Both the old-fashioned baseboard radiator and its 19th-century counterpart, the upright, cast-iron steam radiator, are often found in homes heated by hot water rather than heated air. A boiler generates steam, or hot water, to produce indoor heat.

 

entry continues below ↓

Electrical current powers many modern baseboard radiator models; others are hot-water systems driven by a natural-gas or heating-oil boiler.

We’ve divided cleaning tips for specific types of radiators as follows:

• Radiator, baseboard (electric): Most models have a thermostat mounted on either the unit itself or on a nearby wall.
  
  
• Radiator, baseboard (forced hot water): The aluminum fins of the radiator are protected by an enameled steel covering. Copper pipe carries the hot water through the radiator. One thermostat may control a pump that circulates hot water to all the radiators in the house, or individual thermostats may control specific “zones” of the home.
  
  
• Radiator, steam (upright): Here the radiators are usually cast iron and the plumbing that serves them is galvanized steel. A single thermostat typically governs steam heating systems, while a valve at each radiator offers limited control over the heat in individual rooms or areas.