“Soot” Above My Baseboard Radiators

[MasterPlumbersKeymaster]

What can I do to prevent the “soot” that collects on the walls above my baseboard radiators?

[Art_xyzParticipant]

The “soot” on the walls is particles in the air in your house. If it is years of accumulation just clean and forget. If it has just gotten bad lately, you should have your heating boiler checked. If you have a fireplace that you occasionally use, this could also cause it.

[SylvanLMPParticipant]

Is this “soot” collection on the floor just above your boiler room? Do you use Oil for your heating fuel?

Normally an oil system (which happens to be much safer than gas) BUT oil is filthy to work with. If your burner nozzles are not replaced yearly and along with your oil filter, you can get excessive soot build up. This soot is just an indication of incomplete combustion (gas or Oil) and you need to have your boiler serviced to get maximum fuel efficiency and to prevent poisonous gases (by products from incomplete burning) from staying in your home.

A properly adjusted system leaves no residue “soot” any place.

Get a qualified LICENSED boilerman Class A license/master plumber
to check out this system.

Also it would be a fantastic Idea to get a Bacharach TRUE SPOT smoke test and a Bacharach CO2 test along testing the actual draft of the flue/chimney.

Unfortunately there are a lot of incompetent handymen passing themselves off as “plumbers” without any formal training. These Fly by nights just look at a burner flame and try to do a hit and miss adjustment as they honestly do not know anything except by dabbling in various fields. This is where you read about fires or carbon monoxide poisoning killing entire families. Unless your dealing with Duly licensed individuals your risking your families heath on these non skilled/non licensed dabblers

Would you let an unlicensed doctor do any diagnoses on your or your family?

The same with Boilers you need a licensed person to properly service this equipment.
Good Luck.

---

SylvanLMP

[hjParticipant]

If the soot is on the wall above the unit, it is caused by air convection behind the baseboard. W usually install an aluminum foil behind the baseboard and then seal the upper joint with a piece of quarter round. You can also caulk the crack to eliminate air circulation.

[Author]

Posts