Hot Water Heater Anode Rod

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Hot water heater anode rod.

Rheem protech 54 in. Find anode rod water heater parts at lowe s today. Water heater anode rods are used to keep the water in the tank from corroding the metal lining of the heater. But if the anode rod isn t replaced once it starts corroding the corrosion will reach the top of the anode rod and make water bubble up and leak out of the anode rod port seen above.

3 locate the anode rod on the water heater. Diameter flexible magnesium anode rod for electric and gas water heaters. Least expensive of the hot water outlet styles this particular anode rod has a 5 built in dielectric nipple no ball or seat allowing less water restriction than a heat trap nipple. Set your store to see local.

Hot water outlet aluminum anode rods are the innovative solution for water heaters made without separate anode rod ports. If your water heater doesn t have a separate hole for your anode rod it is most likely attached to the hot water outlet. Anode rods are usually found near the outlet pipes on the inside of the heating tank and are connected with a hex head screw. Aluminum zinc rods anode are cheaper and are recommended if you have smelly water.

4 use a ratchet wrench and 1 1 16 inch deep socket to unscrew the anode rod from the heater. 1 turn off water and fuel supply gas or electricity to water heater. But the anode rod is designed to attract all those corrosive agents and sacrifices itself so that your water heater tank doesn t corrode. 2 partially drain the water heater.

Water heater manufacturers came up with an ingenious idea when developing the systems that heat water. Unscrew the flex supply to the hot water outlet which should enable you to unscrew the anode rod and pull it out to check. The anode is covered in a layer of sacrificial metal so it draws the corrosion towards it preserving the inside of the tank. As long as the anode in the system is working the metal of the rod wears away rather than the hot water heater lining.

If necessary unscrew and lift off the cover from the top of the heater. Rods used in water heater tanks can be nearly 4 feet long so they are quite large and heavy. A magnesium water heater anode rod protects your tank better but doesn t last as long as an aluminum zinc rod.