Good call mentioning the reminders...been guilty of forgetting myself more than once. Another tip I'd toss in is flushing the tank yearly. Even with a good rod, sediment buildup can accelerate corrosion and rust issues. If your heater's already showing rusty water consistently, though, might be time to bite the bullet and replace. Repairing buys you time, but once rust sets in heavily, you're usually just postponing the inevitable.
Good reminder on the annual flush—I can't tell you how many times I've seen heaters that could've lasted another few years bite the dust early from sediment buildup. If you're already getting rusty water regularly, yeah, replacement's probably in your near future. But before you go shopping, double-check a couple things just to be sure: drain a bucket or two directly from the tank's valve to see if the rust clears up after a bit. Sometimes it's just sediment at the bottom giving you grief rather than full-on corrosion.
And hey, swapping out the anode rod can buy you some extra life too (assuming corrosion isn't too far along). It's straightforward enough if you're handy—shut off power/gas, drain a little water out, unscrew the old rod, pop in a fresh one, and refill. But like you said, once heavy rust sets in...you're mostly delaying the inevitable. Either way, sounds like you've got a solid handle on it already.
Good points on the anode rod, but honestly, if you're already seeing rust-colored water regularly, I'd lean toward replacement. Better safe than sorry—nothing worse than a flooded basement from a burst tank...been there, done that, not fun.
I've gotta disagree just a bit here. Rust-colored water doesn't always mean your tank is on its last legs. A couple years ago, mine started doing the same thing, and I was convinced I'd have to shell out for a whole new heater. Decided to try flushing the tank first—figured, what's there to lose, right? You wouldn't believe the amount of rust and sediment that came out...it was like something from a horror movie. But afterward, the water cleared right up.
That said, I did replace the anode rod too (which was pretty corroded), and since then I've had no issues at all. Obviously, if your tank is leaking or making weird noises, replacement makes sense. But if it's just discoloration, sometimes a good flush and rod swap can buy you a few more solid years. Worth considering before dropping big bucks on a new one.
This is actually really helpful to hear. I'm a first-time homeowner and just recently noticed some rusty-colored water coming from my heater. My first reaction was panic mode, thinking I'd have to replace the whole thing right away (not exactly cheap...). But after reading your experience, I think I'll try flushing it first and see what happens.
Quick question though—when you replaced the anode rod, was it pretty straightforward? I've watched a couple YouTube videos and it seems doable, but I'm curious if there's anything tricky or unexpected I should watch out for. Either way, it's reassuring to know that discoloration alone doesn't necessarily mean disaster. Thanks for sharing your experience—it gives me a bit more confidence to tackle this myself.
