Found a trick for cleaning super crusty dampers with a cheap steam cleaner from the hardware store

2 comments

2 Comments

Hard disagree on the cheap steam cleaner approach. Those things have zero temperature control and the pressure is all over the place. Tried one on a set of old cast iron dampers and the steam was way too hot for the seals, ended up warping a rubber gasket that was probably the only thing keeping them from leaking entirely. Paid eighty bucks for the cleaner and another forty for a new gasket kit. A plastic scraper and some elbow grease with simple green wouldve done the same job without the risk.

jana17915d ago

Right, so I grabbed one of those cheap little steam cleaners last week and my first thought was "I'm gonna mess something up so bad." But honestly it worked way better than I expected on my dampers that looked like they'd survived a small flood and then sat for a decade. I think I was more nervous about breaking the thing than actually cleaning it. The steam just kinda loosened everything up and I wiped it off with a rag, no scratches or anything. Still half expecting it to explode on me next time though.