Replacing anode rod in water heater (tank, ceiling, installing, best)
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I hear replacing a worn-out anode rod can extend the life of the water heater considerably. Anybody done it? Was it easy? My water heater is about 5 year old. I would like to at least inspect the anode rod, but I don't have an impact wrench. I wonder if it can be removed the old fashioned way by one person without tipping the water heater over.
I hear replacing a worn-out anode rod can extend the life of the water heater considerably. Anybody done it? Was it easy? My water heater is about 5 year old. I would like to at least inspect the anode rod, but I don't have an impact wrench. I wonder if it can be removed the old fashioned way by one person without tipping the water heater over.
I hear replacing a worn-out anode rod can extend the life of the water heater considerably. Anybody done it? Was it easy? My water heater is about 5 year old. I would like to at least inspect the anode rod, but I don't have an impact wrench. I wonder if it can be removed the old fashioned way by one person without tipping the water heater over.
Long breaker bar and maybe some penetrating oil (is PB Blaster the one) overnight to loosen it.
It appears you need a lot of clearance above the water heater to get that rod out. A lot of people won't be able to pull it out due to a low ceiling...you would have to take down the tank in some cases....ugh.
It appears you need a lot of clearance above the water heater to get that rod out. A lot of people won't be able to pull it out due to a low ceiling...you would have to take down the tank in some cases....ugh.
Most anode rods used today are segmented- headroom is basically a non-issue.
It appears you need a lot of clearance above the water heater to get that rod out. A lot of people won't be able to pull it out due to a low ceiling...you would have to take down the tank in some cases....ugh.
These things can be bent easily for removal. For installing, there are flexible rods.
We had one replaced in one of our water heaters. The water heater was about 11 years old. We assumed we would have to replace it. The guy came out and suggested we just change the rod because everything else about the heater was in great shape. We did that and it's still working fine.
I've replaced quite a few water heaters over the years- remodels, friends, relatives, etc. and I'll have to say that the overwhelming majority of those failures were due to excessive sediment. The sediment is like a blanket and allows the minerals and water to work on the tank- eroding it away. The other was burner failure; mostly because the w/h is in an unconditioned space where humidity is uncontrolled.
An anode may help prolong the life of a w/h, but it certainly isn't a "cure all".
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