Electric Water Heater Anode Rod Replacement

An anode rod will corrode and deteriorate over time until it s no longer capable of functioning and has to be replaced.

Electric water heater anode rod replacement.

Open the drain valve. As mentioned above you might have a water heater with a separate inlet for the anode rod or your anode rod might be installed on the hot water outlet. This old house plumbing and heating contractor richard trethewey shows a simple way to add years to your water heater by swapping out the sacrificial metal. Water heaters use an anode rod to attract and remove sediments from the water being heated.

2 partially drain the water heater. 4 use a ratchet wrench and 1 1 16 inch deep socket to unscrew the anode rod from the heater. The rod may be under the water heater s sheet metal top or connected to the hot water outlet nipple. Anode rods help prevent corrosion of the hot water heater s glass lined tank.

If necessary unscrew and lift off the cover from the top of the heater. Natural micro organisms and sulfates that exist in some water can react to the aluminum or magnesium anode rods in the hot water tank creating a rotten egg smell. When the anode rod is depleted it no longer offers corrosion protection for the tank. Since most water heaters use a standard 3 4 npt connection you simply need to choose the type of installation you have.

This diy repair guide explains how to replace the anode rod in an electric water heater. Find anode rod water heater parts at lowe s today. This is a common problem with older water heaters and in certain parts of the country. The rod is made from either aluminum or magnesium and.

5 if the anode rod won t budge slip a steel pipe onto ratchet wrench handle for extra leverage. A few newer plastic lined tanks have no anode rods to replace before you get started close the shutoff valve turn on the hot water at a faucet to relieve pressure and turn off the electricity or gas to the heater. Changing the anode rod every four years is a great way to extend the life of your water heater. How to remove an anode rod from an a o.