How Often To Replace Water Heater Anode Rod
Anode rods should definitely be on your listing of dwelling maintenance tasks and their replacement is non something yous desire to delay. Non only will delayed replacement put your tank at risk of rusting, but even the removal of the anode rod can become more hard as the rod'southward corrosion may cause it to seize upwards or break off.
This article will embrace all the basics of anode rod replacement and should answer any like questions you've been having. Practiced news—anode rod care is actually relatively uncomplicated.
On average, sacrificial anode rods require replacement every 3-5 years. Anode rods used for hard or artificially softened water may require more than frequent replacement. Powered anode rods are unlikely to need replacement during the life of the water heater unless they are damaged in some way.
Sacrificial Rods Shall Be Replaced Before Depleted
Sacrificial anode rods are named for their method of protecting your tank, which involves attracting corrosive elements to themselves and deteriorating in place of your tank.
In one case an anode rod fully corrodes, your tank volition likewise begin to deteriorate. In order to prevent this, information technology is recommended to bank check your anode rod once a yr, and supersede information technology when 75% or more of it is depleted.
If yous want to replace your anode rod yourself, the video beneath will provide you with a step-by-footstep guide.
You will demand a breaker bar (amazon link) with a 1-i/16 deep socket and teflon tape (amazon link) . Additional tools may be necessary, but will be dependent on your heater, and whether or not there are complications.
For case, if your anode rod is stuck or seized, you will likely need to utilise an affect wrench (amazon link) .
Signs You Need a New Anode Rod
While an anode rod isn't strictly necessary for the functioning of your water heater, tank corrosion is no joke and you will either be shelling out money to supplant the anode or the whole h2o heater—I know which i I'd choose!
Furthermore, there are several other reasons y'all'll desire to employ anode rods, beyond but extending the life of your heater'due south tank.
If you haven't checked your anode rod recently but yous take noticed whatsoever of the following signs, it's possible your anode rod needs replacement.
- The first and most obvious would be if your tank has any leaking or visible rusting. This is a sign that it is deteriorating and does not accept a functional anode.
- Rusty or chocolate-brown-tinted water is another likely sign of rust inside the tank.
- If your water is smelly, this could be another indicator but be aware that smelly h2o could also only mean you need a dissimilar type of anode rod.
- If your pressure relief valve has been clogging up, or if y'all hear foreign popping noises while your heater warms upward, those are more warnings.
- Lastly, if your water isn't getting as hot as it used to, information technology could exist that rust, limescale, or sediment from wear has built upwards over the heating element.
If you want some more information, cheque out my article on How to Tell if an Anode Rod is Bad.
Things That Touch the Lifespan of Anode Rods
There are many factors that can contribute to your anodes lasting for a longer or shorter time than the boilerplate 3-five years.
If you have a large family unit or utilise a lot of hot h2o, for example, your tank will process a lot more than water, and your rod will deteriorate faster. After all, it will see more contact with the minerals and corrosive elements in each new quantity of water that enters your tank.
Very difficult water with high mineral content will eat through your rod faster than naturally soft water.
However, if you use a water softener, which replaces hard minerals like magnesium and calcium with softer minerals like sodium, your anode can actually notwithstanding wear downward rapidly. In fact, the improver of sodium can really speed up corrosion.
H2o quality tin likewise affect your anode'south lifespan. Sulfur, which will most frequently be found in well water, can cause your anode to be eaten away at a faster rate.
Boilerplate Lifespan of Sacrificial Anode Rods
While sacrificial anode rods should all last effectually 3-5 years on average regardless of material, they may deteriorate quicker if used for the wrong blazon of water. Nosotros'll briefly embrace what fabric is best for what hardness of water below.
The size of the anode rod will not take a major issue on its lifespan if the correct size is used for your tank, equally the amount of rod volition likely be relatively proportional to the amount of water.
A too-small anode will take a shorter life compared to a properly sized anode, however, and it may exist harder to keep up with the replacements, making premature tank corrosion more likely.
In Difficult Water
For h2o to be considered difficult, it must have a loftier content of minerals like calcium and magnesium.
These minerals can not only exist corrosive to metal, but may crusade a type of buildup called limescale to build up inside the tank. Limescale tin can consume abroad at the material on which they form and cause corrosion to occur more than rapidly.
Aluminum rods (and zinc rods, which are aluminum-based) are best suited for hard h2o, as they are less reactive than magnesium rods and do not degrade every bit quickly.
In Softened Water
Naturally soft water is not necessarily highly corrosive, though it will notwithstanding cause corrosion over time.
As briefly discussed earlier, softened water may contain less hard minerals and prevent limescale buildup, merely softening water does not change other potentially corrosive water qualities. Farther, the addition of sodium really makes softened water extremely corrosive.
However, in either blazon of soft h2o, a magnesium rod is preferable. Magnesium'due south high reactivity makes it more effective than an aluminum rod at preventing corrosion.
That said, they will also demand replacement more frequently than aluminum rods due to this.
When to Replace the Powered Anode Rod?
While a powered anode rod shouldn't need replacement for many years, that doesn't necessarily mean it cannot fail like whatsoever other slice of equipment.
If information technology does fail, you'll notice the same signs of anode rod failure as with a sacrificial rod. Look out for rust or leaks on the tank, and foreign sounds, smells, or colors in your water.
Some powered rods are also designed with an indicator light that lets you lot know if your rod is functioning.
Average Lifespan of Powered Anode Rods
Since powered anode rods, unlike sacrificial anodes, are meant to last for a very long fourth dimension, a good quality rod should terminal for your water heater'due south unabridged lifespan.
It is likely that whatever blazon of anode rod you lot get volition last a minimum of 6 years. That said, the well-nigh popular anode rod brand on the market right now is Corro-Protec (amazon link) , which offers a twenty-year warranty.
Things That Shorten Powered Rods' Lifespan
Since powered rods are fabricated from titanium, corrosion is non probable to be a relevant concern no thing what kind of water is in your home. However, there are some factors that can bear upon your powered rod's lifespan.
The nigh likely issue, however, would exist if you lived in an area decumbent to frequent ability surges. As powered anodes rely on electricity, a surge does take potential to damage or intermission a powered anode.
If the idea of a powered anode rod has tickled your fancy, check out my ultimate guide for all you demand to know about them.
Sources
https://atkinsoninspection.com/how-to-tell-if-anode-rod-is-bad/
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Analytical_Chemistry/Supplemental_Modules_(Analytical_Chemistry)/Electrochemistry/Exemplars/Corrosion/Sacrificial_Anode
https://www.duncanplumbingsolutions.com/anode-the-life-of-water-heater
https://garynsmith.net/smelly-water-one-of-ten-signs-your-water-heater-anode-rod-could-need-changing/
https://world wide web.hydrosolution.com/en/guide-and-tips/the-sacrificial-anode-what-is-it-and-when-should-you-supplant-it/
https://performancemetals.com/pages/sacrificial-anodes-faqs
https://plumbonline.net.au/web log-commercial-domestic-plumbing/what-size-type-anode-do-i-need-for-my-hot-water-tank/
https://www.prattplumbing.net/how-a-water-softener-system-can-affect-your-h2o-heater/
https://sciencing.com/signs-need-change-anode-rod-8361770.html
https://www.servicechampions.net/blog/inspect-replace-anode-rod/
Source: https://hvac-buzz.com/how-often-anode-rods-replaced/
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