radiator cabinet fire hazard

[Noah Wagener]

someone told me the radiator cabinet i built is a fire hazard. Is this true? I would not be concerned if it was in my own house but it is for a customer. She has planks sitting directly on other radiators. Does finishing with linseed oil affect the possibility of fire? I thought the warnings of spontaneous combustion of rags was a joke until i woke to a god awful smell. I think those warning just have to do with it drying though. I don't use the oil with driers if that makes a difference.

[mike holden]

I grew up with radiators and wooden radiator covers. Wood burns at about 450 degrees fahrenheit, water boils at about 212 degrees; so steam heating of a radiator will not likely get high enough temperature to burn wood. Finishing material is another matter, and I would be more comfortable if the linseed oil used had driers added, as pure linseed oil will never fully dry (cure). This may be the "fire hazard" referred to.

[Jim Koepke]

I thought the warnings of spontaneous combustion of rags was a joke until i woke to a god awful smell.

It is no joke. What happens is the heat of polymerization gets trapped in a wadded up bundle of rags and reaches ignition temperature. Then comes fire.

As Mike stated, a wooden cover on a steam radiator shouldn't pose a problem. If it were electric or gas, then there could be a problem.

jtk

[Dave Anderson NH]

I made and installed wooden radiator covers over all of the baseboard forced hot water unit in my house. They replace the poorly painted and rusting cheap stamped steel covers that are always contractor installed. They've been in for 10+ yars without any probems whatsoever. Remember that the air gap between the metal and the wood is an outstanding insulator and prevents the wood from any approach to the surface temperature of the metal radiator itself.

[Noah Wagener]

Thanks for the reassurance.