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Bruce L. Bergman (munged human readable)

On Sat, 26 Jan 2013 16:42:46 -0500, wrote:

On Fri, 25 Jan 2013 11:47:49 -0800 (PST), Stanley Schaefer
wrote:

On Jan 25, 4:05*am, "Existential Angst" wrote:
Awl --

When I installed my Kenmore gas water heater over 10 years ago, I seem to
remember this big honking solid alum rod in the HW side. *After replumbing
it, I discovered it ain't there no more..... * just a long rusty iron wire,
about 1/8" diam.

I don't imagine I did the heater *any favors by letting the anode disappear.
The Q is: *how much damage? *Proly depends on how long ago it dissolved
away. *Any idears on how long they are supposed to last? * I've never heard
about replacing these on a maintenance basis.

Any idears on how important these anodes are, ito lifespan of the unit?

Is this a standard plumbing supply item? *Or do I have to go back to Sears?

This anode ditty fairly restricts the pipe diameter. *Considering the
trouble I went to, to come as close to the heater with 1" brass, this fairly
****es me off.... *live and learn....
Well, at least I have 1" to tap off of, later on. *Still.....
--
EA

A 10-year-old water heater is likely about to split anyway, but go
ahead and get the anode, the ones I've seen haven't been THAT
expensive. Not as expensive as a new heater, anyway. If you don't
have a dielectric break fitting at the inlet and outlet, you may want
to retrofit them, they'll keep the electrolysis down, particularly if
you've got brass and copper going to iron. Wouldn't matter so much if
you had pure-as-distilled water, but that's not coming out of the
supply pipes these days and you'll have some degree of electrolysis
going on somewhere. If you haven't been flushing the tank annually,
you've probably got lime build-up which will cost you money in terms
of more gas needed.

It's easy to tell - if you or the prior owner has been flushing the
tank regularly the cheap-ass plastic drain valve has leaked or cracked
and burned someone, and has been yanked for a proper brass-body Boiler
Drain. I do them at the new install, just because it's dry and easy.

I've been getting 18 years out of mine - no idea if there was an anode
left when the tank went out or not. If not, quite possible that by
replacing the anode it would have lasted 25.
I've seen anodes at the big boxes and some hardware stores that carry
more than plastic pipe fittings. Depending on where you are, you may
have to visit a real plumbing supply house and pay over regular price
because you're not a regular plumber or builder.

There is generally a do-it-yourself plumbing supply in most centers of
any sise. Here in Waterloo Region it is "One Stop Plumbing". They
will sell you anything you need, for less than the HD price - and have
a plumber or 2 on staff who will do the installation at a reasonable
rate if you need that. Their markup over my cost at Marks Supply (a
wholesaler) is generally less than 10%.

Most people aren't going to go through that mess of changing the anode
unless they have really bad water that chews through water heaters in
a couple of years, and they're tired of fighting for their warranty
money each time.

How long a water heater lasts is all depends on the water chemistry at
your house, and the quality of the water heater itself.

If it's really "nice" soft water coming in, and they made the water
heater right with no defects in the enamel lining, and the shipping
company didn't bounce the unit on the way to the store and the Plumber
or installer on the way to your house, and you change the anode before
it's gone so it takes any remaining abuse - theoretically they can
live forever.

But life is never that simple. I /always/ put them in an outside
closet whenever possible, or somewhere an occasional flood isn't going
to be an immediate disaster - then when it dies every 12 years or so
you replace it, and life goes on.

But you get the architects and builders that put the water heater in
the attic or the 2nd Floor Laundry Room, and the expect that little
Smitty Pan to catch the leak. Hot Flash: They NEVER Do. EVER.

The drain gets clogged with trash and dirt, or I've seen them where
they installed the drain at the wrong spot in the pan and moved it -
and there's a huge open leak right next to the drain fitting. Or the
leak is a squirter that gets to the far walls. Or they use a cheap
plastic pan that cracks after a few years.

Even a floor drain in the room is no guarantee that the water won't
find another lower way out of the room, and you find a new waterfall
from the Living Room ceiling.

"Instant" water heaters are finally getting mass produced in enough
volume to be reasonably priced, I'm going that way next time.

-- Bruce --