Water Heater Anode Rod Location

Aluminum replacement rods are sold at home centers.

Water heater anode rod location.

Never bang on components of a water heater as the tank liner is easily damaged. Open the water heater s drain valve and drain approximately two gallons of water from the tank. 4 use a ratchet wrench and 1 1 16 inch deep socket to unscrew the anode rod from the heater. Replace the anode rod s with a less reactive material magnesium to aluminum or aluminum to aluminum alloy water chemistry frequently changes be sure to understand current water conditions.

In this situation reinstall the existing anode rod. Step 5 install the new anode rod. If necessary unscrew and lift off the cover from the top of the heater. Water test parameters to consider.

It will be underneath one of the plastic caps. How to replace the anode rod in a gas or electric water heater. The rod is made from either aluminum or magnesium and. Anode rods help prevent corrosion of the hot water heater s glass lined tank.

5 if the anode rod won t budge slip a steel pipe onto ratchet wrench handle for extra leverage. Rods are made from magnesium aluminum or aluminum zinc alloy. If the anode rod is corroded with sediment and is too large to lift out of the tank it means that the component is still functioning. Ph level 7 is neutral and ideal.

Unless your water is exceptionally iron laden you should be fine with an aluminum or magnesium rod. On older models the anode rod may be exposed. The anode rod in your rheem water heater is located on top of your tank. However if you replace your water heater anode rod before it fails about every five years you can double the life of your water heater.

More precisely your magnesium or aluminum sacrificial anode is visible through a hexagonal head located in the center of your tank under a plastic cover. Refer to your water heater s user guide for more information. What rod you choose will depend on three things. Locate the anode rod position on the top of the tank.

Overly softened water will increase conductivity. Your water quality the location of the anode rod and how easy it is to access the installation point. In most cases the hexagonal head of the rod is visible on the top of the water heater. 3 locate the anode rod on the water heater.