Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 12/31/2013 2:02 PM, TomR wrote:


I found and went to a radiator repair shop. The guy said that they
can fix it. They will use a "glass bead machine" to clean the
entire area, then use special liquid (not paste) flux, then do the
solder/fix, and then pressure test it to make sure it is fixed. He
said that they will do both ends even though just one end has the
leak right now. And, the price will be "no more than $89" to do
both ends. It should be ready in a couple of days and I'll post back how
it all
turns out.

Had the same thing done on a leaking coil. Radiator shop charged $85
so that is right in line.

I would not have thought of taking it to a radiator shop until someone here
suggested it. The plumbing supply place that I go to near me (who just
happens to sell used cast iron radiators) said that those old convector
radiators can't be fixed once the develop a leak. I believed him, but
luckily decided to post the question here this time. The same place also
told me that a couple of years ago when I had another convector that had a
leak, and I ended up just replacing it with a used cast iron radiator and
new (used) radiator cover -- that I bought from the same plumbing supply
place. And, I put the old convector out front for the scrap metal people to
take for free and it was gone in less than 30 minutes.

When I went to the radiator repair place a few days ago and I said that I
understand that the convector radiators like the one I have really can't be
repaired once they leak he said, "Who told you that?" Then he proceeded to
tell me how they repair them, and ones that are much larger than that, all
the time. He explained in detail how they do it and he said that even if
the leak is in the tubes with the fins on them, his guys just spread apart
the fins, do the repair, pressure test it, and it's fixed. He said that
usually the only time that they can't realistically be repaired is if the
tubes have a big split in them (I guess from freezing when left in a house
with no heat during winter).

So, I learned something new here -- which I do all the time. And, hopefully
it will work.

The alternative to this repair would be to buy a used cast iron radiator
(about $175), a used radiator cover, a radiator valve and some plumbing
fittings, open up the ceiling below the existing convector radiator, install
the used cast iron radiator from below and above, install the new/used
radiator cover, patch and repair the holes in the ceiling, and repaint the
patch job.

Instead, for about $89 the original convector should be fixed and I can just
connect it back up and it all should work.