Questions about anode rods

[Dick2]

How often have you replaced the anode rod in your water heater?

How often does your water heater manual tell you to replace the anode rod?

Do you replace with magnesium or aluminum anode rod?

Experts say AL will last longer than magnesium in real hard water. I order them from Home Depot.com as they don't stock them in the stores. About $20 with free in-store pickup; I change every 2 years. They are long so may have to shorten the rod for your water heater.

 

[big fred]

I changed my last house from electric to gas in about 1992. Took the old water heater which had been installed in 1985 and put it in my new house, under construction at the time. So it's 30 years old this year. I've never changed the anode. Maybe I should look into it in the next decade or so...

 

[woodbutcher]

Dick,
Local municipal well water is high in minerals that are hard on water heaters. When we moved here, our first one rusted out in less than two years. In the twenty years we've lived here, I've replaced the water heater 6 times. I've started replacing the anode rods every year or so, and that seems to help.
Plumbing Supply.com is where I order mine. I buy the combination alloy rod that contains zinc to avoid the rotten egg smell from the factory-installed rods.
Butch

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I too never change anodes, water tanks last for decades. I don't have city water, just a well. I know a person on a well who installed a softener and the water smells like rotten eggs, so they removed the anode.

I noticed on ebay, there are anodes built in to the nipple and some that are seperate.

I think that cost averaging the expense of replacing anodes and salt for softener, it may be cheaper to just replace the water heater every 20-30 years. BTW, I recommend getting a water sensor to warn you of a tank leak.

 

[cannonball]

Put in a different heater
Untitled URL Link

 

[ohiodick]

Ihave had marothon heater for 25 years no problems.bought it thru electric coop.

 

[1130Leo]

I change the anode rod, when I replace the water heater. It is a lost cause if you have not drained and cleaned your water heater yearly, from day one, do not do anything, it will eventually fail and have to be replaced, if you attempt to change the rod after not touching it for years you will likely cause it to fail. Electric ones seem to have problems sooner than gas ones do, mine is almost 30 years old, gas but it does also have a glass liner, which may help too?

 

[Michael Soldan]

Well, here's a new twist for everyone to chomp on. We have iron in our water at the cottage and our hot water has a smell to it, so we moved the anode from the tank , my neighbor at the cottage next door did the same. Our water smells sweet, have had no problems and the end result the way I see it is that the water heater will only last 12 years instead of 15..no big deal ! A local pump and well business suggested doing this to eliminate the smell. Also when we had removed the anode we put fittings in and screwed in a ball valve. Now in the spring when we open the cottage , or at any time we wish we shut off the feed, open the ball valve , and pour in a cup of chlorine(Javex) , this takes care of any bacteria in the water and is good for several weeks. I have seen some nasty looking anodes. Incidentally magnesium anodes can light up when you are cutting them with a power wheel..one I was cutting off got so hot it started flashing .. very bright white light! What I do works well for me, it might not help any of you , but smelly water and anodes are an item in many cases.

 

[Dave H (MI)]

I know about that trick. We have iron in our water also and removing the rod removes the problem. Just replace it with a plug. The smell is only a problem here if the hot water is not used regularly. Even a few days away from home and the water in the tank smells of sulfur. Goes away after a few uses.

 

[GordoSD]

I installed new water heater couple years ago. Right away stron hyd sulfide smell. Told local seller about it and he said I could remove the anode and see if that would help. It did and I told him. He said that that act would void the factory 6 year warrantee, but that he would give me his store warrantee for the same time. Case where it paid to deal with Mom and POP instead of BB store.