Reference
How often should you replace a water heater anode rod?
Inspect the anode rod every 3 years, and replace it once more than half of it has corroded away. That is the interval the HomeAlmanac app schedules for this job, adjusted for the systems your home actually has.
- How often
- Every 3 years
- Time needed
- 60 min
- Best time
- Any time of year
- Priority
- Low
Why it matters
The sacrificial anode rod protects the tank from rust. Replacing a spent rod can double the tank's lifespan.
How to do it
Turn off power and water, remove the anode rod from the top of the tank, and replace it if it is heavily corroded or under half an inch thick.
When to do it
There is no season for this one. What matters is the interval, which is exactly the kind of thing that quietly slips when you are tracking it in your head.
HomeAlmanac schedules this one for you, works out the next due date each time you mark it done, and reminds you before it is late.
Build your free planWhat this protects
Staying on this schedule is one of the biggest levers on how long these last.
Quick answers
- How often should you replace a water heater anode rod?
- Inspect the anode rod every 3 years, and replace it once more than half of it has corroded away.
- Why does it matter?
- The sacrificial anode rod protects the tank from rust. Replacing a spent rod can double the tank's lifespan.
- What happens if I skip it?
- Nothing, right up until it is expensive. These jobs are cheap and quick precisely because they are preventive; the repair they prevent is neither.