Water heaters are among the most essential appliances in the home. Water heaters provide households with hot water for showering, washing dishes, doing laundry, and more. Most homes either have either a traditional storage tank heater or a tankless water heater. If you have a traditional water heater, your system heavily depends on a component known as the anode rod.
A professional plumber from Kinsey Plumbing Services can assist in repairing or replacing this vital water heater component. Read on to learn the role of the anode rod and what it means to the overall system.
What Is the Anode Rod, and Why Is It Important?
If you’re ever in need of water heater repair in Round Rock, TX, you may hear your plumber mention the anode rod. The anode rod sits inside of the water heater and is typically made from magnesium or aluminum. The metals used in an anode rod breaks down faster than steel, which is the material that most water tanks are made out of.
The water rusts out the anode rod instead of your water heater tank, hence why anode rods are also called the sacrificial anode rod. An important thing to keep in mind is that you don’t have to wait until your next water heater replacement before replacing the anode rod. In fact, the anode rod is one of the components that keeps you from needing a new water heater prematurely.
Importance of Replacing the Anode Rod
Whenever you get a professional water heater installation done, you’ll get a new anode rod as well. As mentioned earlier, the rod is going to degrade over time as it succumbs to corrosion. Once it breaks down entirely, you’ll notice your water heater might fail more frequently. The idea is to replace the rod every five years to avoid. Otherwise, you risk finding yourself bathing in rusty water.
Needless to say, anode rod maintenance and replacement are important aspects of water heater maintenance. Remember to have your anode rod inspected annually just to make sure no corrosion has occurred.
If you need professional service on your tankless water heater, contact Kinsey Plumbing Services today.
