Photo: Hot Water Tank (HWT) with lifetime tank warranty.
Abstract: Madeira Park Home Inspector note on a brand of hot water tank with a much superior warranty, compared to conventional water heaters.
Imagine a hot water tank (HWT) that has a lifetime warranty for as long as you own the house. The Rheem Marathon water heater tank has a polybutene design which makes the tank impervious to corrosion, and eliminates the need for an anode rod. With conventional metal tanks, the anode rod protects the tank from corrosion by corroding first, before the tank. For this reason, the rod is referred to as being a “sacrificial anode”. However once the anode is gone, the tank begins to corrode.
A polybutene tank design is ideal for rural areas and well applications, where the water chemistry may be less than ideal for metal holding tanks. For example, the Rheem MR50245 Marathon electric water heater has the plastic tank.
This site does not promote any a manufacturer but when a technology or warrranty is a step above, then we certainly consider it important that home buyers know about it. Kudos to the homeowner for choosing a better way for an old application!