"Salmon Egg" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Paul Franklin wrote:

On Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:29:18 -0700, Salmon Egg
wrote:

Does it make practical sense to preemptively replace anodes in working
water heaters in order to extend their lives? Is it better to just wait
until leaking begins?

Bill

Changing it after it starts leaking is not going to help.

Changing it before it is all used up can certainly extend the life.
The trick is knowing when. The second trick is actually changing it.
Can be a real job to break it loose without damaging anything, and you
need a lot of clearance above to replace, although you can find chain
type and/or segmented ones that work for low clearance.

Some manufacturers are using a combination inlet/dip tube/anode that
require disconnecting the supply piping to remove.

In article ,
Paul Franklin wrote:

Changing it after it starts leaking is not going to help.

Changing it before it is all used up can certainly extend the life.
The trick is knowing when. The second trick is actually changing it.
Can be a real job to break it loose without damaging anything, and you
need a lot of clearance above to replace, although you can find chain
type and/or segmented ones that work for low clearance.

Some manufacturers are using a combination inlet/dip tube/anode that
require disconnecting the supply piping to remove.

Thank you both for the quick reply. I had asked a plumber and he seemed
to think that I should just wait until a leak develops. That is why I
posted.

While I do believe that a new anode could greatly extend life. As was
mentioned removal could be difficult. I once tried to remove an anode
from a used up heater. I was totally unsuccessful. I would be even less
ready now even if the heater were not in a confined space. I have a
sneaking suspicion, that the cost of a new heater will be relatively low
compared to what it would take to get a plumber to inspect the anode.

Is a job like that one that requires an impact wrench?

Any thoughts on the economics?

Bill

--
Private Profit; Public Poop! Avoid collateral windfall!

Look at it this way. Which way is the plumber going to make more money?
Changing the anode or changing the hot water heater?

Wait, wait. I know the answer to this one.

Cost of a new heater relatively low? You haven't bought, priced, or changed
a water heater in a LONG time, right?

Steve