For the past several years, I've been using teflon tape on the threads of the anode in my Suburban water heater to keep water from leaking out of the tank. This year, I bought a plumbers putty stick and coated the threads prior to installing my anode. I noticed it sealed much better than the teflon tape and didn't require so much torque to seal. Last year I had an issue with the tape. I had to tighten the anode tighter than I liked in order to create a seal. Many of the "How To" videos on YouTube tend to use the teflon tape. What's the recommended one to use? Thanks in advance!

Threads in drain hole and on anode rod are 'tapered' so that they seal against each other.I suggest you get a 3/4" NPT nipple made of steel and run it in drain hole to chase and clean threads up.Screw in by hand then tighten, loosen, tighten some more, loosen, tighten more etc until threads are clean.If reusing anode rod......clean up threads with a stiff wire brush or wire wheel Then use teflon tape or plumbers putty.......either will work

You shouldn't have to work so hard to keep it from leaking. Teflon tape is Teflon tape. If you wrap the threads enough times it should seal. If not then maybe there is a problem with the threads of the anode or the water heater.

Thanks for the quick reply! You're all very helpful!

Teflon tape is not a sealer, it is a thread lubricant, most folks wrap to many turns and eventually end up with a plug or fitting that is not tightened enough or sealing with the threads, plumbers putty is a sealer with a bit of lubricant.navegator

You definitely can use too much, but I do think it seals the threads.I like the tape instead of the putty, for threads in general, because I can try wrapping it in different ways/amounts if the first try still leaks. I dunno nothing about anode rods specifically.

Teflon Tape or Plumbers Putty? | Good Sam Community

Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Aug 25, 2016
Threads in drain hole and on anode rod are 'tapered' so that they seal against each other.

I suggest you get a 3/4" NPT nipple made of steel and run it in drain hole to chase and clean threads up.
Screw in by hand then tighten, loosen, tighten some more, loosen, tighten more etc until threads are clean.

If reusing anode rod......clean up threads with a stiff wire brush or wire wheel

Then use teflon tape or plumbers putty.......either will work
azdryheat
Explorer
Aug 25, 2016
You shouldn't have to work so hard to keep it from leaking. Teflon tape is Teflon tape. If you wrap the threads enough times it should seal. If not then maybe there is a problem with the threads of the anode or the water heater.
jstaffon
Explorer
Aug 25, 2016
Thanks for the quick reply! You're all very helpful!
navegator
Explorer
Aug 25, 2016
Teflon tape is not a sealer, it is a thread lubricant, most folks wrap to many turns and eventually end up with a plug or fitting that is not tightened enough or sealing with the threads, plumbers putty is a sealer with a bit of lubricant.

navegator
Naio
Explorer II
Aug 25, 2016
You definitely can use too much, but I do think it seals the threads.

I like the tape instead of the putty, for threads in general, because I can try wrapping it in different ways/amounts if the first try still leaks. I dunno nothing about anode rods specifically.
malexander
Explorer
Aug 25, 2016
IIRC, the instructions used to call out only 2 wraps of tape on the threads.

I'm a licensed plumber, I'm not really all that impressed with Teflon tape. I use it, but don't really like it. I've used it on my WH drain plug, simply cause it's easier to clean off for the next time.
Jim-Linda
Explorer II
Aug 25, 2016
Been using antiseize on anode threads for over 10 years, never leaks, easy to remove.

Jim
rhagfo
Explorer III
Aug 25, 2016
navegator wrote:
Teflon tape is not a sealer, it is a thread lubricant, most folks wrap to many turns and eventually end up with a plug or fitting that is not tightened enough or sealing with the threads, plumbers putty is a sealer with a bit of lubricant.

navegator

:h

Sorry it is a sealer, three wraps, and two differnt kinds one for water and one for Gas (yellow).
BB_TX
Nomad
Aug 25, 2016
I agree it is a sealer. Otherwise it would not be allowed for use with propane.
Bobbo
Explorer II
Aug 25, 2016
Threads should be sealed with teflon tape or pipe joint compound (aka pipe dope). Plumber's putty is for a different purpose. When I bought my Winnebago, new, the plastic plug in the water heater drain hole had been sealed with pipe joint compound.

putty:

pipe joint compound:

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