| Tip of the Day: Replacing an Anode Rod |
From "Complete Fix-It"
episode CFI-102 |
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Turn on a hot-water faucet to help drain the water heater. Then attach a garden hose to the drain cock -- it may have either a handle or a screw to tighten -- and drain the water into an area outside the house.
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Note: Illustration A, Illustration B, Illustration C,
Illustration D available using  An anode rod attracts harmful sediment that would otherwise attack the lining of the tank. If you have hard water, check yours once a year or so and replace it if it is encrusted. To do this, close the cold-water supply valve (illustration A, click above to view) and turn the gas-control knob to OFF. Drain several gallons of water from the tank (illustration B, click above to view). While a helper braces the tank to keep it from moving, loosen the anode rod with a pipe wrench or large socket wrench (illustration C, click above to view). If it is stuck, squirt the joint with penetrating oil and wait a few minutes. Lift the rod out (illustration D, click above to view). Apply pipe tape to the threaded upper end of the new rod, insert it into the tank and screw it in. Tighten with a wrench. Open the cold-water supply valve and relight the pilot. Tip: Place plumber's tape around the threaded end of a pipe in a counterclockwise direction: then when you tighten it down, the tape will be locked into the threads. Note: To order the new HGTV's Complete Fix-It book, see Resources, below. Illustrations (Copyright) Time-Life Books 2000.
RESOURCES :
HGTV's Complete Fix-It
Author: HGTV
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