I am painting the interior of an old house, and the baseboard heater covers are in bad shape -- dented, badly painted, ill-fitting -- so I would like to replace them. Can I replace just the covers without getting into the actual plumbing system? Or is it inevitably all one piece? This is gas-powered forced hot water system. The units themselves seem intact and the covers seem to come off.
Depending on age brand, the front panel will usually come off without much trouble but the top is usually part of back panel. I suggest removing the parts which will come off easily, sanding painting with a good paint, such as Rustoleum or Krylon, made for metal. For the parts which can't be removed, sand paint in place.
Originally Posted by Grady
Depending on age brand, the front panel will usually come off without much trouble but the top is usually part of back panel. I suggest removing the parts which will come off easily, sanding painting with a good paint, such as Rustoleum or Krylon, made for metal. For the parts which can't be removed, sand paint in place.
I found if you remove all front and corner panels, pry back off a little to pull nails that hold cover in place out just a little so that you can remove them with a wonder bar. Now the whole cover can be removed for cleaning and paint. Use drywall screws to reinstall the covers. I have sprayed mine with a good quality oil base paint. They look bwetter than new.
If they are badly dented and beyond repair you should be able to repace them, if you can carefully remove all the fronts, end caps and backings without damaging the fins too bad. You should be able to do this without much concern for the fin tubing.
Just measure the fin size height and depth and distance from the floor. Then when purchasing enclosure only you can check those measurements to make sure it will fit ok. MOST residential baseboard is interchangeable.
If you do bend some fins just re-straighten them as best as you can or you loose the heat transfer.
FYI...
I personally have never, nor ever seen anyone else install baseboard heating with nails. If you do, you are doing a hack job, just like they did in the days of the electric baseboard that I have replaces so many miles of, and that would just fall off the walls if touched. It was quite easy to remove that junk, but don't ever try that with my installations. Use a screw gun.
HELPPP!!
I inadvertently threw away several of the dampers for my hot water baseboards. I am looking to replace these, since putting one of those covers over everything is tooooo expensive!!
Originally Posted by plumbingods
FYI...
I personally have never, nor ever seen anyone else install baseboard heating with nails. If you do, you are doing a hack job ... (snipped)
My baseboards were all nailed on. Whoever put the the hydronic system in here did a great job. I wouldn't use spikes since it is such a PITA to remove them but I'm thinking it the common practice given that is how Slant-Fin says to install it.
http://www.slantfin.ca/documents/211.pdf
Debsters1 - Most baseboard is brand specific, so just replacing dampers without knowing the exact brand may prove quite difficult.
Who - Slant fin recommends either nails or screws, but being an installer of many feet of baseboard, I have found, In My Opinion that baseboard that is nailed on will over time pull away from the wall. especially if there are children in the home.
Tags: baseboard, water, heater, covers, parts which, with good, without much, anyone else, anyone else install, anyone else install baseboard, anyone else install baseboard heating, back panel
