How often do you replace your anode rod?

Klutch9

Klutch9

Joined
Jan 7, 2009
Messages
2,691
Location
Rochester, MI, US, World
In your water heater that is. Our water heater was built mid 2015, and we bought the house in late 2017 and I haven’t touched it since. The rod appeared original and honestly had a ton of life left. I find that strange, since I’ve seen reports of people saying theirs was shot after a few years. My reason for replacing was 1) I had no idea what shape it would be in and 2) we have a mild sulfur smell in our hot water sometimes (we’re on a community well with hard water), so I installed a zinc-aluminum rod to hopefully solve that issue.

What a bear to remove though! My heater is under my stairs so there’s barely any room to work. Breaker bar won’t fit. I wanted to use my impact but the impact socket was too wide to fit through the plastic ‘grommet’ that surrounded the head. I peeled that off and was able to fit the socket, and took it off with my 1/2” impact.
 
Installed the water heater in 2013. I checked the rod every year to see how it was progressing. It finally became rotten looking in 2022 so I replaced it. Had to use a sectioned rod, because the ceiling over the water heater didn't allow room to get a full size rod back in. Just hoping the cable that connects the sections doesn't rot out first.
 
WylieCoyote said:
Installed the water heater in 2013. I checked the rod every year to see how it was progressing. It finally became rotten looking in 2022 so I replaced it. Had to use a sectioned rod, because the ceiling over the water heater didn't allow room to get a full size rod back in. Just hoping the cable that connects the sections doesn't rot out first.
Click to expand...
Good idea to check it each year...for another reason too... It makes it easier to remove over time... If you wait 5 to 8 years down the road to remove it you may find it very hard to unscrew from hot water tank..
 
I checked mine once after 10 years (municipal water) and it looked decent.
Only way I could remove it was using an electric impact tool with impact socket.
Definitely took the fun out of doing it.

I put a new rod in, and it leaked.
Tightened some more and no further problems.

I'm coming up on 7 years and fear checking it again.

With any tank, the rod is in so tight that using a breaker-bar may just move the tank.
You really need an 'electric' impact tool.
 
Depends on your water. My city water is not harsh and I never replaced an anode rod in a 16 year old tank and my present 15 year old tank. The first tank was fine but old. The rod looked ok when I removed it for my curiousity.
If you decide to replace it, you need an impact wrench. You would have to have a helper to bear hug the tank to keep it fro moving and busting a pipe if you use a breaker bar.
 
hrv said:
If you wait 5 to 8 years down the road to remove it you may find it very hard to unscrew from hot water tank..
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Exactly. After seeing many anode threads I wouldn't attempt to remove an old one for fear of ruining the water heater or breaking something. Even if you don't want to inspect the rod, it won't hurt to partially unscrew it occasionally.

Side note, when I bought a new water heater a few years ago I made sure to get one with a magnesium rod. Apparently it's better to have magnesium in the water vs aluminum for some health reason. I had to get the water heater from a plumbing supply as it was an upgraded model not sold in Lowes / HD.
 
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I have a 50 gallon Lochinvar water heater. When I bought the home in 2020, one of the first things I wanted to tackle was the anode rod, since the water heater is original to the home (2008). That's when I discovered through a parts diagram that the anode rod is stupidly built into either the water inlet or outlet (forget which one). Checking it / replacing it would entail a whole bunch of work and desoldering copper pipe. I'm just going to let it ride.

There's a tax credit that will essentially pay for an upgrade to a hybrid heat pump / conventional electric water heater that'll soon be available if it's not already. If it goes, I'll just replace it with one of those.
 
I had a contractor friend that said never touch it. Most damage happens when trying to do "maintenance". I'm sure water source/quality has a lot to do with it. Is hard or soft water better?
 
I treat my water to obtain the proper Ph. My first heater I went 17 years and never touched it. For preventive maintenance I simply junked it. Replaced it with a Rheem lifetime warranty replacement heater which has no anode rod.
 
Same water heater for nearly 20 years now. Cost $85 to buy (or maybe $65) and I try to drain five gallons once a month.

I hope to have it another 20 years, but what I really want is another brand new one that is just like it. Simple and easy to service.
 
The tank is glass lined not to keep tank from rusting but to keep anode from being consumed to quickly. The metal tank is elastic..glass lining not so much. There will be cracks in the glass lining that will develop over time and the anode keeps them filled. More seams or cracks in the glass the sooner the anode will be used up.

The hotter ya can keep the water the longer the tank will last and the less water turnover the heater sees the longer it will last.

Upon rare occasion there will be some current passing through the tank and out the gas line from poor ground rod or other. I have measured 1 microamp between the gas line and heater at a home once. That will also consume the anode faster.

I have seen 2 homeowners side by side with same make heater have very different lime scale develop. One will have flakes and the other a sand like deposit.

The heat exchanger is mostly the tube up the middle and not so much the crown sheet so lime buildup really wont effect heating much...electric heaters another issue...

On an electric heater use a wet vac with a section if 7/8od copper tube (3/4 nominal) through the bottom element opening to vac the lime out. Ya gotta work it a little but it will work.
 
oilcandave said:
The tank is glass lined not to keep tank from rusting but to keep anode from being consumed to quickly. The metal tank is elastic..glass lining not so much. There will be cracks in the glass lining that will develop over time and the anode keeps them filled. More seams or cracks in the glass the sooner the anode will be used up.

The hotter ya can keep the water the longer the tank will last and the less water turnover the heater sees the longer it will last.

Upon rare occasion there will be some current passing through the tank and out the gas line from poor ground rod or other. I have measured 1 microamp between the gas line and heater at a home once. That will also consume the anode faster.

I have seen 2 homeowners side by side with same make heater have very different lime scale develop. One will have flakes and the other a sand like deposit.

The heat exchanger is mostly the tube up the middle and not so much the crown sheet so lime buildup really wont effect heating much...electric heaters another issue...

On an electric heater use a wet vac with a section if 7/8od copper tube (3/4 nominal) through the bottom element opening to vac the lime out. Ya gotta work it a little but it will work.
Click to expand...
The anode rod is sacrificial, its life is determined by water hardness. Without it, the tank corrodes. The anode rod doesn't fill in cracks or seams. I also disagree, the hotter you set the thermostat doesn't prolong the life of the tank. It is quite the opposite. More heating cycles needed to maintain the higher temperatures along with additional expanding and contracting of the tank will shorten its life.

The tanks are glass lined to extend their lifespan from corrosion, not to prolong the life of a twenty dollar anode rod.

To minimize stray currents and additional corrosion, I have installed a heavy copper jumper wire between the tank's water inlet pipe and its outlet pipe using clamps.

To say lime build up, collecting on the tank's bottom has little effect on the heating ability of a natural gas water heater is all bunk.

I don't know where you are getting your information from, most of it is incorrect. I hope you are not a plumber.
 
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I replaced ours just the other day. First time ever at any house and I was amazed how easy it was, and this unit had it built into the exit port. I expected the nipple to be gorilla beyond tight. It was just perfect tight.

The old rod had life, but looked ugly - so maybe a couple years left. I also had to use a sectioned rod, and recipro saw the old one with vise grips on the lower part so it wouldn't fall in, but the whole process was butt easy.
 
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