If you can pull the anode rod up a few inches, you'll be able to see its
condition.

With just a little clearance, you can replace it. Pull it up, clamp the
base of it at the WH top surface with vice grips (so the rod doesn't
fall into the tank) and cut off the extending anode rod. Pull the
remainder up again, clamp again, and cut. And so on. If the anode rod
is shot, there won't be much material to cut through anyway.

The replacements fold up, and unfold as you insert them. Ingenious
little device made for crawl-space WH's.



Jay Chan wrote:


I was planning to examine the anode rod in my 4-years old water-heater
with the hope of replacing it periodically in order to extend its
service life. But my basement doesn't have enough head room to extract
the anode rod.