How to fix controls on a storage heater

RHJ

Good evening

Has anyone had the issue of the plastic controls on their storage heater disintegrating due to both time and use?

I've attached an image of the current state of the controls on the heater. Hopefully, it's clear enough.

I appreciate any advice.

keithdub

Have you removed the plastic turn the steel bar by hand

keithdub

Have you removed the plastic turn the steel bar by hand

keithdub

Have you removed the plastic turn the steel bar by hand

antiskeptic

RHJ wrote: »

Good evening

Has anyone had the issue of the plastic controls on their storage heater disintegrating due to both time and use?

I've attached an image of the current state of the controls on the heater. Hopefully, it's clear enough.

I appreciate any advice.

Metal putty (aka liquid metal) is the way I'd go here.

You can pick it up in motor factors/Woodies/Chadwicks etc. You pull off a lump, knead it until the two different colours (usually light and dark grey) are fully mixed, apply and shape and leave it an hour and it goes rock hard.

It sticks pretty well to stuff but in this case, given you'll be applying some force, you could improve things a bit.

1. Sand the whole surface of the knobs to clean off dirt

2. Drill a number of (say) 2mm indentations into the surface. A couple mm deep is enough. Turn off the power first and don't press hard when drilling - you don't want the drill banging through to whatever's below. If you haven't a drill, a sharp stanley knife can be used to cut some grooves into the surface of the plastic. The aim is to allow the putting to work down into the knob, improving grip strength

3. Apply the putty, working it firmly into the surface firstly, then tidying it up into a shape similar to the one it had before it sets.

You have about 5 minutes work time and it's hard after an hour. But full strength after 24 hours so leave be until then if the knobs are anyway stiff to turn