I replace my anode rod every year.
Rv water heater anode rod aluminum vs magnesium.
Tankless water heaters do not contain an anode rod however standard tank style water heaters do.
Before we get into the water heater anode rod aluminum vs magnesium argument it s important to take a look at what an anode rod does in your water heater.
Water heater anode rods.
An anode rod helps prevent corrosion of a water tank.
Either will work but if you review your handy nobility chart it shows that magnesium is the less noble metal so theoretically magnesium will perform better at protecting the water heater than an aluminum rod would.
Water heater anode rod guide.
In the same way that ships use sacrificial rods to protect the metal of the hull an anode rod attracts the corrosion and keep the rust and corroding elements away from the water tank itself.
So you suspect your water heater s current anode rod needs replacing so you re figuring out which type you ought to purchase as a replacement.
Aluminum vs magnesium september 11 2019 january 3 2020 versus home before diving into the details of anode rods it s important to note that they are only found in tank based water heaters.
Aluminum and magnesium rods.
But first let s compare the two most common types of anode rods you ll find in water heaters today.
We specify commercial water heaters for projects and the heaters we utilize are always magnesium and i don t believe that.
But last time we were out i noticed a smell and taste in the water.
We must have gotten in some really bad water somewhere.
To be fair this type of rod is much less expensive when you compare it with the magnesium or any other type of rods.
This rod has been in about 8 months and is much worse than the others i have replaced at 1 year.
Having done tech work for 24 years it is still advisable to flush the debris out once the drain anode is removed one of the inexpensive plastic ones with the bend at the end works great it will help reduce trash in the faucet aerators.
The aluminum rods are the slowest performing anode rods built from aluminum.
An aluminum water heater anode rod is placed into a water heater to prevent corrosion.
Aluminum vs magnesium our review.
Water heater anode rod.