Expanding Foam and Radiators

limbodog · 10-31-2010, 10:20 PM

Hiya,

I'm a newbie, and hopefully not a really stupid one. Let's find out:

In an effort to help out my friend who just moved into a new apartment, I offered to seal the gaps around the pipes for the two-pipe radiators in the flooring. Some of the gaps were gaping 3" holes, others about 1/2". None of them still had the caps intact.

I told her I'd use expanding foam. She ran it by the landlord, who approved.

Now, I used "Great Stuff™", but I had just grabbed the one at the end cap at Home Despot, and didn't know there was a higher rated one available.

I see on the can that it says it can combust at 116ºc. That's 247 Fahrenheit, and I know water boils at 212 Fahrenheit under normal pressure.

The two-pipe systems are water radiators, not steam tho, right? The steam ones have those little bleed nozzles?

I ask, because I've already put in the foam and am now having doubts about whether or not I've endangered my friend.

Can anyone knowledgeable please tell me approximately how stupid I just was? (and if I need to go back there tomorrow and somehow remove the stuff before she turns on the heat?)

**beenthere** · 11-01-2010, 05:07 AM

2 pipe steam doesn't have the air vents your talking about.

However. Even if it is steam. It would have to be a med pressure system for the steam to be at 247°F. The pressure would have to be at 28 PSIG. Unless the boilers are on the roof. The pressure in the system for your friends building probably isn't set that high.

A hot water system could be set to 240 though. Doubt it is. And the pipes themselves won't get to that temp either. Since they lose some heat to the basement and other surrounding areas. Before they get to the rads.