Thanks for reminding me of this. I need to check mine. Probably time to replace.
Hot Water Heater - Anode Rod
- Thread starter larryinnewyork
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I changed mine with a 1/2 inch harbor freight electric impact. Came right out no issues.
New one went on with a half inch breaker bar, just snugged it up. I used an aluminum rod.
New one went on with a half inch breaker bar, just snugged it up. I used an aluminum rod.
Ive seen that in some states the water heater is put in the garage out in the open...Just in the corner or off to the side near the breaker panel..Seems like maybe a Southwest thing?
And I think for you northern folks it might be in the basement?
Down where I am, the water heater is always in a tight closet in the garage. Not sure I even have room to get up there with tools to remove the anode rod.
Anyway I can offer a tip for breaking the seal on corroded threads. Heat gun.
I had to remove the tub nut from a washing machine recently and a heat gun provided the malleability to break the seal. Years of water and soap build up led to massive corrosion.
And I think for you northern folks it might be in the basement?
Down where I am, the water heater is always in a tight closet in the garage. Not sure I even have room to get up there with tools to remove the anode rod.
Anyway I can offer a tip for breaking the seal on corroded threads. Heat gun.
I had to remove the tub nut from a washing machine recently and a heat gun provided the malleability to break the seal. Years of water and soap build up led to massive corrosion.
I've got a bunch of water heater in my rentals. At one point I was changing out 2-3 water heaters every year. A few years ago I put in about 8 anode rods. Initially I used an 18 inch breaker bar, but that didn't work for half of them. I ended up using a 3 foot pipe on the end of the breaker bar to get at the other 4. I also sprayed them with Kroil first. Wasn't that worried about it getting into the hot water, you're not supposed to drink it anyways. I don't think it really penetrated the treads and went into the water anyway. The basics is that you hit the pressure relief valve and drain out a little hot water so the rod doesn't shoot out once you undo it. I always used the .9 inch rod from comfortgurus.com, they sell a 4 pack that's about $40. For the short water heaters, I cut off the excess with a sawsall. I never bothered with segmented ones because those are more like $40-$50 each. Magnesium is better, aluminum may cause Alzheimer. A couple of them I had to disconnect the hot and cold supply line and tip it over in order to get the rod in. That was easier/quicker than paying $40-$50 for a segmented one. Plus the segmented one isn't as thick or as long. I think you go by how much of the old rod is left. On some of mine, it was just a thin wire and was ready to go.
my heaters lasted 15+ years never changed a rod.
the design is BAD on the removal of the rod. installed too tite. some manufacturer needs to fix that design.
WHAT WOULD BE A BETTER DESIGN? something like the heating elements on an electric??
our water pressure is 50 psi I think.
the design is BAD on the removal of the rod. installed too tite. some manufacturer needs to fix that design.
WHAT WOULD BE A BETTER DESIGN? something like the heating elements on an electric??
our water pressure is 50 psi I think.
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Kestas
I could never understand why they make the threaded part so tight. It only needs to seal 20(?) psi.
Cause they don't want you to change it, they want to sell you a new water heater.
I have used breaker bar and air impact and could not get mine out, the water heater would move.
Water heater failed a year later.
I could never understand why they make the threaded part so tight. It only needs to seal 20(?) psi.
Cause they don't want you to change it, they want to sell you a new water heater.
I have used breaker bar and air impact and could not get mine out, the water heater would move.
Water heater failed a year later.
Kestas
Staff member
If it wasn't so tight, I believe more people would change the anode rods. Long time ago I tried to remove an anode rod and just gave up.
I have hard water,( i'm on a well). I replaced my water heater last dec. Should i pull the anode now at 14 months to check, or go another year and check?
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Kestas
If it wasn't so tight, I believe more people would change the anode rods. Long time ago I tried to remove an anode rod and just gave up.
You just need a longer pipe on the end of a breaker bar. I used a 3 foot pipe, they sell them at home depot, just find one that fits, I suppose you could go longer at 4 or 6 feet. On a couple of them, I heard a big crack noise when it gave way. We thought we had broken the tank, but that's just the nut finally giving way. That happened on 2 of them. With just the 18 inch breaker bar, the whole tank would just shift. And yeah, they don't really want you to change them and they don't really care to make it easy to change.
If it wasn't so tight, I believe more people would change the anode rods. Long time ago I tried to remove an anode rod and just gave up.
You just need a longer pipe on the end of a breaker bar. I used a 3 foot pipe, they sell them at home depot, just find one that fits, I suppose you could go longer at 4 or 6 feet. On a couple of them, I heard a big crack noise when it gave way. We thought we had broken the tank, but that's just the nut finally giving way. That happened on 2 of them. With just the 18 inch breaker bar, the whole tank would just shift. And yeah, they don't really want you to change them and they don't really care to make it easy to change.
I have a Bradford White water heater and the anode rod is not in the normal place. It is connected to hot water outlet fitting. Only the threaded part of the pipe is exposed. I am not sure I want to try to change it.
So I am staying at my aunt's house in Cape Coral and the shower gets cool after a couple minutes. I asked her if she ever had anyone in to drain the tank and she looked at my like I had 5 heads. Thinking I might try and drain the tank and see what comes out of it. The instruction manual for the heater shows an anode rod, but I am not sure if I should bother with that or not.
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
So I am staying at my aunt's house in Cape Coral and the shower gets cool after a couple minutes. I asked her if she ever had anyone in to drain the tank and she looked at my like I had 5 heads. Thinking I might try and drain the tank and see what comes out of it. The instruction manual for the heater shows an anode rod, but I am not sure if I should bother with that or not.
That is typically a broken inlet tube or bad thermostat on your temperature setting. Try adjusting the temperature up or down. Sometimes that gets it back, but it is probably a broken inlet tube. About the same procedure as replacing the anode rod.
So I am staying at my aunt's house in Cape Coral and the shower gets cool after a couple minutes. I asked her if she ever had anyone in to drain the tank and she looked at my like I had 5 heads. Thinking I might try and drain the tank and see what comes out of it. The instruction manual for the heater shows an anode rod, but I am not sure if I should bother with that or not.
That is typically a broken inlet tube or bad thermostat on your temperature setting. Try adjusting the temperature up or down. Sometimes that gets it back, but it is probably a broken inlet tube. About the same procedure as replacing the anode rod.
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
So I am staying at my aunt's house in Cape Coral and the shower gets cool after a couple minutes. I asked her if she ever had anyone in to drain the tank and she looked at my like I had 5 heads. Thinking I might try and drain the tank and see what comes out of it. The instruction manual for the heater shows an anode rod, but I am not sure if I should bother with that or not.
That is typically a broken inlet tube or bad thermostat on your temperature setting. Try adjusting the temperature up or down. Sometimes that gets it back, but it is probably a broken inlet tube. About the same procedure as replacing the anode rod.
I will check it out. My aunt is elderly and the other family here is too busy to do all the little things to help out. I try and do what I can when I visit. She wants me to meet her mechanic next to see what I think of him. The Toyota dealer here tried to rake her over toe coals the last time she brought her Camry in for a service.
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
So I am staying at my aunt's house in Cape Coral and the shower gets cool after a couple minutes. I asked her if she ever had anyone in to drain the tank and she looked at my like I had 5 heads. Thinking I might try and drain the tank and see what comes out of it. The instruction manual for the heater shows an anode rod, but I am not sure if I should bother with that or not.
That is typically a broken inlet tube or bad thermostat on your temperature setting. Try adjusting the temperature up or down. Sometimes that gets it back, but it is probably a broken inlet tube. About the same procedure as replacing the anode rod.
I will check it out. My aunt is elderly and the other family here is too busy to do all the little things to help out. I try and do what I can when I visit. She wants me to meet her mechanic next to see what I think of him. The Toyota dealer here tried to rake her over toe coals the last time she brought her Camry in for a service.
Kestas
Staff member
I bought a house two years ago that's on a well. Last year I went to drain the tank that has five years on it. A bit of mud spit out, then nothing! I guess I'll just have to run the tank until it goes bad.
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