I've cleaned all my baseboard units, most cast iron but some fin-tube. I used a 120-V electric leaf blower, which blew out all the dust-bunnies, etc. Then, our regular vacuum cleaner to clean up the debris.

 

And you made a durn big mess I bet!

There really is no 'clean' way to clean them things... dirty job... and you'll be vacuuming for the next three weeks (or more!).

I usually keep the vacuum cleaner running and use my air compressor with short little 'blips' on the air nozzle. Try to suck up the dust before it becomes airborne.

I've also used plastic sheeting underneath and a spritzer bottle of water to rinse them out. The air compressor and vacuum is easier!

I believe you can easily increase heat output of the baseboards by say 20% by getting that dust outta there.

 

I had the same problem and solved it the clean - albeit tedious - way: I grabbed a small stiff bristled paintbrush or makeup brush (not sure which it was) and as I ran the shop vac I quickly swept between each fin. Yeah, it took some time but not much more time than I wasted trying a variety of other options. I tried the blow out method. Too messy. I tried about six different brushes but couldn't get then all the way between the fins. I didn't do the whole house in one day. I did a couple a day for about a week. My wife thought I was crazy. But it worked. And for our upstairs, anyway, the difference in heat exchange is actually noticeable.

 

It absolutely will make a difference in the heat output! from 'noticeable' to 'extremely noticeable' depending on just how dusty they actually are.

I went through the same process as you did when we first moved into this home about 25 years ago. That's probably why my knees and back are now shot! The previous owners were pet lovers... cats and dogs... a lot of them! I went from having barely any heat, to having too much, just by cleaning all that 'stuff' out of the baseboards...

It's well worth the effort.

 

My neighbor has half of his finned baseboard installed 90 degrees off..... meaning the curved portion of the finns are at the top and the bottom of the element.

I told him wait until next year to fix it. Not sure he will notice a difference though.

he had cousin change out old bent element and about 5 rooms are like that.

I had two like that when I first bought the house but have fixed them.

I wonder if it matters?

Mike NJ

 

I used canned air (messy) to clean my baseboards. There ought to be some kind of machine that could do this job. Maybe some kind of hybrid between a steam upholstery cleaner and a wet-vac? The steam would keep the dust from becoming airborne?

 

If you have a shop vac, you could put a hose with a nozzle on the air oulet, and use that to blow air through the top, with the suction hose underneath to catch the dust. Sorta like a recirculating air pump with a dust filter in between...

I do like the idea of a steam cleaner though... maybe something like the 'Shark' or the 'Scunci' ... and keep the wet/dry shop vac running underneath.

 

I think I would put a good sized dust collector in the back of a van with a compressor. Drag a big ol 5"-6" hose in the house and use an air line to blast all the dust out of the baseboard into the dust collector. Maybe custom make/modify a hood for the end of the dust collector hose.

Ok, so who's in on this business venture? We can claim "Up to 47% increased output!".

 

You will be in charge of marketing, operations, training, and sales - including managing a fleet of logo-ized panel trucks going around neighborhoods. I will handle the business and technical end, plus franchising.[SIZE=2][/SIZE]

 

Ill drive the truck....LOL. I want min wage @ $7.25 hr NJ rates.

Mike NJ

 

No, you're thinking way too small. You will be in charge of a large fleet of drivers - hiring, firing, and supervision. We'll talk about your wages.

By the way, before anybody gets big ideas, I have already legally patented the whole idea. Everybody will work for me. If you have a problem with that, have your lawyer talk to my lawyer.

 

ok
.

 

Will it cause people to loose weight also? If so then it is a shure winner, and I want in.
Sid

 

I used this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...00_i00_details

worked like a charm