7 year Hot water heater anode rod. Should I replace mine?

[bkbenjy]

how do you get it out with 1ft of clearance at top of water heater?

Luckily for me, I have a short tank model. I actually paid 500 for it. Wow inflation.

 

[GON]

how do you get it out with 1ft of clearance at top of water heater?

A collapsible anode should be installed during installation when space prevents removal of a solid anode.

There are also electric powered anode rods that are just a few inches in length and offer additional benefits.

 

[Rand]

A collapsible anode should be installed during installation when space prevents removal of a solid anode.

There are also electric powered anode rods that are just a few inches in length and offer additional benefits.

View attachment 114326

That costs money.

I figured People just sawzall them as they come out?

 

[Wolf359]

I tried the half inch breaker bar on mine, same thing, whole water heater started to rotate. That’s when I said, ok, I’ve had enough. I figured if I tried a impact gun on it it would strip right out. I’ll have to try that next time.

Hasn't done that to me yet although someone earlier said that was a possibility. I've done a little over a dozen of them now.

I sure as hell cannot get mine out. I need to be on a ladder.

I cut the hot and cold, drain out some hot water and then tip it over. Use shark bite fittings to hook up the hot and cold again. Easy peasy. Use a sawsall to cut the anode rod if it's too long. Used to be around $15, now more, but still cheaper than those $50+ segmented rods and it will last longer because the $15 rod is the thickest you can buy.

That thin wire is the core of the rod, that means your rod has completely deteriorated.

Yeah, I managed to catch a few before the tank completely went.

That costs money.

I figured People just sawzall them as they come out?

Nope, as mentioned, just disconnect the hot and cold and just tip it at an angle to get the rod out. You can drain out some hot water so it's not so heavy. When you do a dozen plus $50+ per rod adds up. You could sawsall the old one, but you need to be able to put in the new one and the segmented ones have the least amount of magnesium/aluminum so won't last as long. If you're not sure if it's magnesium or aluminum, go with magnesium, aluminum may cause Alzheimer.

 

[chrlsful]

we open the bottom fitting'n drain the tank yrly sand etc at bottom) along w/other seasonal tasks. Every 8th yr we look @ rod. Only switched it out once. Rod protects steel inner walls of tank. Now most havea bag inside instead. Dont some bags get presserized (a growing air space @ top) to push out the domestic water?