Water heater maintenance...

Dick2

Well-known Member
I follow the instructions in the manual and change the anode rod as recommended. We have real hard water, so the recommendation is to use an aluminum anode rod and change as necessary. The original was magnesium and was entirely eaten up in 3 years. The purpose of the anode rod is to have the minerals work on the anode rod instead of the tank and heating elements.

The anode rod was replaced by an aluminum rod 2 years ago, so I ordered a new aluminum rod from Home Depot.com for $20+ because they don't stock them in the stores. Going to change out the present rod and try to extend the life of the tank, which is whole lot cheaper than buying a new water heater.
 
I replace the magnesium rods with aluminum on every new tank in my house. Our water has a lot of minerals, but not much iron. Mostly sodium and boron. With the magnesium rods, our hot water smells like rotten eggs.
Butch
 
I don't know if I'd want aluminum in the water ? A lot of folks say don't even use it for dog dishes. I think most site a link to Alzheimer's.
 
I don't know, that may be true. I thin there are worse things already in our water. Ours is a municipal utility district (MUD) that pumps water from four wells which are several miles apart. It mixes water from the best wells with the less-desirable wells to make it more palatable. When we moved here twenty years ago, I had the water tested. The test showed that humans could drink it, but it will kill plants. We filter it as best we can and try not to drink what comes out of the water heater.
Butch
 
The link about aluminium and Alzheimer's is a myth. Heater maintenance should include flushing out the sediment. The drain valve often has to be removed and stirred with a rod to get enough flow to flush it out. Messy job.
 
Dick, that's good to know. I just messed with an electric water heater a couple of weeks ago when I got a call that the hot water at one end of the house was warm, not hot. Hot water was being pushed from the gas water heater at the other end of the house, mixing with cold water moving through the electric hot water heater that had malfunctioned. I had originally used pipe dope instead of teflon tape at the electric tank inlets and outlets when I installed it and got a weak seal that over time developed a dripping leak on one of them that then caused a trip of the tank circuit breaker. Fixed it, better seal, now back into full operation sharing the load. That would have been a great opportunity to have replaced the anodes. Will still go back and do. Thanks for pointing that out.

A couple of the links below mentioned Alzheimers and aluminum. I didn't see whatever link was referred to, but understand that even though determinations, diagnosis of Alzheimers are made, they can and never have been proven on live patients. Such diagnosis are made based upon case studies, statistics when nothing else explains what is taking place with patients. So far and still as of yet, Alzheimers can actually only be proven during post-mortums, autopsies. What has been shown time and time again, is that the brain matter, tissue of Alzheimers patients contains much higher levels of aluminum content of non-Alzheimers patients. How that happens, how it gets there...? That having been said, I'm a Type 2 diabetic by choice...I'm over weight and can stop being one by simply exercising and loosing weight. The choice is still mine, where unfortunately for some, the choice is not. My point? I go online and try to look up good foods for diabetics. One doctor argues that eating bananas are good for me, another argues that if it were up to him, they'd be banned from being eaten. One doctor argues that sauerkraut is good for me because "fermented" foods are low in sugar and good for me, another puts it on a list of never ever eat. One argues that eating grapes are healthy for me, and another argues that the sugar, albeit natural is going to kill me. If doctors, paid professionals can't come to an agreement, then how in the world can someone like me, or you, or Bob, or Sue...

Mark
 
Woodbutcher: Does the aluminum rods keep your water from smelling??? I have an issue with the hot water smelling like rotten eggs in the washer. I have removed the anode rod and shock treated the well multiple times. There still is slight smell in the cloths. The water DOES not have any sulfur in it.
 
Funny - we had just the opposite here.

New water heater installed this spring came with an aluminum anode... water got progressively smellier (you could not stand it). Had to put in a magnesium anode - the bad smell disappeared.
 

Mark, I have Type 2 diabetes. I went to a program, paid by my insurance, in nutrition. I found out that I wasn't eating badly, but way too much. I love to eat, but watch what and how much fairly well. I slip sometimes....:) The big thing, besides the obvious candy and ice cream, is starch - potatoes and bread, rice. A order of large French fries is worse than a candy bar. And it will keep your blood sugar up for hours. At first it was kinda depressing, looking at the portion sizes, I felt deprived

Sugar was 103 this m. Not perfect, but very good.
 
Mark, it's interesting how doctors differ on their opinions. It shows how complex the body is. I had a colonoscopy a year ago. The doc told me I have diverdiculosis. Diverticulosis is when you have the little pockets that seeds can stick in but it's not infected or inflamed yet. Anyway, the doctor doing the procedure told me popcorn or nuts causing diverticulitis is a myth. My family doctor told me to avoid popcorn and nuts because those foods CAN cause diverticulitis.
 
Hi JD,
I checked the receipt for the rods I used, and they are tin-aluminum alloy. Yes, they seem to help, but when we are gone for several days, the hot water seems to develop a smell. It's disagreeable, but it doesn't get to the rotten egg-sulphur smell.
Butch
 
The sulfur smell comes from H2S that is produced by a bacteria that digests limestone, so it is bacteria farts.
 
(quoted from post at 11:15:20 10/24/15) The sulfur smell comes from H2S that is produced by a bacteria that digests limestone, so it is bacteria farts.

David How do I get rid of it then or prevent it??? We did not have an issue until the last few years.
 
About 1980 I installed a new A.O. Smith, oiled fired water heater in our home. I had past experence with anoid rods, so I removed it and pluged the hole.
A couple of years latter I converted the it to LP.
There is a water softener ahead of the heater.
The last I knew that water heater is working fine and no leaks.

Dusty
 
I had a Sears gas water that lasted 19 years. It was guaranteed 20 years so Sears replaced it free. This was in 2010. A lady from Sears called
and told me to keep the receipt on the failed water heater and if the replacement heater ever failed it would be replaced free. I never had a guarantee like that. Hal
a204172.jpg
 
Hi, I have problem with my water heater. It often sounds like water is boiling inside the tank and I do not know why this happens. One of my friends suggested me to check it and I have found the end of temperature and pressure relief valve is making sound as steam is sputtering from it. My friend was saying as this problem is really serious and I should <a href=?http://www.greencityplumber.ca/residential/hot-water-heaters/?>contact a Commercial Plumbing Service in Toronto</a>. What should I do right now? Should I contact Greencity Plumber Service or anyone have other DIY solutions to suggest? Thanks in advance.
 
(quoted from post at 10:31:46 10/25/15) I had a Sears gas water that lasted 19 years. It was guaranteed 20 years so Sears replaced it free. This was in 2010. A lady from Sears called
and told me to keep the receipt on the failed water heater and if the replacement heater ever failed it would be replaced free. I never had a guarantee like that. Hal
a204172.jpg

Being a plumber now, I deal with smelly water from water heater all the time. couple suggestions and facts:
1) sometimes after the bacteria has started from the mag rod, you will need to bleach the whole system to kill or it just keeps recontaminating the heater and system.
2) aluminum causes ??? maybe it does maybe it doesn't. Most people don't drink the hot water. That's my sales pitch or do you want your hot and cold to stink.
 
(quoted from post at 01:45:15 10/29/15) Hi, I have problem with my water heater. It often sounds like water is boiling inside the tank and I do not know why this happens. One of my friends suggested me to check it and I have found the end of temperature and pressure relief valve is making sound as steam is sputtering from it.

Is the boiling sound coming from inside the tank or from the relief valve? If from inside the tank, it's probably caused by mineral deposits. The relief valve should be replaced for two reasons. 1) It would be bad if it leaked water and steam in your house. 2) It would be worse if it failed to open when it was needed -- think explosion.
 
"...aluminum causes ??? maybe it does maybe it doesn't. Most people don't drink the hot water..."


In water treatment, with a surface water plant, the main chemical for treatment in coagulation is Aluminum Sulfate. It has been studied whether or not this is a contributor to Alzheimer. My plant converted to Ferric Sulfate a couple of years ago, so no more Alum.
 

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