Gas water heater maintenance

oil pan 4 · 08-14-19, 10:38 PM

Doing preventive maintenance on the hot water heater is about as exciting watching paint dry, but with a replacement cost of $500+ plus installation if you can't install it your self it's time well spent.
But if you can do this you can probably replace your water heater your self, if you can get it drained.
I don't know about you but I can think of a lot better things to do with $500 than replace a water heater.
Gas water heaters last as little as between 3 and 7 years if you install them and forget about it, if you take good care of your water heater it can last 15 to 20 years.

Moved out last year made the old house a rental, haven't had a chance to toy with the tankeless water heater much and after about 3 years it stopped working.

Alright so the only one that will fit in the water heater closet is a 17 inch wide one. That's why I put a tankless in there.
The only one that would fit is a 6 year warranty ao smith.
So I immediately suspect the anode is aluminum because of the 6 year thing. I pulled the anode, did the vinegar test and it is aluminum.
Not only is it aluminum, but it's short and aluminum. So it won't last very long.
I ordered a 5 foot long magnesium anode, did the vinegar test dip and the metal reacted violently compared to aluminum having almost no reaction.
Remember don't trust, just verify.

Why magnesium?
The short list of likely magnesium by products are water soluble and won't build up in the bottom of the tank.
Why not aluminum?
The short list of aluminum by products are not water soluble and build up in the bottom of the tank and that's bad.
Why don't I want crap building up in the tank?
It slows down heat transfer and causes steam cavitation. Cavitation and corrosion cracks the tank.

Also pulled the plastic junk drain value out and going to replace it with a 1/4 turn ball valve.
Those plastic ones plug up with scale when you need to drain or flush the the water heater. A ball valve or gate valve is a huge improvement.

Daox · 08-15-19, 12:20 AM

Great tips. I didn't know they even used different material types for anodes.

oil pan 4 · 11-25-19, 03:40 AM

I eliminated the 2nd hot water heater in my rental house, all I had to do was run about 10 foot of hot water heater line.
Had been using an electric hot water heater.
I took it out to put in dry storage, when I pulled the anode I installed in 2016 there was almost nothing left of it 3 years later.
So I'm thinking change the Mg anodes ever 2 years.

I'm thinking about every 2 or 3 years I will drain it, drag it out side, clean out all the scale and replace the anode.

08-14-19, 10:38 PM	#1
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	Gas water heater maintenance Doing preventive maintenance on the hot water heater is about as exciting watching paint dry, but with a replacement cost of $500+ plus installation if you can't install it your self it's time well spent. But if you can do this you can probably replace your water heater your self, if you can get it drained. I don't know about you but I can think of a lot better things to do with $500 than replace a water heater. Gas water heaters last as little as between 3 and 7 years if you install them and forget about it, if you take good care of your water heater it can last 15 to 20 years. Moved out last year made the old house a rental, haven't had a chance to toy with the tankeless water heater much and after about 3 years it stopped working. Alright so the only one that will fit in the water heater closet is a 17 inch wide one. That's why I put a tankless in there. The only one that would fit is a 6 year warranty ao smith. So I immediately suspect the anode is aluminum because of the 6 year thing. I pulled the anode, did the vinegar test and it is aluminum. Not only is it aluminum, but it's short and aluminum. So it won't last very long. I ordered a 5 foot long magnesium anode, did the vinegar test dip and the metal reacted violently compared to aluminum having almost no reaction. Remember don't trust, just verify. Why magnesium? The short list of likely magnesium by products are water soluble and won't build up in the bottom of the tank. Why not aluminum? The short list of aluminum by products are not water soluble and build up in the bottom of the tank and that's bad. Why don't I want crap building up in the tank? It slows down heat transfer and causes steam cavitation. Cavitation and corrosion cracks the tank. Also pulled the plastic junk drain value out and going to replace it with a 1/4 turn ball valve. Those plastic ones plug up with scale when you need to drain or flush the the water heater. A ball valve or gate valve is a huge improvement.

08-15-19, 12:20 AM	#2
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Great tips. I didn't know they even used different material types for anodes. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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11-25-19, 03:40 AM	#3
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	I eliminated the 2nd hot water heater in my rental house, all I had to do was run about 10 foot of hot water heater line. Had been using an electric hot water heater. I took it out to put in dry storage, when I pulled the anode I installed in 2016 there was almost nothing left of it 3 years later. So I'm thinking change the Mg anodes ever 2 years. I'm thinking about every 2 or 3 years I will drain it, drag it out side, clean out all the scale and replace the anode.