Congrats to our three anode rod winners with the best stories! With help from Corro-Protec, we selected three stories that really stood out, including rocket launched water heaters, dislocated shoulders and Christmas Eve catastrophes. Congratulations to @Al-sh6if, @jerrycallo and @nathanhills4781 for sharing their awesome stories and being selected as the winners of this contest. We have reached out to them already but you can pick up your own Corro-Protec powered anode rod using this link: www.corroprotec.com/powered-anode/
Continous gas water heaters are better for hot water. You can literally shower for days or weeks non stop unless it is your heater too, then you should take a break. If you got a beefy PV system you might want a continous electric water heater NOT A BOILER.
This is some of the best information I have come across on RUclips. I had never heard about this DIY process and have spent lots of money replacing water heaters over the years, one being during a time when my brother was sick with cancer. Every time I see my water heater I think of my brother and myself replacing the tank. It was the last DIY project that we did together before he passed. Rest in Peace Barry, I miss you brother.
@@stevedrake1861 Our product holds a 4.6/5 rating from over 5,400 reviews. If a customer leaves a negative review without reaching out to us first, there's nothing we can do. Without direct communication, we have no means to contact the customer and address their concerns. However, if they connect with us regarding an issue, we're committed to resolving it promptly. Consider this: only 100 complaints out of 150,000 units sold - that's a testament to our product's reliability.
Great video! It is so nice to see a video that helps homeowners live more trouble free in their homes. I am also so pleased to see you using a traditional gas water heater with a pilot light, I as a designer always recommend this as you will still have not water in an electrical power failure situation, and nothing feels better than a hot shower or bath during a winter snowstorm when you are otherwise huddled around a fireplace being uncomfortable.
I a a marine engineer, and have been familiar with anodes composed of zinc, magnesium, aluminum and other alloys for 45 years. These are generically called "zincs". Powered anodes have been common for decades. Ironically, use of any of these anodes is called cathodic protection. Rule of thumb: inspect anodes periodically (once a year is fine for water heaters) and replace the anode or zinc when it is 50% deteriorated. You may not need to change it every year, but 3 years may well be too late. I was advised that the newer water heaters with only a 7 year warranty have one anode, and 14 year warranted heaters have two. I have not personally verified this, although it makes sense. I have been advised that zincs protect iron that is in line-of-sight from the zinc (why there are so many zincs positioned on ships rudders and surrounding hull. Areas outside line of sight are not so well protected. This was shown to be true with a water heater I once had. Although I had kept up with the zinc replacements, the heater corroded through on the opposite side from the center exhaust pipe (propane water heater) where it was welded into the top about 12 years after installation. Now I have an electronic anode (not the brand advertised in this vid). The manufacturer advises this anode protects the whole tank regardless of obstacles. They advised putting it on its own surge protector, which I did for the $200+ e-anode. I blow down my heater each month. I installed a full ported ball valve in place of the factory drain spigot and have a hose to a floor drain. I make sure the heater has been off for at least an hour, turn it off, and then open the valve fully for 20 seconds. Close it for 5 minutes to let agitated water and debris inside to settle, then open it wide again for 20 seconds. It's all a pain, but replacing the power-vented 80 gallon heater would cost over $3000.
I inspect the anode based on: 5 years if I installed the WH, and if I inspect it, I replace it anyway. Based on that inspection I determine the next periodicity. For any home I buy (unknown WH age) I inspect and replace and base the next inspection on that. in one case the old anode was 99% gone.. I knew I was on borrowed time, so I replaced the WH on my schedule.
You are so nice! Thank you! In 2012 our water heater gave up the ghost the day before my father, then in Hospice, died. In desperation and needing a shower, a plumber came to assist AND gave me a hug when the replacement was complete.
Tip for pipe thread. Put teflon tape on first then pipe dope. You will never get a leak. I am a pipefitter and this is how we do it. If you have a impact gun that anode rod will come right out. If you have a electric hot water tank turn breaker off. When you drain water you may exposé top heating element to air and it will burn out. Make sure hot water tank is full before turning breaker on. Great video.
The corro-protect anode sounds like a great idea. Im gonna check it out, thanks for the tip. A couple comments on the video: 1: Shut off the cold supply and open any hot water tap in the hosue to relieve the pressure, actuating the TRV could cause it to leak. 2) let the heater cool before draining, hot water can destroy a garden hose and cause scalding. 3) try using a 1/2 impact driver extract the old anode. If that doesnt work then go to the manual method using a breaker bar, BUT never use a torque wrench as a breaker, at best it will knock it out of calibration or worse
Years before I got an impact wrench I bought a craftsman ratchet with a very long handle If you don't have an impact wrench that can be a very helpful tool to have. You are 100% correct a torque wrench is not a breaker bar.
I say it's good to use the pressure relief valve because a person should be actuating it on an annual basis to ensure it hasn't failed stuck. Just be sure to have a spare one on hand, in case it doesn't reseal.
Back in the 60's, my best friend in middle schools father was a plumber. Their house backed up to woods and many weekends he and I would set up our pup tents and camp out back there. As you said, water heaters seem to always fail on weekends and we were often pressed into service helping his dad swap them out. To this day I still remember him telling us how important it was to flush the heater out at least once a year and also how he never changed out a leaking heater that had a good anode rod in it. I committed that advice to memory and now I'm 73 and in all my life I have NEVER had to replace a complete water heater (over the decades have replaced many electric elements and gas valves, though!) I was disappointed you did not mention the fact that anode rods come in the length for the most common water heaters and you may need to hacksaw them down for heaters that are shorter than normal so you do not damage the bottom of the tank when you screw it in!
When I worked plumbing at Home Cheapo this was indeed regularly the case. I taught so many people how to install water heaters on my Friday-Sunday shifts lol.
These anode rods can be long in size. While removing the old one you may hit the ceiling trying to get it out. There for you have to cut it with a cut wheel. Lift it up about half way and put a vice grip on the part your cutting so when it’s cut it won’t fall into the tank. Then with the rod shorter you should be able to get all of it out. Hope this helps. Learned from experience.
How do you put a new rod in? If the old one doesn't come out without cutting how can you replace it with a new one (other then the one promoted in the video that is much shorter)
I just installed a Corro-Protec anode in my Reliance water heater that I replaced eight months ago. The old anode was difficult to get out! I think letting it cool some while I went to town for a six-point socket and ratchet strap helped. I used the new socket and a breaker bar, and didn't need the strap after all. The anode top was deep in the hole in the top of the heater. I had to devise hooks to get it up to where I could grab it. In 2012, I bought a home that had the original 1952 water heater. It leaked and was shut off, but I know made it past 2002 (50 years).
My brother called from 800 miles away to tell me our dad was in the hospital close to death, and I should get up there right away. While getting ready to leave, I noticed the water heater had just begun to leak onto the floor. That "time bomb" was about to go off! had I left a day earlier, I would have returned to a complete disaster area. That was before I bought my house. At that time, I was in an apartment, so I couldn't just shut everything off, drain it and leave. The maintenance crew installed ball valves on both the input and output pipes which is smart because it's easier now to change the water heater. I narrowly avoided a complete disaster!! By the way, Dad pulled through and we celebrated his 90th birthday last year. Speaking of water heaters, I need to put a new water heater in the house I bought and I'm glad I saw your channel, and subscribed.
For.my hot water tank, I bought two rubber hoses that were ❤️🩹also with a braided cover from end-to-end. These hoses will last as long as does the tank. For the exhaust hose sending water upstairs, I made a loop before connecting the ends. For the ❤️🩹inlet side, I just left it as it was after connection. What I like by using the two hoses, is the ability to place the hot water tank(electric cascade 60) precisely where I wanted it, within reasonable limits. The looped hot water side connection prevents the hot water creeping upstairs when there is no demand.
My 83 year old dad was in the hospital and asked me to go to the house and water his tomato plants. As I was filling the water can I heard an alarm coming from the basement. When I entered the basement there was an inch of water on the floor and could hear the water spritzing. I installed the GE branded heater with a six year warranty twenty years earlier and it cost $189. Have been flushing it every two years, and flushed it a week earlier and didn't notice any rust, but I knew it was on borrowed time. The past two previous water heaters gave prior warning when they were on their way out, you noticed rust discolored water coming from the tap or the pilot light would go out and when you would to relight it you would notice a wet spot on the floor or a pile of rust in the pan under the burner ring. That $10 water alarm did it's job, good thing I changed the battery five years earlier when I also replaced the battery in the CO detector, the new alarm, $6 at Lowe's is Wifi based and will alert you audibly and notify you on your smart phone.
I had a 15 year old glass lined tank spring a noiseless leak. It was located in the furnace room, where we rarely entered. Well, the basement floor was raised about 6 inches around to achieve level and to allow parquetry. . When I by chance stepped into the furnace room, I was met with about 5-6 inches of water, under the false raised floor. We had to have the basement pumped out, and some heavy fans blowing air under the flooring to prevent the parquetry from raising and floating away from the base. Repair costs were much more than the cost of the replacement tank. Nowadays, the insurance companies will not protect a home if the water tank exceeds 15 years from time of a new (not 2nd hand) purchase.
My water heater story actually occurred at my Mom’s house. My dad was more or less the “handy man” around the house. They were cursed by who knows what but their water heater would always leak. Typical issues…leaked all over the garage, causing damage to items they stored, and other water damages. Like I said this occurred what felt like every 2 years. Anyway, when we talk about bad timing, the water heater leaked just after my Dad had passed away. We were still grieving our loss but now had to deal with this disaster on top of making funeral arrangements. Needless to say it was fixed but that darn water heater curse just had to strike again…why! Since that time we haven’t had any issues (knock on wood). I’d like to think our “handy man” in heaven (my Dad) is watching over us. Thanks Dad, we miss you!!! 😊❤
I'm sure ypur dad was a great guy, and knew how ypu all thought and felt about him. As a father I'm here to tell you ypu all were the best part of his life hands down. Sure he's walking the streets of Jesus glory waiting for you all to reunite with him.
I live in Burlington Canada Few years back I went to have my morning shower and the water was cold I went to the basement and walked into a couple of inches of water which had spread all the way to my large crawlspace The reason the water had not gone through the floor drain was a plastic shopping bag had somehow found it's way to the drain hole A lot of stuff got ruined and the musty smell lingered for a few years The water heater was a rental so I called the company and they replaced it the same day But I learned something from the guy that was installing it that their units are less prone to mishaps (heavy duty compared to a unit purchased from Home Depot for example) because it's costly for them to send a technician Some time later I called them and told them that I want to buy the hot water heater because I didn't want to pay the monthly rental/insurance Thank you for bringing this to my attention I will share this video with everyone I know who has purchased their unit Cheers
Cool. Nursed an electric for 25 years. Many elements and intense de-liming every 2 yrs. Just purchased a new Rheem and will definitely be going with a CORRO PROTEC. Devine intervention stumbling on your video. Thank you!
The anode rod you plugged is exactly what I installed a few years ago! I can confirm that it does in fact reduce any foul smell in hot water. Prices sure have shot up, it was only $96 when I bought mine!
Fantastic video and update on anode rods. One of those that never changed them though familiar enough to know better..Great instruction will just need to wire an outlet close enough to the water heater to plug in. Thanks.
@@zztop8592 Your not wrong. My well water has sulfur in it but having the anode rod improved the smell quite a bit. Results may vary depending on the water.
Many years ago when I first started changing anode rods, I would run into the problem of tank spin. Then one day the light bulb came on in my mind that maybe I should try an impact wrench. Wow. Made anode removal so much easier and didn't have any tank spin.
That original rod was super tight. I had to make a big strap set up to prevent tank spin. Needed a long 3/4" drive breaker bar but finally got it. I considered impact but thought it might break loose glass lining inside tank. I installed Richmond 50 gal electric in my farm house 8-2018 and switched to electric anode 3 mo. later because of stink and milky color hot water. Problem fixed as soon as it was plugged in. Instant fixed, didn't even need to flush heater out. Love the electric anode.
BIG NO NO. Read the directions on the replacement rod, it specifically states. "NO IMPACT TOOLS TO REMOVE OLD ANODE ROD". I guess the fittings are not rated for that amount of impact.
@@trex2092 I think that is a real concern. It says tank is Glass Lined which is to keep water from rusting the steel tank. If true then it would be a thin, fragile layer and a impact could loosen glass. Of course no way to see glass lining flake off and owner would think it was a cheap heater that leaked so soon.
@@trex2092 Use an impact tool to just crack the anode loose. If used to completely unscrew the rod it could spin in the tank and whack the inside of the tank, ruining the lining. That's why they say not to use an impact wrench.
Also, be sure to check your clearance above the water tank before attempting this. Trying to pull out a 4 ft anode rod with 2 ft of clearance above the tank will require some creative solutions.
@@j.frankparnell6195, yes, I've seen those, looks like sausage links. Pretty clever. If the old one is still longer than clearance allows, can be supported with vise grips while the extended section cut off. Repeat until it's all out.
@j.frankparnell3087 My my father in law just cut a hole in the ceiling going to the attic and when he was done he put a plastic plug in the hole and labeled it... Anode Maintenance Access, printed nicely on a nice white piece of cardboard and glued it to the ceiling next to the hole. He said it would increase the value of his home because it was an option that other homes didn't offer! Lol😅.
I'm one who keeps up with water heater maintenance by draining and flushing my 50 gal. gas water heater every 12 months. The water heater is a couple of years old and I would have replaced the anode rod by 3-4 years just as a precaution. But then I saw your video and researched the Corro-Protec and ordered one. I installed in a few months back and have to say it's a blessing that I will not have to worry about replacing it for another 20 years !!! And yes that green light is quite visible in the garage with the lights out !! Thanks for a great video and for those on the fence I would say do your research and read the reviews, it's a great product.
I was always told that torque wrenches are not supposed to be used to loosen things, only to tighten them down. At least that's what my instructions that come with them say.
Yes, use a breaker bar or ratchet. Make sure to have a helper hold on to the tank so you don't move it while loosening and twist you pipes. Unless you are in an earthquake zone and have straps, they are held in place by gravity.
My mind is completely blown away. I had to replace my hot water heater last year and it was a nightmare. I’m ordering one of these right now! Thanks for the information!
@@tonyinfinity Well in my house the water heater is in a very tiny enclosure in our bedroom closet. I think they built the house around it because I had to remove sheet rock and door trim to get it out. Plus it decided that it was going to give out while we were gone for the weekend. Imagine coming home and finding a flooded bedroom and closet. It was far more than just replacing a water heater. So yes it was a nightmare.
My 5 year old anode rod wouldn't budge with a braker bar. Impact wrench to the rescue! It slowly banged away until the anode loosened. Then I couldn't pull it out of the hot water heater housing. Luckily, i have one of those telescoping magnets, that allowed me to extract it. My rod wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I'm happy that I won't need to mess with the rod for the rest of the lifetime of my HWH.
This is good to know. Thanks! Our water heater went out when my husband was gone overseas and I was out doing some last minute Christmas shopping with my six kiddos! (You were not wrong about the expiration date!) I came home to hot water flooding our basement. I turned off the water valves and hooked up a hose to the water heater to drain the water outside. Frustration reigned as the hose kept freezing up since it was 40 below here in Alaska on this Saturday night before Christmas. I kept having to pull the end of the hose back in the house to thaw, running back and forth, turning the valve off and on again after the ice melted. I called my husband, who was in Germany, (it was daytime there) and told him what was going on. It had already been a long night! While talking to him, I was distracted and had forgotten to close the valve on the water heater while the hose was thawing and when I came back to put the hose back outside the door I found it had thawed and was releasing water all over the other side of our basement! I scrambled to put the hose outside and clean up the huge mess I had just created! It was now 6:00am and I was exhausted! Why does everything break in the middle of winter when my husband is gone? Since then, we’ve replaced another water heater. I’m definitely getting one of these for my husband for Christmas!
Good coverage of the details for this project, thanks! I will add that my electric water heater from Menards (Rheem Marathon) has a lifetime warranty and *no* anode rod (the tank interior is some kind of plastic, I think). My only water heater maintenance is to flush a few gallons out every month or two... and this water heater was installed 14 years ago. However, I did replace the anode rod in my girlfriend's water heater last month and it was an absolute bear to get that baby loose. I *highly* recommend using an impact driver as the belts will often work (as spin stoppers) but, using the belt technique, this anode rod would not loosen even after I added 2.5' of lever arm (via a pipe) to my 12" 1/2 socket wrench (and, no, I'm not *that* weak! ;-)). I gave up on that and ended up using my DeWalt impact driver set to the max 700 ft. lbs. (number 3 setting) since 100 (number 1) and 300 (number 2) didn't loosen the nut. That highest impact setting did the job in about 5 seconds... and an impact wrench eliminates the issue of the water tank spinning while not requiring any belt magic. By the way, if there's not enough vertical clearance to remove an old anode rod, it's pretty easy to pull it up a ways and then cut through it with a hacksaw (make sure to not drop any cut piece(s) into the tank!). Impact wrenches are not cheap, I know, but it would be worth it to borrow one from a friend (think Dagwood's neighbor, Herb) and just make sure that your 6 point socket is specified as "Impact Ready". Well, just my $.02...
Same thing with me. Initially used a belt but could not loosen the rod's grip on the tank. Gave up on that method and used an impact wrench. Did not go full blast in the impact wrench. Merely pulled the trigger one second at a time until the anode rod loosened its grip on the tank. Then used a regular rachet to remove the anode rod. What a relief to have used an impact wrench.
Gold advice. I bought an impact wrench for replace lug nuts in my wheels. Since then, I’ve used it on other things that made life so much easier and faster. Well worth the money
I definitely did this with WD40 and also tried PB Blaster (which has worked better, for me, than WD40 in the past). No dice. This thing is incredibly tight in the water heater. Did you try WD40 and have success?
Great video! I own several rental units and had no idea what an anode rod is. I hate the unexpected time and expense of replacing a water heater. And you’re right about them always going out during holidays or when you’re about to go on vacation. Thanks for the video!
You are giving misleading information the anode is not necessary for all plumbing systems and you should get your water tested.The killer of water heater is the material it's made off.Glasslined water heaters are useless. It's the expansion and contraction that kill these water heaters.Here in Ireland 🇮🇪 we use Marine grade stainless steel abd we also have wellmaster cylinders for use on wells Water heaters in Ireland can last sixty years abd that's not the newer ones
Just had a leaking Hot water tank needing replaced right before Thanksgiving. and Also my own toilet decided to get clogged the same week. Guess which one took priority?
My friend from work called me on Christmas Eve one year. She had a new water heater installed earlier that day by her neighbor but no water would come out of the water heater. All the stores were closed and no new valve was available. I ended up removing the actual gate from the gate valve and reinstall the stem as a temporary fix. I saved Christmas! 😂I ended up coming back the next day for the Christmas dinner with her and her family. Two years later I married her and loved happily since then!
Thanks for this video. I was one of those guys who knew I should be replacing the anode rod but have never actually done it. Until today. I installed the Corro-Protec and now can go back to ignoring my water heater.
Perfect timing on this video! My tank is 2 years old, and I was just about to order my spare sacrificial anode rod. I have had the conversation about "hot water heater maintenance" with about a hundred people in the last decade. I have only had *one* know anything about it. Most people do not read user manuals, especially when they "know" how to do something. "I have been brushing my teeth all my life. I don't need to read or watch a video to learn how to use this new high-tech electric one." "I don't worry about maintenance schedules because my dash lights tell me when something is wrong." Stupidity is painful to the wrong people!
Absolutely! Many overlook the importance of regular maintenance until issues arise. Your proactive approach is commendable. It's essential to stay informed and prioritize upkeep, especially with vital appliances.
@@corro-protec So true. I have learned how to care for a dishwasher, so that when I am a home owner I can keep mine 'running young'. Use a dishwasher cleaner once per month (I live in a very hard water area) and clean off any mineral buildup on the heater element with white vinegar, whenever you see it.
In addition, he attached the ground to the painted exterior of the tank. If his setup is like mine, there should be an exposed copper ground coming off the water heater itself.
@@lufknuht5960 you have to be using sarcasm. Too much torque applied to loosen something would not damage the treads. A torque wrench is designed to apply tightening torque, not to loosen
Your video is amazing. Very clear, precise, and informative. Will try and replace mine. 12 years old have not done so. From Toronto, Canada. Stay safe.
As a plumber I always suggested flushing your heater at least once a year even with a softener. The heated water is more reactive chemically so minerals tend to bond faster in the heated water. I also suggested changing out the anode rod at least every 2-3 years. Anode rods are a more reactive material than iron. The water will react chemically to the rod before the iron and increase the longevity of your heater in the long run. I like Bradford White heaters because the dip tube, the cold line has a tube than runs down to the bottom of the heater, than is designed to prevent large mineral stones from developing and makes flushing easier.
@@merseybeat1963 It really depends on the model and age… it’s not impossible and I have ran into larger capacity heaters that do with extended warranties. I have seen where a replacement dip tub for an extended warranty was an anode rod. So yes it can though in my carrier I have only see a couple with two rods and they weren’t B/W heaters. Not really needed if you change out the one every couple of years and flush at least once a year.
I worked for a gas utility and we had stickers pertaining to gas appliance performance, maintenance and safety which our techs were to affix to water heaters and furnaces. How about one for sacrificial anode service scheduling so whoever lives there after you will know when to do it?
I don't understand the "flushing" part (I don't even think mine can be flushed). Isn't the water constantly replaced anyway ? Unless you don't use hot water for a while ? I understand why we have to flush a closed heating loop for central heating, but I think there's something I'm missing in the heater case.
One Thanksgiving morning my family woke up to find no hot water. My mom instantly declared that Thanksgiving was canceled. My dad declared it was not. He jumped in his truck and sped off to Home Depot. Before I knew it he was back with a new water heater. We had it installed in record time. Thanksgiving was saved!
@@l4xx03luyf6l0to I wonder if someone threw 4500watt elements in the tank instead of the normal 3000watt ones..or maybe a wire lug nut came loose inside that wire box and touched the tank?
*TIP* If you don't want to mess with straps to keep your water heater from rotating when you remove the existing anode rod, use a cordless impact wrench instead of a ratchet wrench/breaker bar. It works like a charm!! Great video! Will definitely look into getting one of the powered anode rods!!
I used a Corro-Protec Anode Rod for my daughters manufactured home she had recently purchased. They had the dreaded rotten egg smell. There was a catch though. Being a manufactured home the water tank was installed in a small cabinet that I kid you not, was over 5' off the ground. The cabinet which you get to from outside the home via a ladder was not a lot bigger than the 50 gallon water heater itself, not tall enough to remove the annode rod with the tank in the cabinet. There was no way I could lower the heater down that far by myself. I was sure that rod was coming out in one piece, and it didn't. More like three. Thankfully this also gave me a reason to buy a 1/2 inch Milwaukee Impact to use to remove the rod. It did a great job and didn't have to deal with a spinning tank. It's been 3months now and no egg smell. After seeing this video I'm considering getting one for myself.
Indeed, many choose our product to combat odors, but an added bonus is that it can potentially double your water heater's lifespan! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Craig. We're grateful to have you as a part of the Corro-Protec family!
Great advice. I struggled with anode removal and just couldn’t succeed. Revelation! I grabbed the impact wrench with the correct socket… Wahlah! Came safely loose! Replaced successfully.
I found out about the Anode Rod from a Honest/older Plumber that said he is tired of plumbers not helping people save time and money. He was in my house to replace outside shutoff values to ball valves which work 100% better with no leaks. Also he said today the younger plumbers are only concerned about making more money nothing else. People need to do some research ahead of time to be educated about things/issues that can and will occur in your life. RUclips can help in most cases. I replaced my Anode Rod twice now, purchased a gas water heater 40 gal. in 2006 and I drain it once a year-never any issues with following my plumber advice and this video tells it all GREAT ADVICE.
You have to look at it from the plumbers point of view. Once they do ANYTHING on a water heater, there are lots of people out there who will then think anything else that goes wrong was his fault. Why most plumbers will only replace the complete heater, never fix one. Then, if it breaks again soon, the warranty will pay for his next trip.
You should leave the relief valve open while removing the anode rod. The air that enters the tank gets heated by the hot water in the tank and expands, increasing the pressure. So when the anode is removed, it can shoot out of the hole with more force than you would think. I installed my anode in an extra hole that was designed for using a second anode, so it was just a plug. When I loosened that plug, it shot out and hit the ceiling. Luckily, I was not in the way. My anode was installed on the hot outlet, not in a separate hole. If you buy a heater with a longer warranty, it comes with 2 anodes. Same tank as shorter warranty but twice the protection, so longer warranty. Buy the cheaper heater, install active anode, and forgetaboutit!
Thank you for highlighting the importance of safety and sharing your experience. It's crucial to manage pressure buildup when working with anode rods. We always advocate for caution and consulting guidelines. Your endorsement of powered anode solutions is appreciated. 🤩
My father used to work as the cross connections coordinator for the city. He was called to a house that had a water issue. When he arrived, there was a hole in the roof and the hole lead all the way from the roof to the basement. The people had had a water heater that was approaching 20 years old and had begun to leak around the bottom edge of the water heater. The family had turned up the water heater gradually to the max temperature as the heat exchange had gotten worse because of buildup in the tank. At some point the burner had clicked on, heated the water up, and the whole bottom of the water heater had failed catastrophically , shooting the water heater through the floors in the house like a water powered soda bottle rocket. My dad was a lot more careful with our water heater and began performing maintenance on it on a more regular basis after that.
That's a dramatic tale and a stark reminder of the importance of regular water heater maintenance. Such incidents underscore why we at Corro-Protec emphasize proactive care. Regular check-ups can prevent unexpected and hazardous situations. Safety should always be a top priority. Thanks for sharing!
I thought that maybe the Corro-Protec thing was something I didn't need. But I removed the anode on my 4-year old house's 4 y.o. water heater and it was completely corroded except for some metal wire. The zinc or magnesium was gone. Getting that thing loose had me using a ratchet strap around the bottom of the water heater going to a support column at the floor about 6 feet away. 6 foot pipe on the breaker bar and it finally cracked loose. I was afraid to use an impact gun on it, as I heard there's a liner inside and didn't want to fracture it with the impacting. I'm now a believer in the Corro-protec product. I will check it in a couple of years to see how it is surviving. I put a tiny bit of anti-seize on the threads, not enough to get into the water.
If you are still running low on hot water, you can turn up the temp on your tank to a higher temp and install a bypass mixing valve for safety so you get water that is 120° going out to the taps and no one gets burned, but the tank stays overall warm for much longer. Less impact during winter when the incoming water is extra cold, but has still seemed very helpful for our household of six here in Lehi.
The hotter the water, the faster the wear on the heater. Mine has lasted 30+ years because I keep it at a hot enough temp, and not hot enough to scald.
@@onehitpick9758 while I agree that the water heater will deal with more stress holding hotter water, and also run more to heat the water, your sample size of 1 and stating that correlation means causation isn't very convincing that the extra wear is significant enough to justify a new / bigger water heater if the existing unit is relatively new. In my situation, it would be a major expense to go tankless or move the water heater since it is squeezed into a small space between the furnace and a wall currently. So, I installed a water softener & I'll drain the tank every 6-18 months and change the anode rod again after about 5 years since last time. I expect it to last 15-25 years total (I think it's about 10 now) if we are here that long. Buying a bigger water heater to meet demand running with a low or mid temp setting isn't always the best option. I was just offering the suggestion of one option to extend a water heater's "experienced" capacity for a family. There are pretty much always trade offs though. Usually no free lunch in life.
@@michaellewis6569 Being in the commercial business, I haven't seen a noticeable difference in lifespan between water heaters set to 140+F for kitchens and 120F for general use. A lot of times these places will run 140F for the kitchens with a big mixing valve for everywhere else.
@@andrewt9204 thanks for sharing! That is encouraging. So long as my pressure relief valve & expansion tank continue working properly, I would hope that a higher temp would not be a major concern. Maybe it will mean replacing the heating elements or whatever, but I would not expect the actual tank life to be reduced a noticable amount based on water temp alone. If/when my tank does need to be replaced, I may have to go with the same size unit again because I don't expect tankless to make any sense in my climate and usage profile unless the prices come down a ton.
I've done a few hot water heaters and I've already read most of the comments here. Biggest problem I had was removing the anode rod, as whatever the heck sealant they put on those threads is never meant to come off. Some folks where saying it is crazy to work with water in the tank but that is exactly what I do. I leave it in so the tank will not spin, you just have make sure the water is room temp and of course release your pressure valve so you have no pressure in the tank.
1/2 inch battery powered impact wrench (not the little hex drive screw guns), and the correct size 1/2 inch drive socket. Works every time, just watch it close and get off the trigger the instant you see any movement of the socket and use a ratchet the rest of the way or the impact will fling the remains of the rod around the inside of the water heater at 9 million RPM smashing in to everything.
Just turn off the cold water supply and open a hot water tap to release the pressure. Messing with the pressure release is begging for a constant slow leak.
I just replaced my daughter’s water heater and your video about the expansion tank and this rod are very helpful. I (and many that I spoke with) could not understand WHY I needed one! Any expansion would just push water back into the county water supply. It turns out that the county had installed one way valves on their meters. Consequently I had a pressurized system from the street inside. My daughter is the proud owner of an expansion tank! Oiy! Plumbing! The powered anode is next…. Thanks
Thanks for sharing this. I've seen them but never looked into them. I may have to pick one up. We're at five years and I was considering replacing the rod this winter. Thankfully, our previous 24-year-old water heater went out with a whimper, leaking slowly in the unfinished basement. I heard the water leak detector the next morning and we were able to drain the remaining 2/3 of the tank before the damage grew serious. We had much heavier flooding a couple months ago from a storm sewer backup and I realized the leak detector was dead, so I will be ordering a new one of those when I order the new rod. Thank you for the great reminders!
I am so tired of draining my tank and dealing with stinking anode rods. Thanks for the great information and turning us on to the Powered Anode ! You win the Attaboy award of the year and deservingly so. : )
I’ve had my water heater for 25 years. It rumbles like an oncoming thunderstorm when it reheats (post-shower) and I can hear it a floor away. I drained it once many years ago and when I heard the rumbling start, I was going to drain it again, but I read online that if it reaches that stage, I’d probably do more harm than good so I left it alone. I keep expecting it to fail and I’ve looked at new water heaters for years, but since it’s in the garage right next to the garage door, I figure it’s not going to do much harm when it does die, so I leave it be. I’ve been very lucky and it puts out piping hot water and I don’t even have it at the hottest temperature. Thanks for the video. I’ve saved it to my “Home Repairs” playlist so when I do buy a new one, I’ll remember to install that anode.
I also find an impact works good especially on tanks in service for quite a while, also suggest using blue monster tape coupled with a good amount of pipe dope (not only lubricates threads well, but aids in future removal). Using the impact for me did not require strapping, at least in my case. Another tip as far as overhead clearance, buy a segmented anode rod? Haven’t had much experience with the powered anode solutions but checking 3 years on heavily used tanks and 5 on lower utilized ones works well, unless you go with a powered anode. I have found Magnesium ones for 30$. However I would have your replacement anode on hand when checking, and would probably just replace it anyways every time you open for service. If the old rod is still covered with magnesium, cut them up and use for fire starting for camping. I had a lifetime supply from my last changeout. Cheers!
An impact was the only thing that got one out for me, but in hindsight I think you run the risk of cracking the glass liner by using one. Also, I think the reason they're so tight and stuck and are installed without a lot of pipe dope from the factory is because it needs to make a good electrical contact with the medal of the tank. Using a thick tape and a lots of pipe dope prevent that from happening and nullify the whole function and purpose of the anode
Also regarding flushing the tank, the guy in the video should tell people that they should leave the water on so that pressurized water coming into the dip tube will create turbulence and stir up the sediment on the bottom. Then turn the water off and let it drain for a while Turning the water off first and letting it drain may leave the sediment resting on the bottom Also, if it's really full of sediment and no one has trained it before, you run the risk of pushing all that sediment into the drain hose bib and clogging it, now you got another headache of how to replace that in a water heater that's still full of water. I had that happen and it's a headache, and if it's a plastic hose bib OMG what are you going to do when that breaks off in the water heater when you try to remove it
@@7x779 Thanks for pointing that out, I'm surprised he didn't mention it. I recently replaced my old water heater and the first thing I did - before installing the new one - was replace its cheapo plastic drain valve with a 3/4" brass metal ball valve. That makes a huge difference when it comes time to drain the tank. I also installed the same valve on both water lines. The small drain holes in plastic drain valves are easily clogged by the sediment that accumulates at the bottom of the tank. What a headache they can be if they break off. 😫
I have two water heaters and was going through them about every six years due to leaks. I put one of these in both of them and so far I'm well beyond the six year mark. Love the product. And you are correct, you cannot miss the green LED is on. But in the basement utility room, it's not a problem and acts as a night light.
Does that mean if you replaced your anode rod when they were expended it'd also have saved your water heater? Pain to check every 2 years to figure out which year you should start replacing.
Yes. @@Trust_but_Verify Replace them up front anytime before they are done. Don't wait and keep checking every two years. Each system will go through them at different rates and you don't know for sure how long yours will last.
Absolutely Spot on! A tip for removing the old anode - use an impact gun to loosen. Won't spin the tank, easy peasy. Borrow one if you can. Maybe rent one. Or buy one, use it for like 15 seconds (you are going to put a socket on it and put that on the anode and one shot will loosen it) and then bring it back. Some folks may not think that is too cool, but I spend a lot of money at the big box stores, so I'm not having a problem with it. It's in perfect brand new condition and they can sell it just fine. You can tighten the new anode with a wrench or regular socket/ratchet. Another quick tip on the socket - you don't need an impact socket for the one time loosening. Regular socket will be fine and if you have the same water heater I do (Bradford White) the impact wouldn't fit in the hole in the tank that the factory anode was installed in, anyway.
@@u2ooberboober Harbor Freight sells a 1/2" corded impact gun for $35 for those that won't use it a lot and don't want to pay the price for a Milwaukee or Dewalt.
Many thanks! 40 yr old single mom here (loat my mom at 12 and dad at 16 so I know nothing about this stuff). I feel empowered to replace my leaking water heater. Wish me luck! 🙏 (Been in my home 10 years and I think the water heater is about 12 years old. We also have super hard water).
Great video, I’m surprised how many people don’t know about anode rods and that you should flush your tank every once in awhile especially if your on a well. Great product made in Canada. 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
I installed a powered anode nine years ago into a 10-year-old water heater. After installing a water softener, the hot water acquired the dreaded sulfur smell. I emptied the water heater and cleaned about 3 inches of debris from the bottom. The drain valve was mostly clogged so it took a long time to finally drain. I vacuumed it out via the lower element hole using tubing connected to a shop-vac. The powered anode eliminated the sulfur smell problem once and for all. I highly recommend "water heater rescue". I recently emailed them a question about how to test my powered anode purchased from them in 2014 and I received an answer right away. It would be so easy for water heater manufacturers to integrate powered anodes into their products, but why would they?
Just had a water feed line above the water tank leak a couple weeks ago, about 5 gallons a day, inside the garage, which I could sweep outside easily. So happy to dodge the bigger expense of a whole water tank replacement. Thanks for your tips on maintenance and replacement.
Our manufactured home was installed in 2010, which means our hot water heater was also put in 2010 too! It’s not far from 2024 now, so our hot water heater is almost 14 years old and so far still going strong with no problem and only thing I have done is drain the sentiment out of the tank a couple times when I thought about doing it! I expect it to go bad anytime though, I’m surprised it lasted this long! Especially considering everything in this manufactured home was built with the cheapest parts they could get. Every door handle broke in the house after 3 years! I have replaced them all. Same with electrical plug in had to be replaced since they all failed because they used those tiny holes in the plugs to connect the electrical wires. Note: NEVER USE THOSE HOLES ON THE BACK OF PLUGS! Always use the side screws to attach electrical wires! Of course know how to wrap the wires around the screws correctly is important too!
You should buy the new water heater before it breaks, so you don't get price gouged. I know this from personal experience. Mine went out this past Wednesday, on the coldest day of the year, at least so far this fall, and my wife had to have it fixed immediately and we were charged way too much. It was working fine on Monday and a little iffy Tuesday and the heat, just wouldn't stay lit, no matter how many times I tried to restart it. It leaked very little, so no water damage. Mine was 16 years old.
Thanks for introducing what appears to be a great product upgrade to the water heater world, I will be adding this to mine. FWIW, I swapped out my anode rod after the first two months of a new unit install last year and because of my work on cars and desire NOT to "spin" the heater around, I used my Harbor Freight impact wrench along with 6-sided socket, and got the rod out easily. The torque used in the manufacturing of the heaters must be extreme.....for good reason.
This is by far the best HWT video I have watched. Thank you for posting this. I had a John Wood tank that I had soooooo many problems with. Biggest was the gas valve that was replaced 3 times under warranty. I finally got fed up and changed to a Rheem and so far so good, however I would like it to last longer than the average 8-10 years. This is great to know and I will be doing this on the next flush. Great information! Many Thanks!
Two years ago during winter I got up at 4am and went to take a shower, and the water was ice cold. So I headed to the garage and checked the breaker which was not tripped. I was a bit confused, but then remembered that our water heater had onboard breakers on it; an upper and lower one. Our house is built on a steep hill, so to get to our water heater I have to go outside and down three flights of steps to get to the basement. My first mistake was wearing my Crocs because it was snowing; this mistake would come back and smack me upside the head. Well, I made it to the basement and as I walked up to the water heater I could see burn marks where the lower breaker used to be on the side of the water heater, and there was water spraying out everywhere. Somehow the breaker had caught fire, burned through the plastic and insulation. Luckily all the water spraying out had stopped the small fire! I turned off the water shut off and headed back up to the garage to turn off the breaker. Halfway up the outside staircase I slipped on ice and tumbled down approximately 12 stairs. I woke up in snow and mud and I couldn't move my left arm. I knew immediately I had been knocked out and my shoulder was dislocated. I crawled back up, went into the house and tried putting my shoulder back in; you know like in the movies. Well, the pain was too much and I must have passed out because I woke up on the floor. At this point I had to swallow my pride and wake up my wife. Ultimately I ended up in the ER, had to be sedated, got an X-ray and a CT scan of my head, and had my shoulder put back in. Two days later with my arm in sling, drunk on oxy, and a nasty head cold I had a professional come out and install a new water heater. To this day I still have a bit of anxiety going down to the basement, but my wife and I always have a good laugh about it.
I have a story. In 2014 we moved into a newly built house, one that required sprinklers for code (including in the garage). First few years were ok but one day on August 30th we had a small battery fire in the garage (lithium cell failure). This set my workbench on fire, right next to the water heater. Well sprinklers did what sprinklers did and saved the garage! We got back from lunch to water pouring out of the garage and about $50k worth of water damage, not fire damage. Everything got cleaned up, insurance claim complete etc. fast forward approximately 2 years almost to the day and we come home to water pouring out of the garage again (on Labor Day no less). At first we thought sprinkler head had failed again but no the water heater that was 7 years old, had exploded and torn about 7 inches from the bottom. We managed to replace it but it seems that from the initial sprinkler/fire, the exterior of the water heater has been soaked and rusted through from the outside. A warning to all, keep the outside dry and if it’s not be prepared for issues. Of course warranty on the water heater was 6years so we were 800 out of pocket. I would love to try to extend the life of my new heater, and plan to avoid sprinklers going off again!!! Thanks for reading all
Wow, what a series of events! 😥It underscores the importance of ensuring the external environment of the water heater remains dry. Water damage can sometimes be more destructive than other hazards. Our products aim to extend the life of water heaters. We hope they can offer added peace of mind for your new unit. Thanks for sharing your story!
This comment captures almost all the best parts of the internet - wisdom based on experience with clear indications on how to avoid a like fate. Thank you, we should subsidize your replacement - I'm only half joking. Nassim Taleb thinks we should at least celebrate business that fail, the same thing applys to anything/one whose failure antifragilizes others.
Big fan of Corro-Protec here! I have a 55-gallon water heater, and replaced one of the rods with a Corro-Protect 3 years ago. Corro-Protec says that if you have 2 rods, you can leave one in there and replace the other one with their product. I had to use an impact wrench to remove mine, as many others say they also did. All water heaters should have powered anodes - built-in obsolescence is not uncommon in products, unfortunately!
I have recently upgraded to a hybrid water heater but my previous one was still functional after 14 years. When I installed it, I had intended to change over soon to a demand heater, so I put in the cheapest one I could find, a 3-year unit. After a couple years, I had decided that demand would not do, so I replaced the anode. The original one was so hard to remove that I thought it had been welded in, but with the help of a 6 foot "breaker bar" on the wrench I got it out. It was very short and quite deteriorated. I replaced it with a quality magnesium rod and the heater lasted another 12 years! It probably would have gone even longer if I hadn't done the recent upgrade.
I’m in for a powered anode rod. We changed our boiler out a few years ago and i drain the water every year. One of my dad’s last tips for me when I purchased a house. This powered anode seems like it’s a great idea. I’d like my boiler to last as long as possible. Thanks for the advice!!!
@@urbanturbine For me? are they different? we have a water heater that looks like your video but it it keeps the water hot for showers and household use.
@@kenguie Ah i see. In the usa, we call domestic water heater and boiler separately. Boiler is used for space heating. Water heater is for heating domestic water for consumption.
Everything you said in this video applied to me perfectly. Magnesium rod rotted away almost completely in 2 years. Aluminum rod showed some corrosion after another 2 years and only reduced the sulfur smell. Powered anode seems to have eliminated the smell.
First thing I did when I bought my house, I replaced the water heater with a stainless steel tank water heater. I also added my own expansion tank and check valve. I was wondering mine did not have an anode rod, so I looked into it. It turns out stainless steel tanks do not need a nano rod because they will not suffer from electrolysis. I still flush the tank out about every three years though because I know sediment and stuff gets through the water supply. I have city water.😊
@@DERHOF2007 incorrect, nothing to do with "high pressure" and all to do with hard water. But even soften water cause leave behind mineral scale after several years to a decade
I have a stainless 120 gallon tank myself, with an electric element midway up, and a heat exchanger in the bottom for my thermal solar panels. 18 years, no issues.
It mainly absorbs the water hammer which occurs when valves are slammed shut (washing machines also) and if the tank is weak/thin due to age, this hammer can blow the tank open. Back in the day we just used a ~2-3ft vertical pipe capped at the top installed above the water heater if space above was available; the air trapped inside this pipe absorbed the hammer.
You know one of the biggest contributing factors to scale buildup is water hardness. By installing a softener system you would greatly reduce the amount of calcium and lime deposits from your potable water system. This would also reduce the amount of water needed to rinse soap from laundry or showering thus saving water bills on the long run. I would install a softener directly after the main shutoff valve in the house. You can also install a filtration system before the softener to help eliminate the chlorine and sulfur contaminates. Finally i would definitely place a drain-pan underneath any water heater that is not located in a garage.
You've got part of that wrong. It's much easier to rinse off soap with hard water. From the USGS website: "Hard water is actually much better at binding with the molecules in soap, allowing us to use less water to wash soap away, and making our skin feel “squeaky clean”. Soap has a harder time binding with the ions in soft water, and it can actually cling to the slightly charged surface of your skin instead of being washed away."
@@lllmmm3572 you must calibrate a softener based on the hardness level on your domestic water system. Its not a plug and play setup. Having a water hardness test is part of the process. So yes, overly soft water can be slimy feeling or bad, but thats why you have someone like myself who is a professional set it up. Hard water will cause havoc on water heater elements, water valves and shower heads. A perfect example is the shower door with water spots from before and after. FYI anyone can purchased a water hardness test kit. But in the end too soft water can be a bad thing just like extremely hard water. The system is designed to bring the water back to a neutral point. If you have an electric water heater or on demand water heater I would 100% install a softener.
A softener install sounds like a much more costly and difficult consideration than this Powered Anode rod. And most importantly its a one and done solution. It solves all those problems and you don't even have to maintain and refill softener pellets and such. The other benefits are hardly worth it beyond trying to get more years out of your $1k+ water heater.
Great Video, very professional. I must be the luckiest guy in the world. I just sold my house (6/23) in NJ that was originally built in 2000, we bought it in 2010. Only drained the tank once. I do not know if the original owners did anything with the water tank, but I doubt it. So, the Water Heater was 23 Years old when we moved and we NEVER had an issue. The best part: during super storm SANDY in 2012, our power was out for 11 days, but I had hot water! Did not need power, just ran on natural gas as it had no powered flu fan which I noticed they install today, perhaps it's a new code requirement. I would never add one because of this incident. Great for me! AND, I had a natural gas fireplace, so I had heat in the house too! Now I'm in SC and have an outdoor condensing "on demand "water heater fueled by a Propane tank. It's mounted on the outside of the house, but if I had the room, I would have preferred a tank water heater having seen the video about stored energy. O well, keep up the good work!
For them with a powered vent an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), same thing you use for computer stuff, would keep that vent working during a power outage. I don't know what the draw would be but if you think or know it would suck that little battery down in no time then go to a deep draw battery. The UPS's have a small 12 V gel battery so depending on the vent's power draw and duration of no electric, it may make sense to go to something larger whether it is one 12V battery or two 6 volters in series (= 12Volts). When power comes back on the UPS can then revert to keeping the battery(s) charged.
The power vented hot water heaters require no chimney to draw away combustion gases. Two inch ID PVC pipe is all that is required and runs horizontally out the nearest outside wall.
Tip after creating a vacuum from your initial drain having both the hot and cold shut off, you could break the vacuum by loosening the sacrificial anode insert. This would prevent having to use the emergency T&P valve as it may not seat back properly. This is a great install and love to see a good plumber diy. Good job on the pressure tank as well.
At the highest cold and hot water spigots in your house open them both up. Of course your main water valve is shut off. Then you wouldn't have a vacuum
My water heater manual says to exercise the pressure relief valve on a regular basis, same as flushing out the unit. I suspect the most problems with resealing will be with valves that have never been opened or those which haven't been used in many years.
I replaced my anode rod in 2018. It cost $23.65 for a magnesium one at that time. I figured it’s past time to do it again so I recently checked the price and the same rod today is $65. Inflation is real!
Installation was easier than I thought. The toughest part was digging out the insulation covering the top of the rod. Old rod was just a wire. I used a 3/8” battery impact wrench with a 1/2” adapter to remove. I started with lowest torque setting and increased until the rod started to turn. A 10” adjustable wrench tightened the Corro-Protec enough. You’ll need some long needle-nose pliers or a hemostat to remove the old rod once its loosened.
Nice tips. One thing I did when I installed my water heater was to install separate water shutoffs for the 2 water lines so I can pull the water heater without shutting the main off. I also put a drain pan under it for leaks and I ran the over pressure relief valve to a sump pump drain in my crawl space.
On the bottom of the hot water tank screw on a ball valve because the screw on there never seals right after tighten it back up. Just my opinion. Opinions may vary
@@beachbums2008 I did not replace the OEM bottom drain valve. And I have the heater in a pan in case I get a small leak. Only the top 2 fittings have ball valves so I can cut off the water pressure to change the water heater or fix something on it.
@@beachbums2008I’ve changed electric tanks for years. The drain valve often jams or doesn’t work at all. Depends on water quality and maintenance. A 3/4 ball valve with hose barb run to sump works better. Opening pressure release valve a few times will often cause a slow leak as they fail routinely. Some leave a small container to catch the seepage. Bending the anode is common practice to remove it. Inlet and outlet valves are the best setup. That electric anode is an interesting smart idea. Thanks.
Water shut offs above the cold and hot lines of the water heater are code here in a larger city, as are hot water expansion tanks. Unless you’re in a home 70s and prior, you’ve got the extra shut offs. They’re extremely common (and for good reason).
@@quarterswede My house was built in 1974 at the height of the first oil embargo and was very poorly done. The reason for the shutoffs was because I have suffered through a rusty bottom seam blowout previously and the water main shutoff was in a terrible place to access and was a regular turn valve that was corroded and took about 300 turns to close. So in a fit of rage I installed a new water heater with the 1/4 turn shutoffs, a drip pan with a drain, a braided hose going from the overpressure valve to a sump, braided inlet hoses. Also i moved the water main shutoff to a place that I could get to easily, and installed a 1/4 turn shutoff. I will probably never in my lifetime have another bad water heater.
I had my first ever house built 30 years ago, I’m still living in it. Water is very hard here in Amarillo, TX. My potable water heating has always been 50gal electric with a thermostatically controlled circulating pump having a dedicated return loop. I went through three water heaters in the first 8 years. When the 3rd failed I did some research and stumbled upon one made entirely of “plastic”, a Marathon (by Rheem) with a lifetime warranty (installed in original house). The inner tank is a semi flexible butyl (I believe), cylindrical, with half-spherical ends. All fittings for tank accessories (heating elements, bottom drain, cold in, hot out) are vulcanized into the tank. It does not have provisions for an anode rod. A larger “Rubbermade” feeling flat bottomed missile shaped outer shell surrounds the inner tank plus approx 2 inches injected foam insulation. Original heating elements were copper. 10 years in the bottom element failed. Deposits managed to accumulate in the “crotch” of a fold in one of the compound folds creating a hot spot, thus allowing the copper shield to melt. Called Rheem to purchase a new element (“consumables” not covered under warranty after a number of years). Very nice lady asked if it was copper, I said yes, she said they had upgraded bottom elements to titanium and would send me one free of charge. I purchased an extra for a spare but instead replaced the top element too :^) I was conscientious in caring for this water heater because in 2001 it was just over $900. Every two years I drained and scoped the interior making sure the accumulated scale (flashed off the elements) was emptied. Since I had never removed the elements I could not see how some scale would accumulate and remain tightly packed in the folds! I installed a water softener more recently for several reasons but mostly to stop the bits of scale from clogging faucet/washing machine filter screens and destroying ice makers. Despite having the softener I still inspect my water heater every two years (removing/inspecting the elements too). Happily, the amount of scaling has gone to zero. This water heater will have been installed 23 years come January ‘24.
Bought a house built in 1974 back in 2005. I couldn't find the date on the water heater tank. When the tank finally started leaking in 2021, I had it replaced. I asked the plumber how old it was, the brand was Rheems. He pointed to a number on the tank and said it was the original hot water tank from 1974. So instead of a horror story, I simply was astounded our tank had lasted 46 years!
@@halley-d3c He bough the house in 2005, but didn't replace the water heater until 2021. so 2021 - 1974 = 47 (46 depending on what month it was installed vs removed)
Just checked my anode last week on my 7.5 year old heat pump water heater. It was still 100% intact. I flush my heater quarterly and have used 5 micron inlet filtration with polyphosphate balls added in the center. Have never seen any rust or lime scale when flushing. Maintenance is key to longevity. Older conventional water heater this unit replaced had never been serviced in 10 years, it had a foot of lime buildup and wouldn't drain from the bottom drain even with valve fully removed.
I’m on a well propane gas water heater came with house. Wanted to swap out plastic draincock for 3/4 bras but noticed white stuff completely clogging drain had to use coat hanger to poke path and a burst of hot water water, allowed to drain onto garage floor discovered it was CALCIUM BUILD UP. PRIOR OWNER NEVER DRAINED IT. I INSTALLED A FILTER FROM WELL BUT WONDERING IF I SHOULD INSTALL FILTER LIKE YOU BUT NEVER HEARD OF ONE YOU HAVE.
We've been living in this house for 48 years. It was built in 1950 as a single story "block" house. My folks bought the place in 1975, and in all that time, we NEVER had to replace the water heater. It's a Sears Automatic Glasslined "Economizer" 55LE. It's put out continuous and consistent hot water all this time, and worse yet, we have well water, so you know that if you cut this thing in half it's gonna be delightful inside! Say what you will with the new stuff, they don''t build them like they used to, and lasting for over 50 years is what old school can do the new can't! 🤣
@@Resist4 Well, the one we got has been working non-stop and without repair or maintenance for at least that long. We moved into the house in 1975, and it was here and probably old then. If I could post pictures on YT of it, I would.
Thank you, i was planning on replacing my anode later this summer. Happened upon your video. When searching for replacements the Corro powered never came up with the big home improvement stores. Put the name in the search and viola, available to order. Will have the Corro Protect next week.
A friend went on a 3-week vacation, only to come back to find his basement flooded due to hot-water heater failure. It was a pain in the butt, and did cost a bit to rehab his partly-finished-out basement, but he was incredibly grateful that the water heater wasn't on the main floor or 2nd floor. With that long to flood, had it happened on a higher floor, his entire house might have been destroyed or rendered unlivable due to mold. I love the idea of the powered sacrificial anode. I sail, and we have a sacrificial zinc near the prop shaft to protect it from electrolytic corrosion, too. We check it once a year, and replace as needed. Thanks for the good tips!
Someone asked me when I was building my home "so ya gonna put yer water heater in the attic?". My reply was "do I really look that stupid?" They ain't light and when they leak I want to just replace the unit and not the house, besides it's easier to swap it out in the garage anyway, lazy I guess.
First thing I always check when a water heater fails is the anode rod (even if the tank is being replaced, I like to know what caused it) It's crazy how many times there's no rod left, the companies (AO Smith, Ariston Thermo, Rinnal, etc) should really make it clear that there's a rod in it that should be replaced every 3-5 years. It sucks having your water heater go out in the middle of winter, especially when it's sub zero outside. I'd very much like one of these, but honestly the up front cost for a product I've never used (personally or professionally) is a bit much for me to squeeze. I'm sure the people that say it's great think it is, but there are people who also think PT Cruisers are great, so yeah lol
I’m not sure how you figured out that this product is favored by people who like PT Cruisers, but I was about to by a powered anode until I read your comment. I don’t trust those people. Thanks for the warning.
I see a lot of comments here about NOT using a torque wrench to loosen fasteners, which seems to bee good advice. A torque wrench is a good tool to own, but probably not an appropriate tool for this project. What I don't understand is why a torque wrench is used at all for this video. I looked at instructions for installing the Corro-Protec powered anode rod, and the use of a torque wrench is not mentioned. The only guidance related to torque is a caution that says "Do not use excessive force when tightening." That suggests that the absolute torque value is not critical. Having said all of that, I still think that this is great video that provides extremely useful information to homeowners. I may be replacing my old water heater soon, in which case I will almost certainly equip the new unit with one of these powered anode rods.
Many years ago, I wake up on Thanksgiving morning. I needed to go downstairs for something, and from the top of the stairs I can see water on the basement floor. Yep, the water heater went bad and is leaking. In my hometown, the night before turkey day is when all the folks that now live out of town, come back for the holiday and that night is like a reunion at the local bars. I know I had a mild hangover that morning due to the nights festivities. Even though I don't smoke, the bars back then still allowed smoking, so I stunk from that. Hungover, stinky and need to get ready for the family gathering without the help of a warm shower. A Thanksgiving to remember. Corro-Protec sounds like a good idea to me.
We live in crazy Canada...in Ontario....For some weird reason, the vast majority of people here RENT THEIR WATER HEATER . We are the only ones in our neighbourhood who actually OWN our water heater. So far so good but it was really difficult to find someone to install it...much less service one. They all work for the MONOPOLY. Thank you so much for this.
I did this Corro Protec to my water heater a couple of years ago. I had smelly water. To avoid struggling with the Water heater turning, I purchased a 1/2 electric impact driver from Amazon for $69 and an impact socket for $10. It literally blasted the existing anode rod out in 2 seconds! No worries of securing the whole unit. Plus I use that impact driver all the time now.
I changed mine after about 10 years on my main water heater. It had very minor corrosion on it. I have a small under sink water heater that started leaking after 22 years and sure enough, the anode rod was all eaten up. I think for the cost of rods, I would just continue to change my cheap ones. It's pretty simple to do as I have the tools and easy access. Impact wrenches are a big help for tank spinning.
My water heater is 11 years old yet I do service it annually and replacing the anode takes about 10-15 minutes. One suggestion I always make is to loosen your anode when it is new before installation. By loosening the anode before install, your first anode replacement experience will be easy peasy.
Yes, getting the factory rod out the first time on a brand new water heater was very difficult. It took two people and a 5 foot long breaker bar. I couldn't belive how tight it was.
Just a note on twin beam torque wrench. It's for torquing, not as a breaker bar. A high grade wrench only has a head that either torques clockwise OR anti clockwise b/c it prolongs the calibration. Once out of calibration, it IS just a breaker bar until recalibrated.
@@fourthhorseman4531 but now his video is teaching everyone to use torque wrench to loosen...that's why you can't follow every thing on youtube. he should republish his video
Awesome video! Thank you. we use anodes in any coated oilfield tanks, especially ones containing water. One thing to remember about any type of anode, powered or passive, is that they can only protect what they can "see". Imagine it as a light bulb. so, when it's inserted on one side of the central exhaust stack, understand that the side opposite the anode (i.e in the "shade") will not have cathodic protection. So, replacing anodes is a good practice, which will extend your heater's life, but you still need one on the other side for full protection. If someone can figure out how to plumb one on both cold inlet and hot outlet side, you'll have better protection. I think that would require some further thought about dip tube interference. One other way to achieve cathodic protection is with "ship-type" anodes. imagine a block of zinc/ aluminum placed in the bottom of the tank, isolated electrically from the tank shell. If someone can figure out how to insert something into the bottom through the drain, you'd have improved coverage also. It will need to be grounded to the heater shell also in order to work.
Great video. Now here is a DIY tip for you. When you're wrapping Teflon tape, hold the pipe/fitting in your left hand, hold the tape in your right hand with your index finger in the center of the spool and the tape hanging off the right side of the spool between your index and middle finger and just wrap clockwise around the pipe, using the thumb of your left hand to hold the tape while you start the wrap. The tape will have tension on it from your right hand and you can wrap it tightly. ,
Hold the tape on your left index finger. The pipe in your right hand. With the tape haning down off the "thumb" side of the roll, wrap the tape clockwise around the pipe end.@@francismccabe3265
I have never heard of anyone in Australia who is told that they should regularly change their anodes. Until this video I have also never heard of the reason for the flush. I just did a quick search and checked Australia's biggest hardware stores and none of them stock anodes, a number of the larger plumbing retailers didn't stock them as well. There really should be an "oil change due" type sticker on water heaters. The only people benefiting from the leaking water heaters are water heater manufacturers and plumbers which are really the only 2 that would make you aware of the issue. I've had to deal with several leaking hot water services over the years and just recently cracked open an old HWS to make a smokeless burn barrel. That HWS had maybe a bucketful of scale in it and there was no sign of any anode remaining.
As a counterpoint, Home Depot (big chain hardware store in the states, Canada, and Mexico, and largest hardware retailer in the world) sells common size anode rods in store next to the water heaters. People just don’t read their manuals.
Based on the information you provided in your video, I installed a Corro-Protec anode in my Bradford White water heater a few months ago, and I'm very happy with it so far - thanks! I do want to mention that the Corro-Protec 20-year warranty covers only the anode, and they do not make any specific claims regarding how long a water heater will last with their anode installed. It is obviously a vast improvement over standard anodes, but consumers should not be given the impression that their water tanks will last 20 years with a Corro-Protec anode.
Thanks for sharing your experience with our product! That's right, the anode rod is covered under our 20-year limited warranty and the power supply itself is covered by our base 5-year warranty. We do not cover the tank itself since we don't manufacture it and there are other reasons a tank can leak that are beyond corrosion. As for corrosion damage, our product prevents it and will double the life of the tank when installed in a brand new one. We cannot guarantee your tank will not have manufacturing defects or leak from bad seals, heating elements, and drain valves, but we do stop the main reason for leaking: internal corrosion!
Great that they've come up w/ a better mouse trap. Fortunate enough to never having had a tank failure before, but I have replaced my rods before. My Rheem was installed about 10 yrs ago, so I was thinking about it already - thanks for the great timing. Definitely will check out this Corro-Protec item because it will save me lots of time. I don't have enough ceiling clearance to replace the old rod w/o draining the tank, removing all the connections to tilt it. This Corro-Protec appears to be short enough that I can just remove the old one by cutting it, and then just inserting this new one. BIG time saver - enough to make up for the price. Thanks.
Same here when I installed the Corro-Protec rod 7 years ago - no clearance to remove the old rod. A hacksaw did the work. Just make sure to secure the lower part with a vise-grip. You don't want it to fall back in the tank.
I've experienced and dealt with the aftermath of several water heater blowouts over the years in friends and neighbors houses and as a result have become militant about flushing the junk from the bottom of my own residential tank about every 6 months. However, I've been unable to convince any these friends to flush their replacement water heaters. Excuses have been "I've never cleaned it before and it's not been an issue" or "it's bad to start cleaning it now if you haven't been doing it every 6 months" (reminds me of automatic transmission flush excuse)
50 plus gallon tank will be heavy enough to wrench on, but tie down straps are a good addition. Despite being in a quake prone area, the straps aren't required for my area.
20 years and 5 months ago I got home from divorce court and my wife who I was divorcing told me from a distance that the water heater was leaking water. That was the last normal but short conversation we ever had as husband and wife. I had had only a few hours of sleep in the last 2 days prior and had been on the witness stand for two days. (My wife of 19 years had left me with our 4 kids over the weekend while she was out and about with her friends again.) Seeing that the water heater was shot, I drove to Menard's and bought a replacement water heater by myself. Unloaded the new water heater by myself, and installed it by myself. Then I pushed the old water heater up the basement stairs and put it on the curb for trash pickup. Everyone was sleeping when I was done cleaning up. The next day I was on the witness seat again, with very little rehearsing of what would be covered. That water heater is still in service and I pray I don't have to change it out as it was a very tight fit. I had to reuse the 50-year-old galvanized joints and pipes and I had to jerry-rig a funnel under one leaking connector with a cut-up garden hose taped onto the funnel. The end of the hose fortunately ended in the sump pump basin, and it's been like that ever since.
Ooph. I read twice. A riveting, painful story. What an impressive beast of a father. All that lugging/buying/reckoning alone. In a miserable time. And still generous & winning at life/project/dignity. Obvious your folks reared the best.
FYI, Torque wrenches are not for breaking bolts, they are for torqueing bolts down. Impact gun means you don't need to tilt the tank or whatever he was doing.
Better to leave your cold water supply on to force out any sediment out the drain valve until you get a nice flow of water. Then turn of water feed and let tank drain. Repeat if needed.
5:00 I work in an industry that uses lots of different cathodic protection. I was just enjoying the video but like the whole time I was thinking "man I wonder why they don't just make a powered cathodic protective device. So hyped when you pulled out that little thing. Okay back to watching the rest of the video.
Congrats to our three anode rod winners with the best stories! With help from Corro-Protec, we selected three stories that really stood out, including rocket launched water heaters, dislocated shoulders and Christmas Eve catastrophes. Congratulations to @Al-sh6if, @jerrycallo and @nathanhills4781 for sharing their awesome stories and being selected as the winners of this contest. We have reached out to them already but you can pick up your own Corro-Protec powered anode rod using this link: www.corroprotec.com/powered-anode/
Don't try to force it into a round hole!
Just use a water heater that has no tank and can heat continuously. Here we have a water heater that can heat and provide hot water.
@@Nightowl_ITWe have one here too!!
Don't use a torque wrench to break bolts loose
Continous gas water heaters are better for hot water.
You can literally shower for days or weeks non stop unless it is your heater too, then you should take a break.
If you got a beefy PV system you might want a continous electric water heater NOT A BOILER.
This is some of the best information I have come across on RUclips. I had never heard about this DIY process and have spent lots of money replacing water heaters over the years, one being during a time when my brother was sick with cancer. Every time I see my water heater I think of my brother and myself replacing the tank. It was the last DIY project that we did together before he passed. Rest in Peace Barry, I miss you brother.
RIP ⚘
A lot of people on Amazon who bought this device have reported problems with it. I think that I'll pass on this and just replace the rod occasionally.
@@stevedrake1861 Our product holds a 4.6/5 rating from over 5,400 reviews. If a customer leaves a negative review without reaching out to us first, there's nothing we can do. Without direct communication, we have no means to contact the customer and address their concerns. However, if they connect with us regarding an issue, we're committed to resolving it promptly. Consider this: only 100 complaints out of 150,000 units sold - that's a testament to our product's reliability.
I"m so sorry for the loss of your dear brother, Barry.
Lol, brings in "brother" and "cancer" for the likes 😅
Great video! It is so nice to see a video that helps homeowners live more trouble free in their homes. I am also so pleased to see you using a traditional gas water heater with a pilot light, I as a designer always recommend this as you will still have not water in an electrical power failure situation, and nothing feels better than a hot shower or bath during a winter snowstorm when you are otherwise huddled around a fireplace being uncomfortable.
I a a marine engineer, and have been familiar with anodes composed of zinc, magnesium, aluminum and other alloys for 45 years. These are generically called "zincs". Powered anodes have been common for decades. Ironically, use of any of these anodes is called cathodic protection. Rule of thumb: inspect anodes periodically (once a year is fine for water heaters) and replace the anode or zinc when it is 50% deteriorated. You may not need to change it every year, but 3 years may well be too late. I was advised that the newer water heaters with only a 7 year warranty have one anode, and 14 year warranted heaters have two. I have not personally verified this, although it makes sense. I have been advised that zincs protect iron that is in line-of-sight from the zinc (why there are so many zincs positioned on ships rudders and surrounding hull. Areas outside line of sight are not so well protected. This was shown to be true with a water heater I once had. Although I had kept up with the zinc replacements, the heater corroded through on the opposite side from the center exhaust pipe (propane water heater) where it was welded into the top about 12 years after installation. Now I have an electronic anode (not the brand advertised in this vid). The manufacturer advises this anode protects the whole tank regardless of obstacles. They advised putting it on its own surge protector, which I did for the $200+ e-anode.
I blow down my heater each month. I installed a full ported ball valve in place of the factory drain spigot and have a hose to a floor drain. I make sure the heater has been off for at least an hour, turn it off, and then open the valve fully for 20 seconds. Close it for 5 minutes to let agitated water and debris inside to settle, then open it wide again for 20 seconds.
It's all a pain, but replacing the power-vented 80 gallon heater would cost over $3000.
I inspect the anode based on: 5 years if I installed the WH, and if I inspect it, I replace it anyway. Based on that inspection I determine the next periodicity. For any home I buy (unknown WH age) I inspect and replace and base the next inspection on that. in one case the old anode was 99% gone.. I knew I was on borrowed time, so I replaced the WH on my schedule.
You are so nice! Thank you! In 2012 our water heater gave up the ghost the day before my father, then in Hospice, died. In desperation and needing a shower, a plumber came to assist AND gave me a hug when the replacement was complete.
Nice people deserve hugs.
Tip for pipe thread. Put teflon tape on first then pipe dope. You will never get a leak. I am a pipefitter and this is how we do it. If you have a impact gun that anode rod will come right out. If you have a electric hot water tank turn breaker off. When you drain water you may exposé top heating element to air and it will burn out. Make sure hot water tank is full before turning breaker on. Great video.
Good tips, thanks for sharing
Good tip. I think LRN2DIY here has a video showing exactly that tape+dope combination.
Pipe dope? Sounds illegal 😁
Damn... those are serious tips... Just another reason why I don't like electric water heaters!
@@sigma_sixgas water heaters use anode rods roo. The anode has nothing to do with how you heat the water
The corro-protect anode sounds like a great idea. Im gonna check it out, thanks for the tip. A couple comments on the video: 1: Shut off the cold supply and open any hot water tap in the hosue to relieve the pressure, actuating the TRV could cause it to leak. 2) let the heater cool before draining, hot water can destroy a garden hose and cause scalding. 3) try using a 1/2 impact driver extract the old anode. If that doesnt work then go to the manual method using a breaker bar, BUT never use a torque wrench as a breaker, at best it will knock it out of calibration or worse
Great, helpful content, thank you but I second on not using a torque wrench here.
Years before I got an impact wrench I bought a craftsman ratchet with a very long handle If you don't have an impact wrench that can be a very helpful tool to have. You are 100% correct a torque wrench is not a breaker bar.
I say it's good to use the pressure relief valve because a person should be actuating it on an annual basis to ensure it hasn't failed stuck. Just be sure to have a spare one on hand, in case it doesn't reseal.
Back in the 60's, my best friend in middle schools father was a plumber. Their house backed up to woods and many weekends he and I would set up our pup tents and camp out back there. As you said, water heaters seem to always fail on weekends and we were often pressed into service helping his dad swap them out. To this day I still remember him telling us how important it was to flush the heater out at least once a year and also how he never changed out a leaking heater that had a good anode rod in it. I committed that advice to memory and now I'm 73 and in all my life I have NEVER had to replace a complete water heater (over the decades have replaced many electric elements and gas valves, though!) I was disappointed you did not mention the fact that anode rods come in the length for the most common water heaters and you may need to hacksaw them down for heaters that are shorter than normal so you do not damage the bottom of the tank when you screw it in!
When I worked plumbing at Home Cheapo this was indeed regularly the case. I taught so many people how to install water heaters on my Friday-Sunday shifts lol.
I need to replace mine every 10 years regardless of condition because of condominium by-laws
@@TBonerton My home insurance policy also requires me to do likewise. Of course (grin), if there is no tank leak, who cares.
They do have them that are in pivot links to make install and removal easier.
I would expect he didn’t mention lengths because it’s irrelevant for the version highlighted in this video.
These anode rods can be long in size. While removing the old one you may hit the ceiling trying to get it out. There for you have to cut it with a cut wheel. Lift it up about half way and put a vice grip on the part your cutting so when it’s cut it won’t fall into the tank. Then with the rod shorter you should be able to get all of it out. Hope this helps. Learned from experience.
How do you put a new rod in? If the old one doesn't come out without cutting how can you replace it with a new one
(other then the one promoted in the video that is much shorter)
@@tc3666some new anode rods are "hinged" so to speak, called flexible for the explicit purpose of getting them installed with less clearance needed
@@tc3666 The one that was featured in the video is a LOT shorter than the one that came in the water heater.
Also, you can use the flue opening in the ceiling.
It does not need to be long; its electronic @@jim7smith
I just installed a Corro-Protec anode in my Reliance water heater that I replaced eight months ago. The old anode was difficult to get out! I think letting it cool some while I went to town for a six-point socket and ratchet strap helped. I used the new socket and a breaker bar, and didn't need the strap after all. The anode top was deep in the hole in the top of the heater. I had to devise hooks to get it up to where I could grab it.
In 2012, I bought a home that had the original 1952 water heater. It leaked and was shut off, but I know made it past 2002 (50 years).
My brother called from 800 miles away to tell me our dad was in the hospital close to death, and I should get up there right away. While getting ready to leave, I noticed the water heater had just begun to leak onto the floor. That "time bomb" was about to go off! had I left a day earlier, I would have returned to a complete disaster area. That was before I bought my house. At that time, I was in an apartment, so I couldn't just shut everything off, drain it and leave. The maintenance crew installed ball valves on both the input and output pipes which is smart because it's easier now to change the water heater. I narrowly avoided a complete disaster!! By the way, Dad pulled through and we celebrated his 90th birthday last year. Speaking of water heaters, I need to put a new water heater in the house I bought and I'm glad I saw your channel, and subscribed.
WTF 😢
For.my hot water tank, I bought two rubber hoses that were ❤️🩹also with a braided cover from end-to-end. These hoses will last as long as does the tank. For the exhaust hose sending water upstairs, I made a loop before connecting the ends. For the ❤️🩹inlet side, I just left it as it was after connection.
What I like by using the two hoses, is the ability to place the hot water tank(electric cascade 60) precisely where I wanted it, within reasonable limits.
The looped hot water side connection prevents the hot water creeping upstairs when there is no demand.
Happy to hear your Dad pulled through!!
My 83 year old dad was in the hospital and asked me to go to the house and water his tomato plants. As I was filling the water can I heard an alarm coming from the basement. When I entered the basement there was an inch of water on the floor and could hear the water spritzing. I installed the GE branded heater with a six year warranty twenty years earlier and it cost $189. Have been flushing it every two years, and flushed it a week earlier and didn't notice any rust, but I knew it was on borrowed time. The past two previous water heaters gave prior warning when they were on their way out, you noticed rust discolored water coming from the tap or the pilot light would go out and when you would to relight it you would notice a wet spot on the floor or a pile of rust in the pan under the burner ring. That $10 water alarm did it's job, good thing I changed the battery five years earlier when I also replaced the battery in the CO detector, the new alarm, $6 at Lowe's is Wifi based and will alert you audibly and notify you on your smart phone.
I had a 15 year old glass lined tank spring a noiseless leak. It was located in the furnace room, where we rarely entered. Well, the basement floor was raised about 6 inches around to achieve level and to allow parquetry. . When I by chance stepped into the furnace room, I was met with about 5-6 inches of water, under the false raised floor. We had to have the basement pumped out, and some heavy fans blowing air under the flooring to prevent the parquetry from raising and floating away from the base. Repair costs were much more than the cost of the replacement tank.
Nowadays, the insurance companies will not protect a home if the water tank exceeds 15 years from time of a new (not 2nd hand) purchase.
My water heater story actually occurred at my Mom’s house. My dad was more or less the “handy man” around the house. They were cursed by who knows what but their water heater would always leak. Typical issues…leaked all over the garage, causing damage to items they stored, and other water damages. Like I said this occurred what felt like every 2 years. Anyway, when we talk about bad timing, the water heater leaked just after my Dad had passed away. We were still grieving our loss but now had to deal with this disaster on top of making funeral arrangements. Needless to say it was fixed but that darn water heater curse just had to strike again…why! Since that time we haven’t had any issues (knock on wood). I’d like to think our “handy man” in heaven (my Dad) is watching over us. Thanks Dad, we miss you!!! 😊❤
I'll bet your water pressure is too high. It should be around 55 lb no more than 75psi
I'm sure ypur dad was a great guy, and knew how ypu all thought and felt about him. As a father I'm here to tell you ypu all were the best part of his life hands down. Sure he's walking the streets of Jesus glory waiting for you all to reunite with him.
I live in Burlington Canada
Few years back I went to have my morning shower and the water was cold
I went to the basement and walked into a couple of inches of water which had spread all the way to my large crawlspace
The reason the water had not gone through the floor drain was a plastic shopping bag had somehow found it's way to the drain hole
A lot of stuff got ruined and the musty smell lingered for a few years
The water heater was a rental so I called the company and they replaced it the same day
But I learned something from the guy that was installing it that their units are less prone to mishaps (heavy duty compared to a unit purchased from Home Depot for example) because it's costly for them to send a technician Some time later I called them and told them that I want to buy the hot water heater because I didn't want to pay the monthly rental/insurance
Thank you for bringing this to my attention
I will share this video with everyone I know who has purchased their unit
Cheers
Cool. Nursed an electric for 25 years. Many elements and intense de-liming every 2 yrs.
Just purchased a new Rheem and will definitely be going with a CORRO PROTEC.
Devine intervention stumbling on your video. Thank you!
The anode rod you plugged is exactly what I installed a few years ago! I can confirm that it does in fact reduce any foul smell in hot water. Prices sure have shot up, it was only $96 when I bought mine!
Fantastic video and update on anode rods. One of those that never changed them though familiar enough to know better..Great instruction will just need to wire an outlet close enough to the water heater to plug in. Thanks.
Well, a few years ago, was the start of the pandemic. Everything's gone up in price, sadly.
@@redmatrix corporate greed knows no bounds.
@@coler154 That's where pay raises come in. Everything goes up, and the cycle starts all over again.
@@brodriguez11000 Except wages have not kept up with inflation...
Have had my powered anode rod for nearly 13 years now. Can confirm they do in fact work since my water heater is still going at nearly 20 years old.
Do you still have to drain it?
@@naughtyorgneiss I would. Its not a replacement for regular maintenance. I have done it a few times.
I have a powered anode rod too, but it still smells when it is 12 years old. lol
@@zztop8592 Your not wrong. My well water has sulfur in it but having the anode rod improved the smell quite a bit. Results may vary depending on the water.
13-20 is 7... duh. 13 is not 20!!
Many years ago when I first started changing anode rods, I would run into the problem of tank spin. Then one day the light bulb came on in my mind that maybe I should try an impact wrench. Wow. Made anode removal so much easier and didn't have any tank spin.
That original rod was super tight. I had to make a big strap set up to prevent tank spin. Needed a long 3/4" drive breaker bar but finally got it. I considered impact but thought it might break loose glass lining inside tank. I installed Richmond 50 gal electric in my farm house 8-2018 and switched to electric anode 3 mo. later because of stink and milky color hot water. Problem fixed as soon as it was plugged in. Instant fixed, didn't even need to flush heater out. Love the electric anode.
BIG NO NO. Read the directions on the replacement rod, it specifically states. "NO IMPACT TOOLS TO REMOVE OLD ANODE ROD". I guess the fittings are not rated for that amount of impact.
Low torque.@@trex2092
@@trex2092 I think that is a real concern. It says tank is Glass Lined which is to keep water from rusting the steel tank. If true then it would be a thin, fragile layer and a impact could loosen glass. Of course no way to see glass lining flake off and owner would think it was a cheap heater that leaked so soon.
@@trex2092 Use an impact tool to just crack the anode loose. If used to completely unscrew the rod it could spin in the tank and whack the inside of the tank, ruining the lining. That's why they say not to use an impact wrench.
Also, be sure to check your clearance above the water tank before attempting this. Trying to pull out a 4 ft anode rod with 2 ft of clearance above the tank will require some creative solutions.
The flexible anodes are so that you can bend them into the tank if you have low clearance.
@@j.frankparnell6195, yes, I've seen those, looks like sausage links. Pretty clever.
If the old one is still longer than clearance allows, can be supported with vise grips while the extended section cut off. Repeat until it's all out.
Oh well, we didn't need that roof anyway!
@@j.frankparnell6195you're assuming people have those.
@j.frankparnell3087 My my father in law just cut a hole in the ceiling going to the attic and when he was done he put a plastic plug in the hole and labeled it... Anode Maintenance Access, printed nicely on a nice white piece of cardboard and glued it to the ceiling next to the hole. He said it would increase the value of his home because it was an option that other homes didn't offer! Lol😅.
I'm one who keeps up with water heater maintenance by draining and flushing my 50 gal. gas water heater every 12 months. The water heater is a couple of years old and I would have replaced the anode rod by 3-4 years just as a precaution. But then I saw your video and researched the Corro-Protec and ordered one. I installed in a few months back and have to say it's a blessing that I will not have to worry about replacing it for another 20 years !!! And yes that green light is quite visible in the garage with the lights out !! Thanks for a great video and for those on the fence I would say do your research and read the reviews, it's a great product.
I was always told that torque wrenches are not supposed to be used to loosen things,
only to tighten them down. At least that's what my instructions that come with them say.
The instructions on my torque wrench also says to not use to loosen.
Yup. Don't use a torque wrench for this.
You can use it to loosen, but you may damage the torque setting mechanism, so only use one you are ok damaging.
Yes, use a breaker bar or ratchet. Make sure to have a helper hold on to the tank so you don't move it while loosening and twist you pipes. Unless you are in an earthquake zone and have straps, they are held in place by gravity.
Use an impact gun. Tank won't move a bit.
My mind is completely blown away. I had to replace my hot water heater last year and it was a nightmare. I’m ordering one of these right now! Thanks for the information!
LOL "a nightmare"? How so? Water heaters are really easy to replace.
@@tonyinfinity Well in my house the water heater is in a very tiny enclosure in our bedroom closet. I think they built the house around it because I had to remove sheet rock and door trim to get it out. Plus it decided that it was going to give out while we were gone for the weekend. Imagine coming home and finding a flooded bedroom and closet. It was far more than just replacing a water heater. So yes it was a nightmare.
My 5 year old anode rod wouldn't budge with a braker bar. Impact wrench to the rescue! It slowly banged away until the anode loosened. Then I couldn't pull it out of the hot water heater housing. Luckily, i have one of those telescoping magnets, that allowed me to extract it.
My rod wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I'm happy that I won't need to mess with the rod for the rest of the lifetime of my HWH.
George Brazil plumbing in AZ just quoted me nearly $300 to replace basic rod. Glad I just saw your video! ❤
😂you put ole George Brazil on blast!
This is good to know. Thanks!
Our water heater went out when my husband was gone overseas and I was out doing some last minute Christmas shopping with my six kiddos! (You were not wrong about the expiration date!)
I came home to hot water flooding our basement. I turned off the water valves and hooked up a hose to the water heater to drain the water outside. Frustration reigned as the hose kept freezing up since it was 40 below here in Alaska on this Saturday night before Christmas. I kept having to pull the end of the hose back in the house to thaw, running back and forth, turning the valve off and on again after the ice melted. I called my husband, who was in Germany, (it was daytime there) and told him what was going on. It had already been a long night! While talking to him, I was distracted and had forgotten to close the valve on the water heater while the hose was thawing and when I came back to put the hose back outside the door I found it had thawed and was releasing water all over the other side of our basement! I scrambled to put the hose outside and clean up the huge mess I had just created! It was now 6:00am and I was exhausted!
Why does everything break in the middle of winter when my husband is gone?
Since then, we’ve replaced another water heater. I’m definitely getting one of these for my husband for Christmas!
Good coverage of the details for this project, thanks! I will add that my electric water heater from Menards (Rheem Marathon) has a lifetime warranty and *no* anode rod (the tank interior is some kind of plastic, I think). My only water heater maintenance is to flush a few gallons out every month or two... and this water heater was installed 14 years ago. However, I did replace the anode rod in my girlfriend's water heater last month and it was an absolute bear to get that baby loose. I *highly* recommend using an impact driver as the belts will often work (as spin stoppers) but, using the belt technique, this anode rod would not loosen even after I added 2.5' of lever arm (via a pipe) to my 12" 1/2 socket wrench (and, no, I'm not *that* weak! ;-)). I gave up on that and ended up using my DeWalt impact driver set to the max 700 ft. lbs. (number 3 setting) since 100 (number 1) and 300 (number 2) didn't loosen the nut. That highest impact setting did the job in about 5 seconds... and an impact wrench eliminates the issue of the water tank spinning while not requiring any belt magic. By the way, if there's not enough vertical clearance to remove an old anode rod, it's pretty easy to pull it up a ways and then cut through it with a hacksaw (make sure to not drop any cut piece(s) into the tank!). Impact wrenches are not cheap, I know, but it would be worth it to borrow one from a friend (think Dagwood's neighbor, Herb) and just make sure that your 6 point socket is specified as "Impact Ready". Well, just my $.02...
Same thing with me. Initially used a belt but could not loosen the rod's grip on the tank. Gave up on that method and used an impact wrench. Did not go full blast in the impact wrench. Merely pulled the trigger one second at a time until the anode rod loosened its grip on the tank. Then used a regular rachet to remove the anode rod. What a relief to have used an impact wrench.
Gold advice. I bought an impact wrench for replace lug nuts in my wheels. Since then, I’ve used it on other things that made life so much easier and faster. Well worth the money
I've read 10 comments and not one talked about using WD40 or some other fluid to help release the rod.
I definitely did this with WD40 and also tried PB Blaster (which has worked better, for me, than WD40 in the past). No dice. This thing is incredibly tight in the water heater. Did you try WD40 and have success?
WD 40 works good but a couple drops of a mix of 50/50 - ATF & acetone works best .
Great video! I own several rental units and had no idea what an anode rod is. I hate the unexpected time and expense of replacing a water heater. And you’re right about them always going out during holidays or when you’re about to go on vacation. Thanks for the video!
You are giving misleading information the anode is not necessary for all plumbing systems and you should get your water tested.The killer of water heater is the material it's made off.Glasslined water heaters are useless. It's the expansion and contraction that kill these water heaters.Here in Ireland 🇮🇪 we use Marine grade stainless steel abd we also have wellmaster cylinders for use on wells Water heaters in Ireland can last sixty years abd that's not the newer ones
Just had a leaking Hot water tank needing replaced right before Thanksgiving. and Also my own toilet decided to get clogged the same week. Guess which one took priority?
My friend from work called me on Christmas Eve one year. She had a new water heater installed earlier that day by her neighbor but no water would come out of the water heater. All the stores were closed and no new valve was available. I ended up removing the actual gate from the gate valve and reinstall the stem as a temporary fix. I saved Christmas! 😂I ended up coming back the next day for the Christmas dinner with her and her family. Two years later I married her and loved happily since then!
Thanks for this video. I was one of those guys who knew I should be replacing the anode rod but have never actually done it. Until today. I installed the Corro-Protec and now can go back to ignoring my water heater.
👌👌👌
Perfect timing on this video! My tank is 2 years old, and I was just about to order my spare sacrificial anode rod. I have had the conversation about "hot water heater maintenance" with about a hundred people in the last decade. I have only had *one* know anything about it. Most people do not read user manuals, especially when they "know" how to do something.
"I have been brushing my teeth all my life. I don't need to read or watch a video to learn how to use this new high-tech electric one."
"I don't worry about maintenance schedules because my dash lights tell me when something is wrong."
Stupidity is painful to the wrong people!
Absolutely! Many overlook the importance of regular maintenance until issues arise. Your proactive approach is commendable. It's essential to stay informed and prioritize upkeep, especially with vital appliances.
@@corro-protec So true. I have learned how to care for a dishwasher, so that when I am a home owner I can keep mine 'running young'. Use a dishwasher cleaner once per month (I live in a very hard water area) and clean off any mineral buildup on the heater element with white vinegar, whenever you see it.
Very informative video. One note: A torque wrench should only be used to tighten, never to loosen.
a cheap breaker bar from HF works wonder
In addition, he attached the ground to the painted exterior of the tank. If his setup is like mine, there should be an exposed copper ground coming off the water heater itself.
Why not use torque wrench to loosen? That way you can be sure you won't apply too much torque loosening the thing & destroy the threads somehow.
@@lufknuht5960 you have to be using sarcasm. Too much torque applied to loosen something would not damage the treads. A torque wrench is designed to apply tightening torque, not to loosen
He was using the length of the torque wrench for leverage.
Your video is amazing. Very clear, precise, and informative.
Will try and replace mine. 12 years old have not done so. From Toronto, Canada.
Stay safe.
As a plumber I always suggested flushing your heater at least once a year even with a softener. The heated water is more reactive chemically so minerals tend to bond faster in the heated water. I also suggested changing out the anode rod at least every 2-3 years. Anode rods are a more reactive material than iron. The water will react chemically to the rod before the iron and increase the longevity of your heater in the long run. I like Bradford White heaters because the dip tube, the cold line has a tube than runs down to the bottom of the heater, than is designed to prevent large mineral stones from developing and makes flushing easier.
Hi..Do Bradford White Water Heaters have Two anode rods or one ? We have a large 80 Gallon one
@@merseybeat1963 It really depends on the model and age… it’s not impossible and I have ran into larger capacity heaters that do with extended warranties. I have seen where a replacement dip tub for an extended warranty was an anode rod. So yes it can though in my carrier I have only see a couple with two rods and they weren’t B/W heaters. Not really needed if you change out the one every couple of years and flush at least once a year.
@@DERHOF2007 lol, you know I haven’t either. When you get stuff at cost or less… 🤷🏻♂️
I worked for a gas utility and we had stickers pertaining to gas appliance performance, maintenance and safety which our techs were to affix to water heaters and furnaces. How about one for sacrificial anode service scheduling so whoever lives there after you will know when to do it?
I don't understand the "flushing" part (I don't even think mine can be flushed).
Isn't the water constantly replaced anyway ? Unless you don't use hot water for a while ?
I understand why we have to flush a closed heating loop for central heating, but I think there's something I'm missing in the heater case.
One Thanksgiving morning my family woke up to find no hot water. My mom instantly declared that Thanksgiving was canceled. My dad declared it was not. He jumped in his truck and sped off to Home Depot. Before I knew it he was back with a new water heater. We had it installed in record time. Thanksgiving was saved!
All your water tank needed was a bottom element, and MAYBE the top, though usually both elements don't fail at the same time..a $30 problem.
@@sevendyseven4090 No. The electrical wiring inside it had completely melted down. We were lucky it didn’t burn the house down.
@@l4xx03luyf6l0to I wonder if someone threw 4500watt elements in the tank instead of the normal 3000watt ones..or maybe a wire lug nut came loose inside that wire box and touched the tank?
Whoop Whoop Whoop !!!🎉👍
Sure was convenient that your Home Depot was open on a holiday that HD is closed for.
*TIP* If you don't want to mess with straps to keep your water heater from rotating when you remove the existing anode rod, use a cordless impact wrench instead of a ratchet wrench/breaker bar. It works like a charm!! Great video! Will definitely look into getting one of the powered anode rods!!
I used a Corro-Protec Anode Rod for my daughters manufactured home she had recently purchased. They had the dreaded rotten egg smell. There was a catch though. Being a manufactured home the water tank was installed in a small cabinet that I kid you not, was over 5' off the ground. The cabinet which you get to from outside the home via a ladder was not a lot bigger than the 50 gallon water heater itself, not tall enough to remove the annode rod with the tank in the cabinet. There was no way I could lower the heater down that far by myself. I was sure that rod was coming out in one piece, and it didn't. More like three. Thankfully this also gave me a reason to buy a 1/2 inch Milwaukee Impact to use to remove the rod. It did a great job and didn't have to deal with a spinning tank. It's been 3months now and no egg smell. After seeing this video I'm considering getting one for myself.
Indeed, many choose our product to combat odors, but an added bonus is that it can potentially double your water heater's lifespan! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Craig. We're grateful to have you as a part of the Corro-Protec family!
Don’t know where you live but is that little “closet” code??!!
@@victoriaboster1177 That's a good question. It probably was when it was built back in the 80's.
@@victoriaboster1177 Late to the party, but my daughter's manufactured home is only about 5 yrs old and has the same thing. :o/
Great advice. I struggled with anode removal and just couldn’t succeed. Revelation! I grabbed the impact wrench with the correct socket… Wahlah! Came safely loose! Replaced successfully.
I found out about the Anode Rod from a Honest/older Plumber that said he is tired of plumbers not helping people save time and money. He was in my house to replace outside shutoff values to ball valves which work 100% better with no leaks. Also he said today the younger plumbers are only concerned about making more money nothing else. People need to do some research ahead of time to be educated about things/issues that can and will occur in your life. RUclips can help in most cases. I replaced my Anode Rod twice now, purchased a gas water heater 40 gal. in 2006 and I drain it once a year-never any issues with following my plumber advice and this video tells it all GREAT ADVICE.
You have to look at it from the plumbers point of view. Once they do ANYTHING on a water heater, there are lots of people out there who will then think anything else that goes wrong was his fault. Why most plumbers will only replace the complete heater, never fix one. Then, if it breaks again soon, the warranty will pay for his next trip.
You should leave the relief valve open while removing the anode rod. The air that enters the tank gets heated by the hot water in the tank and expands, increasing the pressure. So when the anode is removed, it can shoot out of the hole with more force than you would think. I installed my anode in an extra hole that was designed for using a second anode, so it was just a plug. When I loosened that plug, it shot out and hit the ceiling. Luckily, I was not in the way. My anode was installed on the hot outlet, not in a separate hole. If you buy a heater with a longer warranty, it comes with 2 anodes. Same tank as shorter warranty but twice the protection, so longer warranty. Buy the cheaper heater, install active anode, and forgetaboutit!
Thank you for highlighting the importance of safety and sharing your experience. It's crucial to manage pressure buildup when working with anode rods. We always advocate for caution and consulting guidelines. Your endorsement of powered anode solutions is appreciated. 🤩
That's why you close the intake valve and open a hot water faucet at a sink. Any pressure goes out of the faucet.
Who works on a water-heater without turning it off and draining it first?! #Sheesh
I tried to change the anode rod but couldn't get the bolt loose. Asked a strong friend, he couldn't either.
@GreenTea3699 Sometimes they get corroded so bad they're immovable. You can try an impact gun, but might destroy the unit. Time for a new unit...
My father used to work as the cross connections coordinator for the city. He was called to a house that had a water issue. When he arrived, there was a hole in the roof and the hole lead all the way from the roof to the basement. The people had had a water heater that was approaching 20 years old and had begun to leak around the bottom edge of the water heater. The family had turned up the water heater gradually to the max temperature as the heat exchange had gotten worse because of buildup in the tank. At some point the burner had clicked on, heated the water up, and the whole bottom of the water heater had failed catastrophically , shooting the water heater through the floors in the house like a water powered soda bottle rocket. My dad was a lot more careful with our water heater and began performing maintenance on it on a more regular basis after that.
That's a dramatic tale and a stark reminder of the importance of regular water heater maintenance. Such incidents underscore why we at Corro-Protec emphasize proactive care. Regular check-ups can prevent unexpected and hazardous situations. Safety should always be a top priority. Thanks for sharing!
That's incredible!
I saw what a bad water heater could do on Myth Busters
@@StevenBanks123 💥
@@ProfessorDickweedMD Its horrifying!
I thought that maybe the Corro-Protec thing was something I didn't need. But I removed the anode on my 4-year old house's 4 y.o. water heater and it was completely corroded except for some metal wire. The zinc or magnesium was gone. Getting that thing loose had me using a ratchet strap around the bottom of the water heater going to a support column at the floor about 6 feet away. 6 foot pipe on the breaker bar and it finally cracked loose. I was afraid to use an impact gun on it, as I heard there's a liner inside and didn't want to fracture it with the impacting. I'm now a believer in the Corro-protec product. I will check it in a couple of years to see how it is surviving. I put a tiny bit of anti-seize on the threads, not enough to get into the water.
If you are still running low on hot water, you can turn up the temp on your tank to a higher temp and install a bypass mixing valve for safety so you get water that is 120° going out to the taps and no one gets burned, but the tank stays overall warm for much longer. Less impact during winter when the incoming water is extra cold, but has still seemed very helpful for our household of six here in Lehi.
Yeah, good idea. Mixing valve can be quite a bit cheaper than a water heater. Also less wasteful if your current heater works fine otherwise.
The hotter the water, the faster the wear on the heater. Mine has lasted 30+ years because I keep it at a hot enough temp, and not hot enough to scald.
@@onehitpick9758 while I agree that the water heater will deal with more stress holding hotter water, and also run more to heat the water, your sample size of 1 and stating that correlation means causation isn't very convincing that the extra wear is significant enough to justify a new / bigger water heater if the existing unit is relatively new. In my situation, it would be a major expense to go tankless or move the water heater since it is squeezed into a small space between the furnace and a wall currently. So, I installed a water softener & I'll drain the tank every 6-18 months and change the anode rod again after about 5 years since last time. I expect it to last 15-25 years total (I think it's about 10 now) if we are here that long. Buying a bigger water heater to meet demand running with a low or mid temp setting isn't always the best option. I was just offering the suggestion of one option to extend a water heater's "experienced" capacity for a family. There are pretty much always trade offs though. Usually no free lunch in life.
@@michaellewis6569 Being in the commercial business, I haven't seen a noticeable difference in lifespan between water heaters set to 140+F for kitchens and 120F for general use.
A lot of times these places will run 140F for the kitchens with a big mixing valve for everywhere else.
@@andrewt9204 thanks for sharing! That is encouraging. So long as my pressure relief valve & expansion tank continue working properly, I would hope that a higher temp would not be a major concern. Maybe it will mean replacing the heating elements or whatever, but I would not expect the actual tank life to be reduced a noticable amount based on water temp alone. If/when my tank does need to be replaced, I may have to go with the same size unit again because I don't expect tankless to make any sense in my climate and usage profile unless the prices come down a ton.
I've done a few hot water heaters and I've already read most of the comments here. Biggest problem I had was removing the anode rod, as whatever the heck sealant they put on those threads is never meant to come off. Some folks where saying it is crazy to work with water in the tank but that is exactly what I do. I leave it in so the tank will not spin, you just have make sure the water is room temp and of course release your pressure valve so you have no pressure in the tank.
1/2 inch battery powered impact wrench (not the little hex drive screw guns), and the correct size 1/2 inch drive socket. Works every time, just watch it close and get off the trigger the instant you see any movement of the socket and use a ratchet the rest of the way or the impact will fling the remains of the rod around the inside of the water heater at 9 million RPM smashing in to everything.
Just turn off the cold water supply and open a hot water tap to release the pressure. Messing with the pressure release is begging for a constant slow leak.
I just replaced my daughter’s water heater and your video about the expansion tank and this rod are very helpful. I (and many that I spoke with) could not understand WHY I needed one! Any expansion would just push water back into the county water supply. It turns out that the county had installed one way valves on their meters. Consequently I had a pressurized system from the street inside. My daughter is the proud owner of an expansion tank! Oiy! Plumbing! The powered anode is next…. Thanks
Thanks for sharing this. I've seen them but never looked into them. I may have to pick one up. We're at five years and I was considering replacing the rod this winter.
Thankfully, our previous 24-year-old water heater went out with a whimper, leaking slowly in the unfinished basement. I heard the water leak detector the next morning and we were able to drain the remaining 2/3 of the tank before the damage grew serious. We had much heavier flooding a couple months ago from a storm sewer backup and I realized the leak detector was dead, so I will be ordering a new one of those when I order the new rod. Thank you for the great reminders!
I am so tired of draining my tank and dealing with stinking anode rods. Thanks for the great information and turning us on to the Powered Anode ! You win the Attaboy award of the year and deservingly so. : )
$10 vs $170 stinks as well
I’ve had my water heater for 25 years. It rumbles like an oncoming thunderstorm when it reheats (post-shower) and I can hear it a floor away. I drained it once many years ago and when I heard the rumbling start, I was going to drain it again, but I read online that if it reaches that stage, I’d probably do more harm than good so I left it alone. I keep expecting it to fail and I’ve looked at new water heaters for years, but since it’s in the garage right next to the garage door, I figure it’s not going to do much harm when it does die, so I leave it be. I’ve been very lucky and it puts out piping hot water and I don’t even have it at the hottest temperature.
Thanks for the video. I’ve saved it to my “Home Repairs” playlist so when I do buy a new one, I’ll remember to install that anode.
Mine at 20+ years now too ... never done a thing to it since I replaced it. It replaced a leaker though, at a bad time.
Good to know some appliances live longer than expected.
I also find an impact works good especially on tanks in service for quite a while, also suggest using blue monster tape coupled with a good amount of pipe dope (not only lubricates threads well, but aids in future removal). Using the impact for me did not require strapping, at least in my case. Another tip as far as overhead clearance, buy a segmented anode rod? Haven’t had much experience with the powered anode solutions but checking 3 years on heavily used tanks and 5 on lower utilized ones works well, unless you go with a powered anode. I have found Magnesium ones for 30$. However I would have your replacement anode on hand when checking, and would probably just replace it anyways every time you open for service. If the old rod is still covered with magnesium, cut them up and use for fire starting for camping. I had a lifetime supply from my last changeout. Cheers!
An impact was the only thing that got one out for me, but in hindsight I think you run the risk of cracking the glass liner by using one.
Also, I think the reason they're so tight and stuck and are installed without a lot of pipe dope from the factory is because it needs to make a good electrical contact with the medal of the tank. Using a thick tape and a lots of pipe dope prevent that from happening and nullify the whole function and purpose of the anode
Also regarding flushing the tank, the guy in the video should tell people that they should leave the water on so that pressurized water coming into the dip tube will create turbulence and stir up the sediment on the bottom. Then turn the water off and let it drain for a while
Turning the water off first and letting it drain may leave the sediment resting on the bottom
Also, if it's really full of sediment and no one has trained it before, you run the risk of pushing all that sediment into the drain hose bib and clogging it, now you got another headache of how to replace that in a water heater that's still full of water. I had that happen and it's a headache, and if it's a plastic hose bib OMG what are you going to do when that breaks off in the water heater when you try to remove it
Lol gotta use a metal hanger to shove it in there and someone else ready with a bucket unfortunately.
@@7x779 Thanks for pointing that out, I'm surprised he didn't mention it. I recently replaced my old water heater and the first thing I did - before installing the new one - was replace its cheapo plastic drain valve with a 3/4" brass metal ball valve. That makes a huge difference when it comes time to drain the tank. I also installed the same valve on both water lines. The small drain holes in plastic drain valves are easily clogged by the sediment that accumulates at the bottom of the tank. What a headache they can be if they break off. 😫
I have two water heaters and was going through them about every six years due to leaks. I put one of these in both of them and so far I'm well beyond the six year mark. Love the product. And you are correct, you cannot miss the green LED is on. But in the basement utility room, it's not a problem and acts as a night light.
Does that mean if you replaced your anode rod when they were expended it'd also have saved your water heater? Pain to check every 2 years to figure out which year you should start replacing.
Yes. @@Trust_but_Verify Replace them up front anytime before they are done. Don't wait and keep checking every two years. Each system will go through them at different rates and you don't know for sure how long yours will last.
Grateful for all the tips in here! Hard water and 10 years this is something on my list!
In my 70's and learn something new every day..........Thank you!
Back in my day old people knew everything. 😂
Absolutely Spot on!
A tip for removing the old anode - use an impact gun to loosen. Won't spin the tank, easy peasy. Borrow one if you can. Maybe rent one. Or buy one, use it for like 15 seconds (you are going to put a socket on it and put that on the anode and one shot will loosen it) and then bring it back. Some folks may not think that is too cool, but I spend a lot of money at the big box stores, so I'm not having a problem with it. It's in perfect brand new condition and they can sell it just fine. You can tighten the new anode with a wrench or regular socket/ratchet. Another quick tip on the socket - you don't need an impact socket for the one time loosening. Regular socket will be fine and if you have the same water heater I do (Bradford White) the impact wouldn't fit in the hole in the tank that the factory anode was installed in, anyway.
Milwaukee cordless 1/2” impact gets it done! Also good for commercial cleanout covers that are stuck using the right attachments!
@@u2ooberboober Harbor Freight sells a 1/2" corded impact gun for $35 for those that won't use it a lot and don't want to pay the price for a Milwaukee or Dewalt.
@@robmcguckin7605 Cool. As long as it works…
Many thanks! 40 yr old single mom here (loat my mom at 12 and dad at 16 so I know nothing about this stuff). I feel empowered to replace my leaking water heater. Wish me luck! 🙏 (Been in my home 10 years and I think the water heater is about 12 years old. We also have super hard water).
Great video, I’m surprised how many people don’t know about anode rods and that you should flush your tank every once in awhile especially if your on a well. Great product made in Canada. 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
I installed a powered anode nine years ago into a 10-year-old water heater. After installing a water softener, the hot water acquired the dreaded sulfur smell. I emptied the water heater and cleaned about 3 inches of debris from the bottom. The drain valve was mostly clogged so it took a long time to finally drain. I vacuumed it out via the lower element hole using tubing connected to a shop-vac. The powered anode eliminated the sulfur smell problem once and for all. I highly recommend "water heater rescue". I recently emailed them a question about how to test my powered anode purchased from them in 2014 and I received an answer right away. It would be so easy for water heater manufacturers to integrate powered anodes into their products, but why would they?
If you have a water softener you need a magnesium rod. Aluminum will cause the water to smell like rotten eggs
Just had a water feed line above the water tank leak a couple weeks ago, about 5 gallons a day, inside the garage, which I could sweep outside easily. So happy to dodge the bigger expense of a whole water tank replacement. Thanks for your tips on maintenance and replacement.
Our manufactured home was installed in 2010, which means our hot water heater was also put in 2010 too! It’s not far from 2024 now, so our hot water heater is almost 14 years old and so far still going strong with no problem and only thing I have done is drain the sentiment out of the tank a couple times when I thought about doing it!
I expect it to go bad anytime though, I’m surprised it lasted this long! Especially considering everything in this manufactured home was built with the cheapest parts they could get. Every door handle broke in the house after 3 years! I have replaced them all. Same with electrical plug in had to be replaced since they all failed because they used those tiny holes in the plugs to connect the electrical wires. Note: NEVER USE THOSE HOLES ON THE BACK OF PLUGS! Always use the side screws to attach electrical wires! Of course know how to wrap the wires around the screws correctly is important too!
You should buy the new water heater before it breaks, so you don't get price gouged.
I know this from personal experience. Mine went out this past Wednesday, on the coldest day of the year, at least so far this fall, and my wife had to have it fixed immediately and we were charged way too much. It was working fine on Monday and a little iffy Tuesday and the heat, just wouldn't stay lit, no matter how many times I tried to restart it. It leaked very little, so no water damage. Mine was 16 years old.
Thanks for introducing what appears to be a great product upgrade to the water heater world, I will be adding this to mine. FWIW, I swapped out my anode rod after the first two months of a new unit install last year and because of my work on cars and desire NOT to "spin" the heater around, I used my Harbor Freight impact wrench along with 6-sided socket, and got the rod out easily. The torque used in the manufacturing of the heaters must be extreme.....for good reason.
yep! Do it early. It only gets harder with time
This is by far the best HWT video I have watched. Thank you for posting this. I had a John Wood tank that I had soooooo many problems with. Biggest was the gas valve that was replaced 3 times under warranty. I finally got fed up and changed to a Rheem and so far so good, however I would like it to last longer than the average 8-10 years. This is great to know and I will be doing this on the next flush. Great information! Many Thanks!
Two years ago during winter I got up at 4am and went to take a shower, and the water was ice cold. So I headed to the garage and checked the breaker which was not tripped. I was a bit confused, but then remembered that our water heater had onboard breakers on it; an upper and lower one. Our house is built on a steep hill, so to get to our water heater I have to go outside and down three flights of steps to get to the basement. My first mistake was wearing my Crocs because it was snowing; this mistake would come back and smack me upside the head. Well, I made it to the basement and as I walked up to the water heater I could see burn marks where the lower breaker used to be on the side of the water heater, and there was water spraying out everywhere. Somehow the breaker had caught fire, burned through the plastic and insulation. Luckily all the water spraying out had stopped the small fire!
I turned off the water shut off and headed back up to the garage to turn off the breaker. Halfway up the outside staircase I slipped on ice and tumbled down approximately 12 stairs. I woke up in snow and mud and I couldn't move my left arm. I knew immediately I had been knocked out and my shoulder was dislocated. I crawled back up, went into the house and tried putting my shoulder back in; you know like in the movies. Well, the pain was too much and I must have passed out because I woke up on the floor. At this point I had to swallow my pride and wake up my wife. Ultimately I ended up in the ER, had to be sedated, got an X-ray and a CT scan of my head, and had my shoulder put back in. Two days later with my arm in sling, drunk on oxy, and a nasty head cold I had a professional come out and install a new water heater. To this day I still have a bit of anxiety going down to the basement, but my wife and I always have a good laugh about it.
Tough luck, but a GREAT story
I do t have time to read a book.
@@danbooher5843 that's good since you can't read anyway. Move along.
Definitely the most nightmarish of all the water heater stories!
Geez. Haha.
I have a story. In 2014 we moved into a newly built house, one that required sprinklers for code (including in the garage). First few years were ok but one day on August 30th we had a small battery fire in the garage (lithium cell failure). This set my workbench on fire, right next to the water heater. Well sprinklers did what sprinklers did and saved the garage! We got back from lunch to water pouring out of the garage and about $50k worth of water damage, not fire damage. Everything got cleaned up, insurance claim complete etc. fast forward approximately 2 years almost to the day and we come home to water pouring out of the garage again (on Labor Day no less). At first we thought sprinkler head had failed again but no the water heater that was 7 years old, had exploded and torn about 7 inches from the bottom. We managed to replace it but it seems that from the initial sprinkler/fire, the exterior of the water heater has been soaked and rusted through from the outside. A warning to all, keep the outside dry and if it’s not be prepared for issues. Of course warranty on the water heater was 6years so we were 800 out of pocket. I would love to try to extend the life of my new heater, and plan to avoid sprinklers going off again!!! Thanks for reading all
Wow, what a series of events! 😥It underscores the importance of ensuring the external environment of the water heater remains dry. Water damage can sometimes be more destructive than other hazards. Our products aim to extend the life of water heaters. We hope they can offer added peace of mind for your new unit. Thanks for sharing your story!
This comment captures almost all the best parts of the internet - wisdom based on experience with clear indications on how to avoid a like fate. Thank you, we should subsidize your replacement - I'm only half joking. Nassim Taleb thinks we should at least celebrate business that fail, the same thing applys to anything/one whose failure antifragilizes others.
Big fan of Corro-Protec here! I have a 55-gallon water heater, and replaced one of the rods with a Corro-Protect 3 years ago. Corro-Protec says that if you have 2 rods, you can leave one in there and replace the other one with their product. I had to use an impact wrench to remove mine, as many others say they also did. All water heaters should have powered anodes - built-in obsolescence is not uncommon in products, unfortunately!
🤩Thanks for your comments!
I have recently upgraded to a hybrid water heater but my previous one was still functional after 14 years. When I installed it, I had intended to change over soon to a demand heater, so I put in the cheapest one I could find, a 3-year unit. After a couple years, I had decided that demand would not do, so I replaced the anode. The original one was so hard to remove that I thought it had been welded in, but with the help of a 6 foot "breaker bar" on the wrench I got it out. It was very short and quite deteriorated. I replaced it with a quality magnesium rod and the heater lasted another 12 years! It probably would have gone even longer if I hadn't done the recent upgrade.
Very cool!
Same thing happened with mine. Impossible to get off. Had to get a breaker bar and when i pulled it out it had disintegrated to basically a nub.
I’m in for a powered anode rod. We changed our boiler out a few years ago and i drain the water every year. One of my dad’s last tips for me when I purchased a house. This powered anode seems like it’s a great idea. I’d like my boiler to last as long as possible. Thanks for the advice!!!
boiler or water heater?
@@urbanturbine For me? are they different? we have a water heater that looks like your video but it it keeps the water hot for showers and household use.
@@kenguie Ah i see. In the usa, we call domestic water heater and boiler separately. Boiler is used for space heating. Water heater is for heating domestic water for consumption.
Everything you said in this video applied to me perfectly. Magnesium rod rotted away almost completely in 2 years. Aluminum rod showed some corrosion after another 2 years and only reduced the sulfur smell. Powered anode seems to have eliminated the smell.
First thing I did when I bought my house, I replaced the water heater with a stainless steel tank water heater. I also added my own expansion tank and check valve. I was wondering mine did not have an anode rod, so I looked into it. It turns out stainless steel tanks do not need a nano rod because they will not suffer from electrolysis. I still flush the tank out about every three years though because I know sediment and stuff gets through the water supply. I have city water.😊
What does the expansion tank help do?
@@DERHOF2007 incorrect, nothing to do with "high pressure" and all to do with hard water. But even soften water cause leave behind mineral scale after several years to a decade
I have a stainless 120 gallon tank myself, with an electric element midway up, and a heat exchanger in the bottom for my thermal solar panels. 18 years, no issues.
It mainly absorbs the water hammer which occurs when valves are slammed shut (washing machines also) and if the tank is weak/thin due to age, this hammer can blow the tank open.
Back in the day we just used a ~2-3ft vertical pipe capped at the top installed above the water heater if space above was available; the air trapped inside this pipe absorbed the hammer.
@@MrGGPRI On a well, with a 80 gallon pressure tank, I've always figured that it also acts like a expansion tank.
You know one of the biggest contributing factors to scale buildup is water hardness. By installing a softener system you would greatly reduce the amount of calcium and lime deposits from your potable water system. This would also reduce the amount of water needed to rinse soap from laundry or showering thus saving water bills on the long run. I would install a softener directly after the main shutoff valve in the house. You can also install a filtration system before the softener to help eliminate the chlorine and sulfur contaminates.
Finally i would definitely place a drain-pan underneath any water heater that is not located in a garage.
Mine is like 35 or more yo. Never flushed. Never changed rod. Have hard water, rust, Sulphur, etc. Will likely go out this week.
Do you use a water softener system that uses salt pellets? if so would some of that salt leaking into the water cause the tank to rust?
You've got part of that wrong. It's much easier to rinse off soap with hard water. From the USGS website: "Hard water is actually much better at binding with the molecules in soap, allowing us to use less water to wash soap away, and making our skin feel “squeaky clean”. Soap has a harder time binding with the ions in soft water, and it can actually cling to the slightly charged surface of your skin instead of being washed away."
@@lllmmm3572 you must calibrate a softener based on the hardness level on your domestic water system. Its not a plug and play setup. Having a water hardness test is part of the process. So yes, overly soft water can be slimy feeling or bad, but thats why you have someone like myself who is a professional set it up. Hard water will cause havoc on water heater elements, water valves and shower heads. A perfect example is the shower door with water spots from before and after. FYI anyone can purchased a water hardness test kit. But in the end too soft water can be a bad thing just like extremely hard water. The system is designed to bring the water back to a neutral point.
If you have an electric water heater or on demand water heater I would 100% install a softener.
A softener install sounds like a much more costly and difficult consideration than this Powered Anode rod. And most importantly its a one and done solution. It solves all those problems and you don't even have to maintain and refill softener pellets and such. The other benefits are hardly worth it beyond trying to get more years out of your $1k+ water heater.
Great Video, very professional. I must be the luckiest guy in the world. I just sold my house (6/23) in NJ that was originally built in 2000, we bought it in 2010. Only drained the tank once. I do not know if the original owners did anything with the water tank, but I doubt it. So, the Water Heater was 23 Years old when we moved and we NEVER had an issue. The best part: during super storm SANDY in 2012, our power was out for 11 days, but I had hot water! Did not need power, just ran on natural gas as it had no powered flu fan which I noticed they install today, perhaps it's a new code requirement. I would never add one because of this incident. Great for me! AND, I had a natural gas fireplace, so I had heat in the house too! Now I'm in SC and have an outdoor condensing "on demand "water heater fueled by a Propane tank. It's mounted on the outside of the house, but if I had the room, I would have preferred a tank water heater having seen the video about stored energy. O well, keep up the good work!
For them with a powered vent an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), same thing you use for computer stuff, would keep that vent working during a power outage. I don't know what the draw would be but if you think or know it would suck that little battery down in no time then go to a deep draw battery. The UPS's have a small 12 V gel battery so depending on the vent's power draw and duration of no electric, it may make sense to go to something larger whether it is one 12V battery or two 6 volters in series (= 12Volts). When power comes back on the UPS can then revert to keeping the battery(s) charged.
The power vented hot water heaters require no chimney to draw away combustion gases. Two inch ID PVC pipe is all that is required and runs horizontally out the nearest outside wall.
Tip after creating a vacuum from your initial drain having both the hot and cold shut off, you could break the vacuum by loosening the sacrificial anode insert. This would prevent having to use the emergency T&P valve as it may not seat back properly.
This is a great install and love to see a good plumber diy. Good job on the pressure tank as well.
At the highest cold and hot water spigots in your house open them both up.
Of course your main water valve is shut off.
Then you wouldn't have a vacuum
My water heater manual says to exercise the pressure relief valve on a regular basis, same as flushing out the unit. I suspect the most problems with resealing will be with valves that have never been opened or those which haven't been used in many years.
@@eosjoe565 Frequent operation and getting stuff in the valve seat are the reasons the relief would fail.
@@andrewt.5567 It's odd then that the manual would recommend that it be exercised so frequently.
Like many things in life, do it often or don’t do it at all.😂
I replaced my anode rod in 2018. It cost $23.65 for a magnesium one at that time. I figured it’s past time to do it again so I recently checked the price and the same rod today is $65. Inflation is real!
Ummm yeah it's real...anything to steal the money out of your pocket
You get the economy you vote for.
Installation was easier than I thought. The toughest part was digging out the insulation covering the top of the rod. Old rod was just a wire. I used a 3/8” battery impact wrench with a 1/2” adapter to remove. I started with lowest torque setting and increased until the rod started to turn. A 10” adjustable wrench tightened the Corro-Protec enough. You’ll need some long needle-nose pliers or a hemostat to remove the old rod once its loosened.
Nice tips. One thing I did when I installed my water heater was to install separate water shutoffs for the 2 water lines so I can pull the water heater without shutting the main off. I also put a drain pan under it for leaks and I ran the over pressure relief valve to a sump pump drain in my crawl space.
On the bottom of the hot water tank screw on a ball valve because the screw on there never seals right after tighten it back up.
Just my opinion.
Opinions may vary
@@beachbums2008 I did not replace the OEM bottom drain valve. And I have the heater in a pan in case I get a small leak. Only the top 2 fittings have ball valves so I can cut off the water pressure to change the water heater or fix something on it.
@@beachbums2008I’ve changed electric tanks for years. The drain valve often jams or doesn’t work at all. Depends on water quality and maintenance. A 3/4 ball valve with hose barb run to sump works better.
Opening pressure release valve a few times will often cause a slow leak as they fail routinely. Some leave a small container to catch the seepage.
Bending the anode is common practice to remove it.
Inlet and outlet valves are the best setup.
That electric anode is an interesting smart idea. Thanks.
Water shut offs above the cold and hot lines of the water heater are code here in a larger city, as are hot water expansion tanks. Unless you’re in a home 70s and prior, you’ve got the extra shut offs. They’re extremely common (and for good reason).
@@quarterswede My house was built in 1974 at the height of the first oil embargo and was very poorly done. The reason for the shutoffs was because I have suffered through a rusty bottom seam blowout previously and the water main shutoff was in a terrible place to access and was a regular turn valve that was corroded and took about 300 turns to close. So in a fit of rage I installed a new water heater with the 1/4 turn shutoffs, a drip pan with a drain, a braided hose going from the overpressure valve to a sump, braided inlet hoses. Also i moved the water main shutoff to a place that I could get to easily, and installed a 1/4 turn shutoff. I will probably never in my lifetime have another bad water heater.
I had my first ever house built 30 years ago, I’m still living in it. Water is very hard here in Amarillo, TX.
My potable water heating has always been 50gal electric with a thermostatically controlled circulating pump having a dedicated return loop.
I went through three water heaters in the first 8 years. When the 3rd failed I did some research and stumbled upon one made entirely of “plastic”, a Marathon (by Rheem) with a lifetime warranty (installed in original house). The inner tank is a semi flexible butyl (I believe), cylindrical, with half-spherical ends. All fittings for tank accessories (heating elements, bottom drain, cold in, hot out) are vulcanized into the tank. It does not have provisions for an anode rod. A larger “Rubbermade” feeling flat bottomed missile shaped outer shell surrounds the inner tank plus approx 2 inches injected foam insulation.
Original heating elements were copper. 10 years in the bottom element failed. Deposits managed to accumulate in the “crotch” of a fold in one of the compound folds creating a hot spot, thus allowing the copper shield to melt. Called Rheem to purchase a new element (“consumables” not covered under warranty after a number of years). Very nice lady asked if it was copper, I said yes, she said they had upgraded bottom elements to titanium and would send me one free of charge. I purchased an extra for a spare but instead replaced the top element too :^)
I was conscientious in caring for this water heater because in 2001 it was just over $900. Every two years I drained and scoped the interior making sure the accumulated scale (flashed off the elements) was emptied. Since I had never removed the elements I could not see how some scale would accumulate and remain tightly packed in the folds!
I installed a water softener more recently for several reasons but mostly to stop the bits of scale from clogging faucet/washing machine filter screens and destroying ice makers. Despite having the softener I still inspect my water heater every two years (removing/inspecting the elements too). Happily, the amount of scaling has gone to zero. This water heater will have been installed 23 years come January ‘24.
Bought a house built in 1974 back in 2005. I couldn't find the date on the water heater tank. When the tank finally started leaking in 2021, I had it replaced. I asked the plumber how old it was, the brand was Rheems. He pointed to a number on the tank and said it was the original hot water tank from 1974. So instead of a horror story, I simply was astounded our tank had lasted 46 years!
2005 -1974 = 31 yrs great brand of water heater 5 star plus ratings 👌
Did you even read what he wrote? He BOUGHT the house in 2005 BUT water heater started leaking in 2021, do the math and stay in school.@@halley-d3c
@@halley-d3c He bough the house in 2005, but didn't replace the water heater until 2021. so 2021 - 1974 = 47 (46 depending on what month it was installed vs removed)
they don't make them like that anymore
And maybe if you had flushed the tank and changed the anode after your purchase, it might have lasted longer?!
Just checked my anode last week on my 7.5 year old heat pump water heater. It was still 100% intact. I flush my heater quarterly and have used 5 micron inlet filtration with polyphosphate balls added in the center. Have never seen any rust or lime scale when flushing. Maintenance is key to longevity. Older conventional water heater this unit replaced had never been serviced in 10 years, it had a foot of lime buildup and wouldn't drain from the bottom drain even with valve fully removed.
I’m on a well propane gas water heater came with house. Wanted to swap out plastic draincock for 3/4 bras but noticed white stuff completely clogging drain had to use coat hanger to poke path and a burst of hot water water, allowed to drain onto garage floor discovered it was CALCIUM BUILD UP. PRIOR OWNER NEVER DRAINED IT. I INSTALLED A FILTER FROM WELL BUT WONDERING IF I SHOULD INSTALL FILTER LIKE YOU BUT NEVER HEARD OF ONE YOU HAVE.
@@blt981 hopefully my response got to you. RUclips deleted it because it had product links for your research .🤐
We've been living in this house for 48 years. It was built in 1950 as a single story "block" house. My folks bought the place in 1975, and in all that time, we NEVER had to replace the water heater. It's a Sears Automatic Glasslined "Economizer" 55LE. It's put out continuous and consistent hot water all this time, and worse yet, we have well water, so you know that if you cut this thing in half it's gonna be delightful inside! Say what you will with the new stuff, they don''t build them like they used to, and lasting for over 50 years is what old school can do the new can't! 🤣
The "built like they use to" is going to cost more for something that's already expensive.
No water heater can last 50 years! That’s just impossible.
@@Resist4 Well, the one we got has been working non-stop and without repair or maintenance for at least that long. We moved into the house in 1975, and it was here and probably old then. If I could post pictures on YT of it, I would.
Thank you, i was planning on replacing my anode later this summer. Happened upon your video. When searching for replacements the Corro powered never came up with the big home improvement stores. Put the name in the search and viola, available to order. Will have the Corro Protect next week.
🤩
A friend went on a 3-week vacation, only to come back to find his basement flooded due to hot-water heater failure. It was a pain in the butt, and did cost a bit to rehab his partly-finished-out basement, but he was incredibly grateful that the water heater wasn't on the main floor or 2nd floor. With that long to flood, had it happened on a higher floor, his entire house might have been destroyed or rendered unlivable due to mold. I love the idea of the powered sacrificial anode. I sail, and we have a sacrificial zinc near the prop shaft to protect it from electrolytic corrosion, too. We check it once a year, and replace as needed. Thanks for the good tips!
Someone asked me when I was building my home "so ya gonna put yer water heater in the attic?". My reply was "do I really look that stupid?" They ain't light and when they leak I want to just replace the unit and not the house, besides it's easier to swap it out in the garage anyway, lazy I guess.
Shut of gas and water, empty perishables in refrigerator, unplug everything unneeded if going away for that long.
First thing I always check when a water heater fails is the anode rod (even if the tank is being replaced, I like to know what caused it)
It's crazy how many times there's no rod left, the companies (AO Smith, Ariston Thermo, Rinnal, etc) should really make it clear that there's a rod in it that should be replaced every 3-5 years.
It sucks having your water heater go out in the middle of winter, especially when it's sub zero outside.
I'd very much like one of these, but honestly the up front cost for a product I've never used (personally or professionally) is a bit much for me to squeeze.
I'm sure the people that say it's great think it is, but there are people who also think PT Cruisers are great, so yeah lol
I’m not sure how you figured out that this product is favored by people who like PT Cruisers, but I was about to by a powered anode until I read your comment. I don’t trust those people. Thanks for the warning.
I see a lot of comments here about NOT using a torque wrench to loosen fasteners, which seems to bee good advice. A torque wrench is a good tool to own, but probably not an appropriate tool for this project.
What I don't understand is why a torque wrench is used at all for this video. I looked at instructions for installing the Corro-Protec powered anode rod, and the use of a torque wrench is not mentioned. The only guidance related to torque is a caution that says "Do not use excessive force when tightening." That suggests that the absolute torque value is not critical.
Having said all of that, I still think that this is great video that provides extremely useful information to homeowners. I may be replacing my old water heater soon, in which case I will almost certainly equip the new unit with one of these powered anode rods.
Many years ago, I wake up on Thanksgiving morning. I needed to go downstairs for something, and from the top of the stairs I can see water on the basement floor. Yep, the water heater went bad and is leaking. In my hometown, the night before turkey day is when all the folks that now live out of town, come back for the holiday and that night is like a reunion at the local bars. I know I had a mild hangover that morning due to the nights festivities. Even though I don't smoke, the bars back then still allowed smoking, so I stunk from that. Hungover, stinky and need to get ready for the family gathering without the help of a warm shower. A Thanksgiving to remember. Corro-Protec sounds like a good idea to me.
My water heater has been working flawlessly since March 1984. It's now Oct 31st, 2023, and it still shows no signs of going wrong.
We live in crazy Canada...in Ontario....For some weird reason, the vast majority of people here RENT THEIR WATER HEATER . We are the only ones in our neighbourhood who actually OWN our water heater. So far so good but it was really difficult to find someone to install it...much less service one. They all work for the MONOPOLY. Thank you so much for this.
I did this Corro Protec to my water heater a couple of years ago. I had smelly water. To avoid struggling with the Water heater turning, I purchased a 1/2 electric impact driver from Amazon for $69 and an impact socket for $10. It literally blasted the existing anode rod out in 2 seconds! No worries of securing the whole unit. Plus I use that impact driver all the time now.
I changed mine after about 10 years on my main water heater. It had very minor corrosion on it. I have a small under sink water heater that started leaking after 22 years and sure enough, the anode rod was all eaten up. I think for the cost of rods, I would just continue to change my cheap ones. It's pretty simple to do as I have the tools and easy access. Impact wrenches are a big help for tank spinning.
Great job in explaining how water heaters work and how they can be fixed
My water heater is 11 years old yet I do service it annually and replacing the anode takes about 10-15 minutes. One suggestion I always make is to loosen your anode when it is new before installation. By loosening the anode before install, your first anode replacement experience will be easy peasy.
Yes, getting the factory rod out the first time on a brand new water heater was very difficult. It took two people and a 5 foot long breaker bar. I couldn't belive how tight it was.
Impact works best.@@stargazer7644
Just a note on twin beam torque wrench. It's for torquing, not as a breaker bar. A high grade wrench only has a head that either torques clockwise OR anti clockwise b/c it prolongs the calibration. Once out of calibration, it IS just a breaker bar until recalibrated.
Was searching for somebody to mention this. Was not disappointed. :)
Some torque wrenches can torque in either direction.
@@3rdpig He said TWIN BEAM
@@fourthhorseman4531 but now his video is teaching everyone to use torque wrench to loosen...that's why you can't follow every thing on youtube. he should republish his video
@@btam83 I know. I was not disagreeing with that, just saying that I was hoping somebody mentioned that, which they did.
Awesome video! Thank you. we use anodes in any coated oilfield tanks, especially ones containing water. One thing to remember about any type of anode, powered or passive, is that they can only protect what they can "see". Imagine it as a light bulb. so, when it's inserted on one side of the central exhaust stack, understand that the side opposite the anode (i.e in the "shade") will not have cathodic protection. So, replacing anodes is a good practice, which will extend your heater's life, but you still need one on the other side for full protection. If someone can figure out how to plumb one on both cold inlet and hot outlet side, you'll have better protection. I think that would require some further thought about dip tube interference. One other way to achieve cathodic protection is with "ship-type" anodes. imagine a block of zinc/ aluminum placed in the bottom of the tank, isolated electrically from the tank shell. If someone can figure out how to insert something into the bottom through the drain, you'd have improved coverage also. It will need to be grounded to the heater shell also in order to work.
Great video. Now here is a DIY tip for you. When you're wrapping Teflon tape, hold the pipe/fitting in your left hand, hold the tape in your right hand with your index finger in the center of the spool and the tape hanging off the right side of the spool between your index and middle finger and just wrap clockwise around the pipe, using the thumb of your left hand to hold the tape while you start the wrap. The tape will have tension on it from your right hand and you can wrap it tightly.
,
Guy is a noob, same technique for electrical tape.
But what if I am left handed
Hold the tape on your left index finger. The pipe in your right hand. With the tape haning down off the "thumb" side of the roll, wrap the tape clockwise around the pipe end.@@francismccabe3265
I have never heard of anyone in Australia who is told that they should regularly change their anodes. Until this video I have also never heard of the reason for the flush. I just did a quick search and checked Australia's biggest hardware stores and none of them stock anodes, a number of the larger plumbing retailers didn't stock them as well. There really should be an "oil change due" type sticker on water heaters. The only people benefiting from the leaking water heaters are water heater manufacturers and plumbers which are really the only 2 that would make you aware of the issue. I've had to deal with several leaking hot water services over the years and just recently cracked open an old HWS to make a smokeless burn barrel. That HWS had maybe a bucketful of scale in it and there was no sign of any anode remaining.
As a counterpoint, Home Depot (big chain hardware store in the states, Canada, and Mexico, and largest hardware retailer in the world) sells common size anode rods in store next to the water heaters. People just don’t read their manuals.
Based on the information you provided in your video, I installed a Corro-Protec anode in my Bradford White water heater a few months ago, and I'm very happy with it so far - thanks!
I do want to mention that the Corro-Protec 20-year warranty covers only the anode, and they do not make any specific claims regarding how long a water heater will last with their anode installed. It is obviously a vast improvement over standard anodes, but consumers should not be given the impression that their water tanks will last 20 years with a Corro-Protec anode.
Thanks for sharing your experience with our product!
That's right, the anode rod is covered under our 20-year limited warranty and the power supply itself is covered by our base 5-year warranty. We do not cover the tank itself since we don't manufacture it and there are other reasons a tank can leak that are beyond corrosion.
As for corrosion damage, our product prevents it and will double the life of the tank when installed in a brand new one. We cannot guarantee your tank will not have manufacturing defects or leak from bad seals, heating elements, and drain valves, but we do stop the main reason for leaking: internal corrosion!
Great that they've come up w/ a better mouse trap. Fortunate enough to never having had a tank failure before, but I have replaced my rods before. My Rheem was installed about 10 yrs ago, so I was thinking about it already - thanks for the great timing. Definitely will check out this Corro-Protec item because it will save me lots of time. I don't have enough ceiling clearance to replace the old rod w/o draining the tank, removing all the connections to tilt it. This Corro-Protec appears to be short enough that I can just remove the old one by cutting it, and then just inserting this new one. BIG time saver - enough to make up for the price. Thanks.
You can get flexible segmented anodes that are super easy to install and work just as well as the long rigid anodes.
Same here when I installed the Corro-Protec rod 7 years ago - no clearance to remove the old rod. A hacksaw did the work. Just make sure to secure the lower part with a vise-grip. You don't want it to fall back in the tank.
I've experienced and dealt with the aftermath of several water heater blowouts over the years in friends and neighbors houses and as a result have become militant about flushing the junk from the bottom of my own residential tank about every 6 months. However, I've been unable to convince any these friends to flush their replacement water heaters. Excuses have been "I've never cleaned it before and it's not been an issue" or "it's bad to start cleaning it now if you haven't been doing it every 6 months" (reminds me of automatic transmission flush excuse)
50 plus gallon tank will be heavy enough to wrench on, but tie down straps are a good addition. Despite being in a quake prone area, the straps aren't required for my area.
20 years and 5 months ago I got home from divorce court and my wife who I was divorcing told me from a distance that the water heater was leaking water. That was the last normal but short conversation we ever had as husband and wife. I had had only a few hours of sleep in the last 2 days prior and had been on the witness stand for two days. (My wife of 19 years had left me with our 4 kids over the weekend while she was out and about with her friends again.) Seeing that the water heater was shot, I drove to Menard's and bought a replacement water heater by myself. Unloaded the new water heater by myself, and installed it by myself. Then I pushed the old water heater up the basement stairs and put it on the curb for trash pickup. Everyone was sleeping when I was done cleaning up. The next day I was on the witness seat again, with very little rehearsing of what would be covered. That water heater is still in service and I pray I don't have to change it out as it was a very tight fit. I had to reuse the 50-year-old galvanized joints and pipes and I had to jerry-rig a funnel under one leaking connector with a cut-up garden hose taped onto the funnel. The end of the hose fortunately ended in the sump pump basin, and it's been like that ever since.
Ooph. I read twice.
A riveting, painful story. What an impressive beast of a father.
All that lugging/buying/reckoning alone.
In a miserable time. And still generous & winning at life/project/dignity.
Obvious your folks reared the best.
Does it help with today's women preaching how much better they are than men? Too bad she wasn't one of them and did the job herself!
Separation is very painful 😔
FYI, Torque wrenches are not for breaking bolts, they are for torqueing bolts down.
Impact gun means you don't need to tilt the tank or whatever he was doing.
I use a plastic tank water heater with no sacrificial anode. I love it! Has held-up wonderfully. Not one issue and was installed in 2010.
If you would like to keep your torque wrench within spec for years (decades): Do not use it to loosen bolts. The other direction is for RH thread.
I was going to say the same
Better to leave your cold water supply on to force out any sediment out the drain valve until you get a nice flow of water. Then turn of water feed and let tank drain. Repeat if needed.
5:00 I work in an industry that uses lots of different cathodic protection. I was just enjoying the video but like the whole time I was thinking "man I wonder why they don't just make a powered cathodic protective device. So hyped when you pulled out that little thing. Okay back to watching the rest of the video.