Water heater anode rod change frequency

[Rmack1]

I understand that you are suppose to change your WH anode rod every year under normal circumstances. I learned that lesson the hard way.

Ever since, I've put nothing but softened water into my tank. I think once I let the regen cycle go until I read just a little above the least amount of contaminates color. I fixed that fast, and have used only softened water that tested at or very near the lightest (best) of the test strip colors.

It's been about a year since I put in a new anode rod. Do you think I could get away with a little more before changing it again, since it shouldn't have had to be working that hard?

[Old-Biscuit]

fred42 wrote:
Does the state of the anode rod play a role in the "rotten egg smell syndrome" or is that an unrelated phenomenon?

Sulfur content in water source and bacteria can cause that rotten egg smell.

Leaving water in water heater unused for extended periods can result in that smell due to the stagnant water.bacteria growth

Magnesium Anode rods can also react with microbes in water to create that smell

[Rmack1]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Water heater is an electrochemical environment.
water, temperature, dissolved oxygen and dissimilar metals.

Anode rod acts s a sacrificial material that dissolves due to galvanic action

Softened water removes calcium and magnesium......minerals that can cause scaling/hard water spots.
But due to the presence of sodium in water from the softener......anode rods can dissolve quicker. Change in water chemistry.

That is why twice a year visual inspection is better than some arbitrary schedule.

Thank you very much, OB.

I live in a condo, so I'm going to have to figure out how to get water to my trailer in the storage yard I keep it in. I'm going to try to ask the neighbors to let me run a hose through the chain-link fence so I can do the whole clean out. Anode rod are cheap online. I'll just change it no matter what.

[fred42]

Does the state of the anode rod play a role in the "rotten egg smell syndrome" or is that an unrelated phenomenon?

[Old-Biscuit]

Water heater is an electrochemical environment.
water, temperature, dissolved oxygen and dissimilar metals.

Anode rod acts s a sacrificial material that dissolves due to galvanic action

Softened water removes calcium and magnesium......minerals that can cause scaling/hard water spots.
But due to the presence of sodium in water from the softener......anode rods can dissolve quicker. Change in water chemistry.

That is why twice a year visual inspection is better than some arbitrary schedule.

[Oaklevel]

Replacement as mentioned depends on the erosion of the rod. Ours is 3 years old & about 1/2 or less gone. I will replace it in a year or so. I can not see wasting the money for a new one until it is necessary.

[Rmack1]

OK, let me see if I understand where I might have gone wrong.

I know that the anode rod is a 'sacrificial' part that slowly erodes, preventing other undesirable reactions elsewhere in a steel water heater tank.

I'm pretty sure the huge amount of whitish crumbly deposits I dug out of my tank and plumbing was due to the ultra-ultra hard water I ignorantly took onboard in Quartzite last year. I think I'm safe saying that using softened water will limit this buildup.

Maybe I mistakenly tied the two chemical processes together. Oldbiscuit, You said softened water can increase anode rod deterioration. Could you explain further?

Thank you for your time.

[Rmack1]

GordonThree wrote:
I buy a new anode rod and cheapy inline carbon filter once a season... the rod is like $8 and the cheapy filters are usually on sale for less than that. inexpensive insurance in my opinion

I have a filter, which I recently replaced. It's built-in. Does that help with anode rod life?

[Rmack1]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Check the condition of anode rod twice a year..replace as needed (when 75% has been consumed)

There is NO schedule that can be followed other than a visual schedule.

Water softener can increase rate that anode rod dissolves.

Should be draining/flushing water heater at least twice a year regardless.

The softened water increases the rate the anode rod dissolves? I thought it pulled minerals from the water, which the softener removed before hand. Is that wrong?

[downtheroad]

Don't replace by time, replace by condition..
I put a new one in at about 50% or even sooner. They are very inexpensive.

[GordonThree]

I buy a new anode rod and cheapy inline carbon filter once a season... the rod is like $8 and the cheapy filters are usually on sale for less than that. inexpensive insurance in my opinion

[Old-Biscuit]

Check the condition of anode rod twice a year..replace as needed (when 75% has been consumed)

There is NO schedule that can be followed other than a visual schedule.

Water softener can increase rate that anode rod dissolves.

Should be draining/flushing water heater at least twice a year regardless.