Leaking Water Heater

Last night I noticed water sitting in our electric hot water heater drain pan. Wop wop. So this morning I have been researching water heater leaks and such. (By the way, have you ever noticed how redundant it is to say "hot water heater"? Yet so many people, myself included, say that...)

Apparently, if your tank only needs to be repaired, leaks usually come from one of three areas: 1) the two water pipes coming in/out of the tank, 2) the pressure valve drain pipe (it would be dripping out of the pipe on the outside of the tank), and 3) the gaskets on the heating elements. The first two of these can be checked by looking on the outside of the tank. To check the heating elements, you have to shut off power to the tank, and then unscrew the cover plates. Look for signs of leaks.

Image Source

Ours is not leaking from any of those places. The most likely scenario is that the inside of the tank has corroded. Water heater tanks are usually made of glass-coated steel. The water inside will eat away at the steel, causing the tank to deteriorate. To prevent this, the manufacturer inserts a metal rod through the top of the tank. This rod, called the anti-corrosion or sacrificial anode, is made from magnesium or aluminium and will corrode in lieu of the steel.

Top: new anode rod; Bottom: anode rod overdue for replacement! Image source

Periodically (depending on your water quality), the anode rod needs to be checked and replaced. If this is done regularly, the water heater could last 10 or 20 years. If not, it could die of corrosion in 6 or 7.

I found this outstanding video on how to replace your anode rod on the This Old House website.

Perhaps I can convince the husband to help me replace our tank this weekend. According to my dad, it would be difficult for a novice, but the Home Depot Home Improvement 1-2-3 book rates water heater installation only Medium on the Skill Scale. Hooray!