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.
