You can replace these covers but you might have to pay a high price for new ones. Simply painting can help restore the appearance of the baseboard heaters.
Things You Will Need
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Remove the baseboard heating cover, unscrewing the fasteners, leaving only the heating element attached to the wall. Usually, a baseboard heater has two removable sections.
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Sand the entire baseboard heater cover with steel wool to remove the rusty areas.
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Brush on a rust-removing product containing phosphoric acid on any remaining rust. The rust will darken and undergo a chemical reaction that allows paint to easily adhere to the heater cover surface.
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Apply metal primer to all the surfaces of the baseboard heater cover with a bristle or sponge brush. Let the primer dry.
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Coat the cover with protective enamel paint or metal paint. Reattach the cover to the wall.
The Drip Cap
- Metal baseboard heaters have covers that hide the cables and various heating elements inside.
- Remove the baseboard heating cover, unscrewing the fasteners, leaving only the heating element attached to the wall.