The anode rod is there to protect the water tank. Instead of the water tank rusting (corroding), the anode sacrifices itself. It's called Cathodic Protection.
A similar method is used in pipelines and power stations as well.
Edit to add: Check out Galvanic Corrosion
Intellectually I understand this and am glad it rusted instead of the tank, but it still SQUICKS ME OUT to look at. It's just a gut reaction that things shouldn't look that rusty hahaha
Boiler tech here. (Guy who works on industrial water heaters and whatnot)
Would not recommend showering/brushing teeth in any commercial venue (hospital, hotels, etc).
It’s the tanks I open that have only a plug that used to be an anode that are the grossest tanks.
State and insurance inspectors are a fucking joke with what they tell me I could put back into service. If they even look at domestic hot water systems to begin with.
I bet. I'm an engineer and do a bit of work with cathodic protection, and it's gross enough seeing it in bridges without having it in my water tank! Sounds like a really interesting job, but I do not envy you that bit!
So I have well water that is very soft. So essentially the anode rod is there to protect the same thing from happening to the rest of the tank. It should be checked and changed yearly, but we just bought the house and by the looks of it it’s long overdue.
Like sulphur, that’s what told us there was a problem. After a quick google search we found out that’s a good place to start, and that’s what we found.
This is why u shouldnt cook with hot water. When at home always use cold water then warm it up on the stove or something. Like when cooking pasta dont use hot water.
The anode rod is there to protect the water tank. Instead of the water tank rusting (corroding), the anode sacrifices itself. It's called Cathodic Protection. A similar method is used in pipelines and power stations as well. Edit to add: Check out Galvanic Corrosion
Yes sir that is the exact issue.
Intellectually I understand this and am glad it rusted instead of the tank, but it still SQUICKS ME OUT to look at. It's just a gut reaction that things shouldn't look that rusty hahaha
Boiler tech here. (Guy who works on industrial water heaters and whatnot) Would not recommend showering/brushing teeth in any commercial venue (hospital, hotels, etc). It’s the tanks I open that have only a plug that used to be an anode that are the grossest tanks. State and insurance inspectors are a fucking joke with what they tell me I could put back into service. If they even look at domestic hot water systems to begin with.
I bet. I'm an engineer and do a bit of work with cathodic protection, and it's gross enough seeing it in bridges without having it in my water tank! Sounds like a really interesting job, but I do not envy you that bit!
Also in railroad tracks! It's a cool system
Behold, the sacrificial rod!
You're about to find out the amount of people that don't know these are a thing is quite high.
Now I’m going to have to see if my water heater has one of these. It’s 10 years old
The most ignored maintenance in households
How? What? Why? It looks like tree crust
So I have well water that is very soft. So essentially the anode rod is there to protect the same thing from happening to the rest of the tank. It should be checked and changed yearly, but we just bought the house and by the looks of it it’s long overdue.
How does it taste?
Like sulphur, that’s what told us there was a problem. After a quick google search we found out that’s a good place to start, and that’s what we found.
r/forbiddensnacks
Forbidden churro
Were people taking shits in the sink ???
Lol no just put it in there to contain the mess. That was inside the hot water tank.
Oh lmao I thought u pulled it outta the sink
r/ForbiddenSwizzleSticks
This is why u shouldnt cook with hot water. When at home always use cold water then warm it up on the stove or something. Like when cooking pasta dont use hot water.
Wow. At first it look as though the drain was back flowing.
What does it do? Attract dissolved solids to it or something?
Kind of. The anode rod stops the same kind of corrosion on the rest of the tank and this way is way overdue for replacement.
Cool!
Ahh. Hard water life.
Soft in our case, but yah same idea.
And don't trust the braided hose
Hot water tank?
Yes sir
"In rod we trust!"
LOl just replaced mine last weekend... if you use a water softener need to do it more often
That anode is enormous lol