From the Forum: Bad Smell From Freshly Painted Radiators?

Brownstoner reader ps158 writes:

We recently completed a reno and had all the radiators in our unit and the rental unit painted with oil-based Rustoleum paint.

I’m expecting them to smell the first time the radiators come on. Does anyone know with this brand / type of paint exactly what to expect, e.g. should we leave the apartment when the heat first comes on, how long will it take for the smell to dissipate, etc etc.

And, if it’s bad enough that we can’t be in the house overnight, how should I handle this with my tenants?

I know, who wants to talk about heating in the middle of Summer? But we’re going to start looking for a tenant soon. Some people can be very sensitive to smells, so if the expectation is the smell will be very bad / last more than a day, I want to let serious prospects know upfront so they can make an informed decision of whether or not to rent from us.

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Photo by Jennifer Levy of CAVdesign

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