Cast iron radiators storage

[svouts]

Hi,

I am renovating some old cast iron radiators. I am going to sandblast them and then powder coating paint.

I will then need to store then in the garden until I finish renovation of the house (i.e. plastering, new flooring, etc.)

I am planning to put them in the garden on wooden battens so they do not tough the ground and cover them with plastic to protect them from the elements.

Would it be OK to store them for 2-3 weeks in the garden or will damage the new painting?

many thanks

 

[just pumps]

They will go rusty inside being cast iron.

 

[dilalio]

Take them outside and flush them through for a clean. Then run an air line through them to dry out as much as possible. Then cap them off (seal them) to keep them dry inside. Store them for the period you need and then refurbish them at the end of that time, before reinstalling them.

 

[algas]

Make sure that you cap them off as snails love cold dark places to live and breed and they are a nightmare to get out. You could always paint them with primer to keep the rust bug at bay.

 

[svouts]

Hi thanks for the answers so far!!
My plan is to:
1. first remove them and store them in the garden until renovation is finished.
2. flash them before painting
3 powder coat and paint them and install straight away.
I hope it will work!

Any idea on best way to flash them?

 

[just pumps]

If they are the type that I'm thinking then there are gaskets between each section so I would pressure test before or maybe after the flushing and before doing anything else.

 

[svouts]

I also wanted to ask if I need to do something to protect the pipes of the central heating while I am doing the refurbishment. The pipes are the old ones, made of steel.

I will drain the system remove the radiators and connect them again in 6 weeks time.

Do i need to run a special inhibitor that cleans the pipes and radiators when I restart the system?
Is there any risk that the pipes will corrode during the 6 weeks period, how should I protect them?