Topic Acrylic battery paint can show rust

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There is no single rule here, and therefore each person has his own point of view on how to properly wash the radiator. But as practice shows, you can first clean it from accumulated dust, and if the radiator is located in the kitchen, then from the greasy film.

After removing the battery and doing the necessary work inside it, you just need to fix the places where the stains remain, and then pour water on top. After that, it is left for the required time to dry.

How to remove dust from the outside of the radiator with a dry method

There are two ways to clean the outside of the battery from dust without water:

• with a vacuum cleaner;
• using a hair dryer.

The first method is to use a vacuum cleaner. If the radiator fins are located close to each other, or, even worse, there are plates between them, then you should work with this technique with nozzles. Among them there are small ones, they are specially adapted for small cracks and hard-to-reach places.

In the second way, you can clean the battery like this: between it and the wall there is a large damp cloth leveled over the area of ​​the wall. Then they blow out all the dust between the ribs. It flies away towards the damp matter and sticks to it. At the end of the procedure, carefully remove this rag and rinse.

These options for cleaning dust from batteries are suitable for weekly cleaning, and for general cleaning, the radiator should be washed more thoroughly.

How to clean a battery well?

Many housewives want to know how to quickly and efficiently wash the battery. To answer, you should know the degree of its pollution.

It may have slight dust contamination. In this case, in addition to dry cleaning, you can wash with plain water. Boiling water is the best option, because at a high temperature the liquid has an increased activity, and you can get a better result.

To do the washing procedure, you need to prepare. To do this, they stock up on containers, into which water, rags and boiling water should eventually drain. A rectangular dish should be placed under the radiator so that it organically stands near the wall, under the battery. They begin to gently pour boiling water over the top of the radiator, it will drain into the prepared dishes and take the dust with it.

A good answer to the question of how to clean the battery inside between the fins is to use a steam mop. Before starting the process, cotton rags are spread out so that moisture is well absorbed. Hot steam does the job easily.

With severe contamination of the radiators, "heavy artillery" is prepared. These are detergents with sprayers and various brush configurations (with bizarre curves). The housewives begin their work by moistening the battery, and then there is a spray of household chemicals over its area. After that, the radiator is left for a while so that the tool does its job. Then wash with warm water and brushes.

Remove rust from radiator

There are several ways to remove rust from the metal surface of a radiator.

The simplest one is mechanical, that is, we take a battery, take metal brushes and sandpaper and clean off all the rust, and a layer of past paint.

(Of course, the method is very long and difficult, but the most effective). You can also use the sandblasting method.

But, sometimes there are cases when the mechanical method cannot be used when we use mechanical compounds:

• We prepare a solution (500 ml of water, 105 g of ammonium, 100 caustic soda, 400 g of 40% formalin, then add another 500 ml of water), add 10% sulfuric or hydrochloric acid (100 to 3) to this solution. The detail is needed, first of all, degrease (for example, with gasoline) and allow to dry, then the rusty parts must be dipped in the resulting solution for 20-30 minutes, then rinsed thoroughly with hot water.
• Use tin chloride (dip rusty parts into it) then rinse and let dry.
• Fish oil (it is applied to the problem area and left for several aces).
• If there is little rust, then you can moisten the cotton wool with kerosene and wipe off the rust with it.
• Remove rust with machine oil and charcoal.

Home remedies (using what you have on hand):

• Vinegar + citric acid (1:1) and apply to the areas, leave for a couple of hours.
• Baking soda (mix with water until a thick slurry) and apply to the areas for 20 minutes, then wipe off with a metal brush (it is possible to repeat the procedure).
• Coca-Cola (dip parts of the battery into Coca-Cola and leave for a while).
• Ketchup. Apply ketchup or tomato paste to the rust stain, leave for 10 minutes, then wipe dry.
• Foil (using it, you need to scrub the rust from the radiator).

Paint for radiators

The choice of paint is a very important aspect, because the final result will depend on the choice.

First of all, the paint must:

• Withstand high temperatures (at least 100°C);
• Have resistance to mechanical stress;
• Have protection from aggressive environment;
• Don't be toxic.

On sale there are such types of paints:

acrylic enamels. They are produced with organic solvents, therefore, when the paint dries, they emit a characteristic smell of the solvent. When dried, the surface is glossy with a sheen.

Advantages:

• High service life;
• Colors retain brightness and do not fade;
• Dries quickly;
• There are no cracks and "wrinkles" on the surface;
• Only water is needed to clean the brushes;
• Low price (compared to oil);
• Can be used in rooms with high humidity

Flaws:

High difficulty in removing acrylic paint from the surface.

Alkyd paints. The coating is highly resistant to high temperatures. On the market and in specialized stores there is a fairly large selection of this paint in different colors. But when dried and at high temperatures, this paint emits an unpleasant odor.

Advantages:

• durable;
• elastic;
• Dries quickly;
• Do not lose brightness;
• Will not crack or shrink when dry.

Flaws:

• flammable;
• They are afraid of alkalis.

Water-dispersion paints. It is considered the best choice, as this type of paint does not have the usual unpleasant odor and also dries much faster.

But pay attention to the packaging, the packaging must be marked "for painting heating batteries and pipes." Advantages:

Advantages:

Cheaper than acrylic paint.

Flaws:

Less resistant to moisture, mechanical damage.

To date, the best paint for radiators can be safely considered acrylic, it has a lot of advantages, at a fairly low price.

Preparing the radiator for painting

Sequencing:

1. We clean the surface from dust and dirt.
2. Wash off old paint.
3. Then the surface is sanded with sandpaper and degreased.
4. An anti-corrosion primer is applied to the cleaned surface.

There are paints in stores that already contain a primer, they are usually applied to the surface without preliminary work (but you need to clean and degrease).

Painting process:

1. Turn off the heating (if possible, if not then at least turn off the hot water).
2. Choose paint;
3. Cover the floor (put paper, wallpaper or fabric);
4. Apply paint from top to bottom;
5. First, internal floors, then external ones;
6. Wait for the first layer to dry;
7. Apply a second layer.

With careful priming and high-quality painting, you can forget about rust spots on batteries for a long time and admire your bright batteries again.

But if you are not satisfied with the simple battery design, you can improve it by reading THIS ARTICLE on how to decorate the battery with your own hands.

Preparation for work

If you don’t want to run around the authorities and pay a lot of money for services, you need to know how to clean cast-iron batteries yourself. In principle, there is nothing complicated in this process, if you give it a little time and effort.

• If washing is carried out in an apartment, then it is necessary to prepare a bathroom. To do this, it is better to put a grate on its bottom, and close the walls with rags.If there is no pallet, then you can use the same rags, only with a thicker layer. This will protect the container from damage and protect the enamel coating. You also need to close the drain with a fine mesh so that debris does not get into the water pipes.
• All water must be drained from the heating system, having previously disconnected from the main communication.
• Threaded clamps are removed from each battery using an adjustable wrench.
• At the place of removal in the pipes you need to put plugs.

When disconnecting the radiator from the heating network pipe, you should substitute a container in advance, since water may remain in it, as well as in the heater itself.

The next task is how to rinse the cast-iron battery inside under running water in the bath. For this, there are both special means and "folk".

Washing with soda ash and serum

According to a video filmed by various experts, cleaning with soda ash is carried out as follows:

1. Plugs (plugs) are placed on two holes of the extreme section.
2. Soda ash is diluted in hot water. Half a standard pack is enough for 6-10 liters.
3. Raise the heating battery from the floor, placing it on the section with plugs. The section with the two free holes should be at the top.
4. Water with soda ash is poured through one hole. Air will come out through the other. Therefore, it does not need to be silenced.
5. Plug both holes and put the battery on the floor. The heating device must lie down.
6. So that the soda ash can eat off the stuck dirt, rust, and possibly even the old paint that got in with the water, the radiator needs to be shaken. To do this, they take the top and raise / lower it several times. The bottom should not come off the floor. The same is repeated on the other side.
7. They rest for 1 hour, watching a video on the Internet about the features of removing old paint from cast iron and applying a new one.
8. Lightly tap around the entire perimeter with a wooden mallet. This is done so that the dirt finally lags behind the walls. At this time, the paint may lag behind. This means that it did not attach well to the cast iron.
9. They put the heating battery on the bedside table so that one of the plugs is in the air.
10. Substitute a bucket under the plug and unscrew the plug.
11. After draining the water, the radiator should be flushed. To do this, unscrew the plug at the opposite end and insert the hose from the water supply. Open the faucet. Water will flow into the radiator under pressure, thanks to which it will be possible to wash off the dirt and clean the heating device to the end.

To clean the radiator with serum, you need to perform all the above steps. Just use whey instead of soda. This process, of course, can be seen in different videos.

Why does a cast iron battery clog

What is the main cause of contamination of cast iron radiators?

The quality of water does not improve from year to year, over time, everything leads to the fact that many mechanical particles settle in heating systems.

Chemical flushing of heating pipes.

For example, a small piece of wire or similar metal elements circulate along with water through the heating risers. Water is usually drained during the non-heating season, which leads to the fact that foci of corrosion (rust) form in the pipes.

Before finally turning on the heating, hot water is supplied under pressure, it tears off particles of corrosion, which also remain in the pipes. And the water itself, which is allowed into the pipes, is often not the cleanest. This accumulation of debris in cast iron systems causes the rust waste circulating through the system to clog the water passage, causing the batteries to cool.

Over time, more and more debris accumulates in the batteries, which affects their heating qualities. The riser itself may be hot, but the pipes are warm. If you notice this, there is nothing left but to clean the radiator.

Cleaning radiators in private and apartment buildings

Radiators get clogged inside in any case: whether they are located in a private house, or in an apartment building. And how to properly flush the radiators?

Things with flushing batteries in an individual living area are much better than if you do this work, having one heating system for all. In your home, everything depends only on the owner of the home.

In an apartment building, this procedure can be done without plumbing services. But it is necessary that the condition is observed - the risers should not be in a clogged state, because there will be no effect. Flushing should be done before the heating season, when the risers are still without water. Preferably before it starts, because then the utilities will already purge them. After supplying water and operating it, there will be a difference in the degree of heating of your batteries.

A positive result is guaranteed when the residents of apartments whose heating is connected to the same riser agree to flush their radiators all together. In this case, the garbage accumulated in the batteries will not have any chance to remain in the system, and this will give the maximum effect from the procedure performed.

How to flush the radiators of their cast iron?

In this section, you will learn how to flush cast iron batteries. These products were in great demand in the past, and now, after many years, most of them are in their places and are in operation. From this we can conclude that cast iron batteries are really durable. The disadvantage is the formation of rust and scale inside.

Before flushing batteries:

• pre-drain water from the system;
• select the necessary metalwork tool;
• put a vessel under the radiator into which water can drip after it is disconnected from the system;
• carry out the dismantling of the product, removing it from the pins.

The radiator itself can be washed in a cast-iron bath or on the street. To do this, prepare a solution of a product that will remove scale and rust from the walls. You can use the following substances:

• means for washing radiators in cars;
• vinegar essence;
• caustic soda;
• lemon acid;
• milk serum.

If you still decide to flush in the bathroom, then you should definitely protect the drain with a cork with a mesh. Before starting work, all plugs are removed from the battery, and boiling water is gradually poured from the kettle from all sides. The radiator is shaken if possible and the water is poured out. In the waste water, scale and rust particles will already be present. Next, fill in the active solution and wait 1-3 hours. After this time, the radiator is again shaken and tapped with a wooden hammer. The entire contents of the battery are drained again, and water is poured again. The procedure with water is repeated as many times as deemed necessary. If acid was used, then you need to try to wash off its remnants so as not to provoke the appearance of rust again.

How to properly flush aluminum radiators?

How to rinse aluminum radiators? Of course, there is a difference in actions, but it is not big.

The battery removal process is much easier in aluminum radiators as they are more modern. Aluminum objects are not subject to corrosion, which means that there is no need for tapping, which, moreover, can deform products.

Carry out similar actions with cast-iron batteries, only with the indicated nuances. When re-assembling, modern sealants are used, such as FUM tape.

Is it necessary to remove the radiators when flushing them?

And the last question that may arise in readers: how, without removing, rinse the radiators? If the work is carried out in an individual heating system, and it has a small length, then water can be supplied, and on the other hand it can be drained. Since hot water has a more pronounced activity, it should be filled with it.

Despite the laboriousness of the work, it extends the life of the heating system. With regular flushing, the need to dismantle it may disappear, and the process will be carried out according to the above method.

You can see how to rinse a cast-iron heating battery in the video:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=d9l4AN9O2Hs

Centralized battery washing

Do-it-yourself washing of cast-iron batteries is a good thing, it costs nothing, but it requires a lot of effort, given how much they weigh and time. If you involve heating network workers in this procedure and get “go-ahead” from your neighbors, you can get the result much more efficiently than fiddling with radiators in the bath yourself.

To do this, you need to apply to the management company and pay for the cost of the service. A similar procedure is carried out exclusively in high-rise buildings, and it does not require the dismantling of heating network elements.

• Water is supplied under strong pressure to the system at regular intervals, which fills it with air bubbles.
• Sweeping through pipes and radiators, the bubbles knock down rust, scale and debris in the channels, taking it all out.
• Repeated rinsing with water filled with air until it is clean and clear will ensure a good cleaning.

This is the most effective way to clean cast iron batteries without removing them from the wall, but which takes time and money.

Although this method seems to be the easiest for busy people who are willing to pay for such a service, organizational issues and waiting for permission can take some time.

How to tell if a battery flush is needed

If your heating system is ordinary metal pipes and a cast-iron radiator, and it has not been washed for a long time, and you are not going to change it before the start of the new heating season, then the battery should be flushed.

To clarify: this should be done BEFORE the start of the heating season, and not when everything is already on, and it suddenly turns out that the battery does not heat well.

Do-it-yourself washing technology

You can be sure that you will not be able to complete this procedure alone: ​​cast-iron batteries are bulky and heavy. But if your hands “grow from the right place”, you can do it well with an assistant.

So, how to flush the radiators with your own hands?

The technology is:

1. Drain the water from the heating system. In a private house, you can do it at any time, in an apartment building - when you find a plumber and arrange with him to give you the key to the basement where the tap is located.
2. Unscrew the battery from the pipes, remove it (an assistant is required when performing this operation!). This may not be easy if the joints are "welded". You may need to use a cutter or other device to heat the sleeve.
3. Examine the radiator. Perhaps it is better not to clean it, but to replace it with a new one?
4. The radiator will need to be flushed with plenty of water. If you're going to do this in the bathroom, put some kind of drip tray under it so you don't scratch the tub.
5. Start flushing the battery. To do this, you need to turn it “upside down” and, close the hole at the bottom, fill it with water (preferably warm). Then the water must be released. The battery is turned over so that the water will wash away the scales of rust and scale. If water does not help, and if you have a cast iron radiator, you can apply a special liquid. It cannot be used for aluminum appliances.

Other flushing methods

In a private house, you can rinse the batteries with other methods. For example, with the help of chemicals.

However, to apply such a method is necessary?

1. determine the nature of the deposits in order to select a more effective remedy;
2. special equipment;
3. comply with safety regulations.

But this method is not safe: if the pipes are worn out enough, they can depressurize.And then the chemical will get into the room, and the people there may be poisoned. To do everything safely and not harm yourself or your neighbors, read this material. In it, we talk in detail about the method of chemical cleaning.

Methods such as hydrodynamic, dispersed, electro- and pneumohydropulse washing are also used, but these are methods, so to speak, “professional”, they are used to clean the heating systems of apartment buildings.

The video shows the technology for cleaning pipes without dismantling the system. You can carry out something similar at any time of the year with the help of an automatic hydro-impulse device AGU-MLT. Be sure to watch this video tutorial.