Water Heater: Problem with Hot Water Outlet

[CheeseSteak]

People (Scum, actually) cut and removed copper water lines in my rental. They snipped the GAS water heater's hot water outlet just above the threaded connector that screws onto the pipe that juts out of the top of the tank. So far I have been having no luck unscrewing the connector. I have not tried torching it yet because that will involve removing the plastic housing the covers the flue. (It's a hi-efficiency model that vents to the outside, etc). However I CAN twist the entire assembly - the connector and the pipe that extends down into the tank. I completed 2-3 revolutions and see that the entire assembly is rising out of the tank. I am reluctant to go any further without knowing what that will bring.

Anyone done this before? If I continue, will I find a 12" (+/-) pipe attached that I can slide up and out? Then, maybe, take it to a supply store for a replacement? It's made by Bradford-White it that matters.

 

[CheeseSteak]

I can now answer my own question. Per their Help Desk, all Bradford-White water heaters attach the anode rod to the hot water outlet pipe. So it is designed to come out if one should decide to replace that rod. Trouble is, you'll need 4 feet of overhead clearance coz that's about how long the rod is. Or one needs to drain the tank, cut the cold water line, tip it and slide the rod out. Instead, I soaked some cloth with water and wrapped it around the plastic housing. Then I carefully heated the copper coupling with a torch and was able to unscrew it from the outlet pipe.