Can water heaters rust? Most definitely! We’ve looked at how this can occur before and what it means for a water heater. Thes short version is that it usually means a water heater must be replaced. An extremely old water heater can begin to corrode, which is as good a sign as any that the unit is overdue for retirement. But younger water heaters can rust as well if they aren’t cared for properly.
This brings us to our topic today: the anode rod in a storage tank water heater, also known as the sacrificial anode rod for reasons that we’ll explain. One of the most important maintenance tasks to keep a tank water heater running for many years is to make regular anode rod changes—because the anode rod is one of the most important defenses a water heater has against rust and other types of corrosion. Follow us below as we look into the anode more.
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A broken water heater means an unpleasant day. People often discover they have a failed water heater in the morning after they get up, go to the shower, turn on the tap … and the water never heats up.
When water meets metal, there’s a chance for rust to start. Although water heaters are in danger of corroding, they’re manufactured to resist rust for many years. If you keep up with regular maintenance for your home’s water heater, as well as calling for water heater repair in Fresno, CA when needed, you probably won’t encounter signs of rust until the system is into its second decade.
Water heaters are built to last for years without suffering leaks, corrosion, or drops in performance. But no water heater is designed to last forever. Depending on how old your current water heater is and how well it’s been maintained, you may soon find yourself needing to have the unit replaced.
You may have heard about the tankless water heater as a replacement option for the standard storage tank water heater. A tankless water heater applies heat to the water that passes through its heat exchanger, so it heats up water whenever there’s a demand for it. When a hot water tap comes on, water starts to flow through the heat exchanger, which activates it and turns on the gas jets. The heat only remains on when the water is moving, and shuts off when the demand stops. There’s no need to store the water at any point.
Unlike heating and air conditioning systems, there’s no “season” for water heaters. The average water heater does more work during winter, but it still operates almost every day of the year to meet a household’s needs.