AirGradient Forum

Can radiator foil be the cause of TVOC spikes

#1

In the morning and evening when the radiators are heated the most, the TVOC 40 measurements go towards it’s max range in the red zone. When initial burst heating at around 60 degrees celcius stops, the values take a 2-4 hours to go back to normal range. PM2.5 stay’s the same, nobody in room, etc. Just temp and VOC go up. The gas boiler is far away from our living room on the second floor.

The radiators are like 40y old so you’d thing they’re done off-gassing. Leaving me with just one possible culprit: 2 years ago I added radiator foil on the back of the radiators. It a foil that look like a sort of foam insulation on the inside and aluminium on the outside. Like in the first seconds of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ImpBiGRBHg .

Could that be the cause?

#2

It could be mold behind the folie…?

#3

The radiators themselves are unlikely the issues. Aluminum iron brass and copper aren’t going to off gas at those temperatures,

However, Dust, paint, furniture, literally anything up against the radiators could be off gassing when heated.the “foil” you bought is a Mylar like substance. It’s possible the plastic or glue are off gassing.

#4

I’m suspecting dusty might be causing it then. Because there’s a lot of it accumulating and i have some ventilators at the bottom of the radiator blowing air up. SpeedComfort radiator ventilator.
I’ll clean up the dust and experiment a bit