# Do you pass on Anode replacements?



## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Got a guy who called because his hot water stinks and asked for a price on a replacement anode.

Flag number 1 he asked the price right away.
Flag number 2, he bought a hardware store water heater and had it delivered which tells me it was a pirate who installed it. (1 year old heater)

I would tell him if it still smells I do not take ownership of the problem nor any guarantee it works.

Maybe I have my answer already.


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## DDDave (Aug 6, 2014)

Tango said:


> Got a guy who called because his hot water stinks and asked for a price on a replacement anode.
> 
> Flag number 1 he asked the price right away.
> Flag number 2, he bought a hardware store water heater and had it delivered which tells me it was a pirate who installed it. (1 year old heater)
> ...


Tell him your price and you’ll find out for sure.😏


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

I agree: You may want to steer clear of this customer. I'd tell him that by working on that W/H, you may be voiding his warranty. And as you say, no warranty at all can be given by you.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

I’ve replaced anode rods before. Mostly for repeat customers. We give no guarantee if it will work. I have cut the rod out completely, with a warning of what could/will happen. Obviously that voids the warranty, but when we have a warranty heater we bring it back to the supply house, they peal the name plate off and set it outside for the scrap guy. So if there’s no rod, no one really knows.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Tommy plumber said:


> I agree: You may want to steer clear of this customer. I'd tell him that by working on that W/H, you may be voiding his warranty. And as you say, no warranty at all can be given by you.


Hardware store bought water heater are only 1 year warrantee. Anyway as I was waiting in line to get myself a sandwich he texted me again for a quote. I replied I didn't have time.


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## jtmell (Apr 27, 2013)

I replace them on the AOSmith water heaters that I sell. Over ten years I will not. On a side note I have an Aosmith hybrid at my home that has an electric anode and occasionally I get a surfer smell. I shock the heater with peroxide every couple months.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Replaceing anode rods is for DIYers only.... I get calls on occasion from DIYers all the time fretting about
the anode rod in their heaters..... They read this crap about how much longer you will get out of one if you
change the rod....

most are just too tight to have a plumber actually perform this task...


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## Logtec (Jun 3, 2018)

Master Mark said:


> Replaceing anode rods is for DIYers only.... I get calls on occasion from DIYers all the time fretting about
> the anode rod in their heaters..... They read this crap about how much longer you will get out of one if you
> change the rod....
> 
> most are just too tight to have a plumber actually perform this task...


yep! 100% agreed. I’ll do it if they INSIST, are willing to pay and it comes out easy. Other then that.. go away.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

There are so many rules up there you can't charge enough to make it worth your while anyway so my answer would be a firm no!


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## jakewilcox (Sep 3, 2019)

I’ve quit replacing water heater parts. They just get a new water heater or nothing. 

I’m done with the “you touched it last,” call back game.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

jakewilcox said:


> I’ve quit replacing water heater parts. They just get a new water heater or nothing.
> 
> I’m done with the “you touched it last,” call back game.


You can do like Tommy does replace every part in it, both thermostats and both elements.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

dhal22 said:


> There are so many rules up there you can't charge enough to make it worth your while anyway so my answer would be a firm no!


I tallied my running around and it was about the same price he paid for the heater alone. 

Now that I rose the rates due to inflation a whole more people calling back to cancel and get angry when I tell them the rate.


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## TerryTotoSucks (5 mo ago)

jakewilcox said:


> I’ve quit replacing water heater parts. They just get a new water heater or nothing.
> 
> I’m done with the “you touched it last,” call back game.


I’ve never heard of a repair plumber that operates like that. 

Do you tell them that someone else could possibly repair it but you choose to replace rather than repair ?

Even on new heaters ?


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## DDDave (Aug 6, 2014)

TerryTotoSucks said:


> I’ve never heard of a repair plumber that operates like that.
> 
> Do you tell them that someone else could possibly repair it but you choose to replace rather than repair ?
> 
> Even on new heaters ?


I had a customer cost me two hours not including phone calls with the boss. He turned his own main off before we got there and it broke closed when I went to turn it on at the end. He blamed it on me and got a free main valve. Never again.
I can guess how you’d handle that! Ha and you’d pull it off too!


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## TerryTotoSucks (5 mo ago)

DDDave said:


> I had a customer cost me two hours not including phone calls with the boss. He turned his own main off before we got there and it broke closed when I went to turn it on at the end. He blamed it on me and got a free main valve. Never again.
> I can guess how you’d handle that! Ha and you’d pull it off too!


I’m not sure how that relates to my questions to Jakewilcox.

A homeowner can accuse and cause a problem for any service call. You could even go to give a free estimate and they accuse you of something. 

It’s part of business that you must deal with. For me, that’s why I like to retain my customers. I rarely work for new customers.

In your case the boss should’ve said “ your valve broke, we didn’t break it”. There’s a difference.


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## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

Hard pass on that.


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## jakewilcox (Sep 3, 2019)

TerryTotoSucks said:


> I’ve never heard of a repair plumber that operates like that.
> 
> Do you tell them that someone else could possibly repair it but you choose to replace rather than repair ?
> 
> Even on new heaters ?


pedantic as ever.

so done with you.


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## TerryTotoSucks (5 mo ago)

jakewilcox said:


> pedantic as ever.
> 
> so done with you.


You’re on a forum with professionals and plumbing business owners and you claim to quit working on water heaters, get questioned about it and then you get offended. 

You sound like a troll.


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## jakewilcox (Sep 3, 2019)

TerryTotoSucks said:


> You’re on a forum with professionals and plumbing business owners and you claim to quit working on water heaters, get questioned about it and then you get offended.
> 
> You sound like a troll.


I would like invite you to reread the rules of this forum about treating members with respect.

I owe you no justification. I owe you no explanation. I used to really enjoy this forum until you were all over it.

You are condescending, rude, appear to be incapable of understanding anyone else’s equipment, point of view or preferences and I’m tired of it.

I think you should let the admins know that I’m a troll and see how well that works out for you.

Good day to you.


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## TerryTotoSucks (5 mo ago)

jakewilcox said:


> I would like invite you to reread the rules of this forum about treating members with respect.
> 
> I owe you no justification. I owe you no explanation. I used to really enjoy this forum until you were all over it.
> 
> ...


IMO you need to read the rules. 

I simply questioned what your post meant. 


Then you refer to my posts as Pendantic, which is an insult. 


You probably enjoyed being able to make highly questionable posts without a rebuttal or being questioned. 

I don’t understand a plumber not repairing water heaters. 

Who here does ????

IMO you’re trying making a plumbing question into an insult……..quit saying off the wall things if you don’t want to answer a couple questions. Maybe you have personal issues……

I can’t see anyone that runs a legit plumbing company refusing to repair a water heater. That would be a first in my almost 40 yr career.


The admins can read your post and see it was trolling, I don’t need to tell them. 
Any plumber who claims not to repair water heaters is either not a plumber or they are TROLLING. 

I don’t care who you are or who your friends are. Facts are facts.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Cheese and fuching rice you two! Get a room! Now tell me who’s c!it has more sand in it and I’ll pull a Zuckerberg and give a 30 day jail timeout. Is that what you ladies want? ****! I thought dealing with my kid was a challenge!


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## TerryTotoSucks (5 mo ago)

OpenSights said:


> Cheese and fuching rice you two! Get a room! Now tell me who’s c!it has more sand in it and I’ll pull a Zuckerberg and give a 30 day jail timeout. Is that what you ladies want? ****! I thought dealing with my kid was a challenge!


I’ve handled it on my end. I’ll never see or say another word to the guy.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

TerryTotoSucks said:


> IMO you need to read the rules.
> 
> I simply questioned what your post meant.
> 
> ...



Look, many times you cannot even get he anode rod out of a water heater without an extra guy
holding the water heater solid so it dont move when you attempt to crank out that rod. ,, and what do you 
charge to attempt this??

the rheem heaters are the mean to attempt to remove a 8 year old rod then ... 
Bradfords seem to be tolerable to do...

Smith is probably the worst one you can tangle with...
In fact if you attempt to take a cold or hot nipple out
of a A.O.Smih water heater you will be getting yourself into a lot of troubles...as you will just round off
the short nipple sticking out the top of the unit only to find its about a 6 inch long nipple buried deep in 
styrofoam you are dealing with and you are cranking on the top threads... 

Dont even attempt to change the dip tube on a smith heater... you will regret it...

many things can be tinkered with on water heaters,, gas controls, thermostats, elements,,,, 
but dealing with the anode rods is just asking for troubles....

I realize that you know all that their is to know but I hope this small tidbit of info about the Smith 
heaters keeps you from getting into deep chit...


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## TerryTotoSucks (5 mo ago)

Master Mark said:


> Look, many times you cannot even get he anode rod out of a water heater without an extra guy
> holding the water heater solid so it dont move when you attempt to crank out that rod. ,, and what do you
> charge to attempt this??
> 
> ...


I’m talking about elements, thermostats, gas control thermostats. 

No plumber here replaces anodes that I’m aware of. Would I try for a customer ? Sure I would and I’d tell them if the job fails then they’ll maybe need a new water heater immediately.

I’m not in the plumbing business to turn down easy money.

I think that’s fair for everyone, don’t you ?


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## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

DDDave said:


> I had a customer cost me two hours not including phone calls with the boss. He turned his own main off before we got there and it broke closed when I went to turn it on at the end. He blamed it on me and got a free main valve. Never again.
> I can guess how you’d handle that! Ha and you’d pull it off too!


Had that happen on a propane tank valve earlier in the year. Closed just fine, installed tankless and associated piping, went to trim gas back on and valve snapped right off. Simple fact of the matter is A, it was old, B, it turned off, it should turn on, C, call your propane company to come replace it. There was nothing I could do. The stem broke clean off at the top, couldn’t grab it with pliers, drilled a hole in the stem, tried an ease out, wouldn’t budge. Collected payment and left. It either works or it doesn’t. Not your fault.
They would have damn sure paid for a new cut off valve or I would have left in your circumstance.


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## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

TerryTotoSucks said:


> IMO you need to read the rules.
> 
> I simply questioned what your post meant.
> 
> ...


“You can listen to the facts, but you can’t deny the truth” LGB FJB. 😂


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