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Jim Q · Nov 2, 2012, 04:45 PM

Zinc anode rod has turned brown and only corroded a bit. Water is rusty brown. Have flushed it out three times but the water starts to discolour again by the next day. Anode rod has been in the tank about a year and a half, normally change it every 18 months. First time this has happened.

massplumber2008 · Nov 2, 2012, 05:06 PM

Hi Jim

Are you on city/town water or on a well system? Do you have a water softener installed?

Back to you...

Mark

speedball1 · Nov 3, 2012, 07:24 AM

Answer Marks questions and I have one of my own. Do you power flush your heater or do you turn the water off and drain it? Back to you, Tom

ballengerb1 · Nov 3, 2012, 08:03 AM

How is your neighobors water compared to yours?

Jim Q · Nov 4, 2012, 08:23 PM

We are on a city water line, have a water softener. Water going in is clear. Have flushed it out numerous times but water only stays clear for about 12 hours.

speedball1 · Nov 5, 2012, 07:14 AM

Have you tried bypassing the softener for a few days to see if that doesn't clear things up? Let me know, Tom

Jim Q · Nov 5, 2012, 09:36 AM

Our cold soft water is clear. It is just the water going through the hot water heater that is discoloured.

speedball1 · Nov 5, 2012, 10:01 AM

How often do you power flush, (not just drain)your heater? Let me know, Tom

Jim Q · Nov 5, 2012, 11:20 AM

Irregular. Have power flushed at least 3 times in the last couple of weeks. I don't understand why the anode rod did not corrode like normal.

massplumber2008 · Nov 5, 2012, 12:00 PM

Hi Jim

I'm going to guess that this heater has a few years on it and that the anode rods you replaced over the years did their job... new anode rod is probably doing its job, too. Here, I'm thinking that the porcelain lining of the water heater has become compromised and exposed some of the iron tank to the water. Unfortunately, that means that the water heater is pretty much shot and will probably start leaking from the tank or the tank tappings soon enough. Replacement of the water heater is the only way to solve this.

If you were on well water (and you said you aren't), I'd think you have an iron bacterium issue that can usually be solved by dropping a couple quarts of hydrogen peroxide in the tank, letting it sit for awhile and then flushing ths system, but this is an unlikely scenario with city water.

Anyway, my guess is the tank liner is compromised.

Back to you...

Mark

Jim Q · Nov 6, 2012, 09:09 AM

Thank you for your help. I guess we will be looking for a new water heater.