, saved me $$$. This was 5 years ago, still looks like the day I put it on.
I have old cast iron radiators at my three family property, they run on a one pipe steam system. While troubleshooting a leak, I found that one section had cracked in the radiator, about three inches long. I cleaned it with a wire brush wheel on my die grinder, got it spotless. Then I used this two part epoxy I found at home depot (JB-Weld) to cover the area, I attached my shop vac to the inlet of the radiator to pull a vacuum, sucking the epoxy into the crack. Worked like a charm, saved me $$$. This was 5 years ago, still looks like the day I put it on.
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This is a great idea. We have one that leaks. I will try this. thank you.
i have cooper system in my house, but a room above garage does not get enough heat. I was thinking installing one cast iron radiator. if i do it will be mixed, new (cooper baseboards) and one cast iron.
any one have the experience, will this work?
I recently had renovations done and in the process a few end pieces for my cast iron baseboard heat got thrown away. I am trying to find someplace i can get replacements
Has anyone ever had to replace a cast iron baseboard heater? I'm trying to get an idea of how much it would cost to replace about a 10-foot section. We have a small leak so I had someone come out over the weekend and they said it looks like there might be a crack in the cast iron and that the entire 10-foot section may need to be replaced. He said it could be quite expensive. Any ideas?
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Don't replace it
