Nate Nagel wrote:
Puddin' Man wrote:
On Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:19:08 -0700, Salmon Egg
wrote:
If it were an easy job, I would have no problem. It is not.

You never know until you size it up?

My 16 year-old gas AO Smith yielded the anode w/o much trouble, no
special tools. Anode had about 60% left. It'll come off again in a
couple years. I would look the heater over carefully. If it looks too
long-in-the-tooth, leave it alone. If it looks good and solid, I'd
squirt some thread- loosener on the nut and very carefully try to break it.

New anode is $30-40. New heater is (what?) about $350?

More than that, around here. At least for gas ones - electrics might
run about that.

Especially if your dealing with a direct vent or power vent model.