Water Heater Anode Rod Location

Aluminum replacement rods are sold at home centers.

Water heater anode rod location.

3 locate the anode rod on the 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. Ph level 7 is neutral and ideal. The rod is made from either aluminum or magnesium and.

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. 5 if the anode rod won t budge slip a steel pipe onto ratchet wrench handle for extra leverage. Never bang on components of a water heater as the tank liner is easily damaged. In this situation reinstall the existing anode rod.

Overly softened water will increase conductivity. I replaced the anode rod in my water heater and filmed the whole process from start to finish. Refer to your water heater s user guide for more information. Open the water heater s drain valve and drain approximately two gallons of water from the tank.

Water test parameters to consider. Step 5 install the new anode rod. How to remove an anode rod from an a o. Rods are made from magnesium aluminum or aluminum zinc alloy.

In most cases the hexagonal head of the rod is visible on the top of the water heater. On older models the anode rod may be exposed. Unless your water is exceptionally iron laden you should be fine with an aluminum or magnesium rod. 4 use a ratchet wrench and 1 1 16 inch deep socket to unscrew the anode rod from the heater.

Remove the plastic cap to expose the anode rod. The anode rod in your rheem water heater is located on top of your tank. 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. If necessary unscrew and lift off the cover from the top of the heater.

What rod you choose will depend on three things. It will be underneath one of the plastic caps. How to replace the anode rod in a gas or electric water heater. Anode rods help prevent corrosion of the hot water heater s glass lined tank.