On Nov 9, 7:07?pm, AZ Nomad wrote:
On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 18:25:31 -0500, Nate Nagel wrote:
Anyone know a place (or better yet, a hardware store chain) that carries
magnesium water heater anodes? Only places I've found them were online
from Rheem/Ruud (almost $100 each!) and waterheaterrescue.com. Only
other ones I've found have been aluminum (which I understand does not
protect the tank as well as magnesium) and/or very short, intended for
RV water heaters. Oddly, there's plenty of the latter available.
I already placed an order with waterheaterrescue.com for two, but still
the bill was about $130. It's almost not worth keeping an old water
heater going at that price; one part fails in the next 6-7 years and
I'll be kicking myself for not just buying a new heater, even though the
old one is kicking out plenty of BTUs. I can get a GE 40 gal. gas
heater from Home Despot for under $400; I'm sure there are better deals
out there from better stores.

Tough decision. $65. or $400. That $400 bill sounds wonderful; better
buy two for $800!

Did a quick search via google. Rods sell for $170 to $400. For ten.
Unit price is $20-40.

I look at it differently. 400 bucks divided by 10 years is 40 bucks a
year. Thats less than a cheap candy bar a week.

I replace the heater every 8 years or so at the time of my choice.

that after a bad experience with a leaky heater on christmas eve in a
snowstorm with house guests coming.......

miserable......

this is called preventive maintence.

how many wait till their bad roof shingles cause a major leak? I think
its better to care for stuff as you go along.

The hassle of removing a anode and likely causing a leak just isnt
worth it!