Yeah, the heating element. The gas has a 3" (?) Diameter pipe running through the length of the tank. Inside the pipe is swirled piece of steel.

You can use both kinds for a BBQ pit. It's a decently thick iron tank. It's just the electric takes a hair less work to seal up the various holes.

We built them in junior high shop class. For the kids that wanted one. There was a bullpen next to the shop full of old water heaters. The tanks are thick enough it'll last for years and years.

I wonder if you could cut a 3" hole in a water heater after draining and remove the sludge by hand? I have a Milwaukee hole saw that's supposed to cut through most anything. Not only is my electric water heater elevated, it's in a tight place.

No it is not the heating elements as they come in on the side. The anode rod comes in from the top and and are a real b..tch to remove for replacement. Takes like a 7/8 socket and a breaker bar to bust them
loose- and maybe some PP Blaster!. Home Depot and Lowes generally carry them for about $40 or Amazon too!

You don't say...lol

If I owned a water heater and wasn't renting it. If it stopped making water hot. I'd flush it out, change the elements out. Checking the thermostat and anode before paying big bucks for a new one. $40 bucks is cheap compared to buying one from Lowe's. Unit cost, having to transport and jamming it in the closet.

A friend charges a flat $300 to switch a water heater out. Not including the cost of the heater itself. Unless the freaking tank has a hole in it. I'm fixing it.

Replaced the anode rod in mine this year. I had to pull the old one out as far as I could, cut it, and repeat until I got it out. They should put the segmented one in from the start.

And eventually the bottom will fall out. Been there.

I’ve replaced several over the years. Easier with two men.

I had already replaced both heating elements and thermostats on the Rheem that died. And before that the. anode and drained and vacuumed it out once a year which is no small task! but stopped heating and kept popping the reset button and eventually the breaker on the panel so apparently was an internal short, It was 8;years old so we got our moneys worth out of it!

If your gas line is soldered into the heater then please take a picture- that would be a unicorn.

Electric in garage on stand did the first two myself but had to add a not to code “loop de loop” for pressure relief line to outside due to water heater size changes.
The last one 2 years ago I had a plumber install to code - he laughed at my loop de loop line but said it was functionally sound.

I've never heard of that either. Little lone seen it. I wanna see it too.

I’m just curious why anyone would need a heater for already hot water

300 for a change out handy Andy job no way a plumber would do it for that

He's a general maintenance man that maintains rental properties. He's one of the guys that show up after you placed a maintenance request. You don't know him from Adam and he does it, routinely, for $300 bucks. Charged to the landlord.