Hi! If you replace the anode rod every five years, you will never need to replace the hot water heater
I found that a tall water heater in an 8 foot ceiling closet makes it impossible to change the anode rod. To solve it, I had to cut a hole in the ceiling sheetrock and pull back the blown-in insulation from around the hole. Now I shove the threaded end of the road into the attic and can drop it into the tank. I slide a little square of rock over the hole until the next time I change it.