I just moved into my first house, and the basement is still unfinished. Currently, it's only got the furnace, a water heater, and some pipes. I've noticed some metal rods down there and I'm curious about their purpose. I'd like to DIY some parts of the basement, so understanding what these rods are for would help. Here's a link to see what they look like: https://imgur.com/a/2lEw7Mz
2 Answers
Those metal rods you see are called tie rods. They were used to hold things in place during the concrete pour, mostly to keep boxes or conduit secure. If you cover them up with walls later on, you shouldn't regret it. They're not usually needed for anything else once the concrete is set.
Those rods seem to be threaded all-thread, and they help support the electrical conduit and boxes during construction. You can remove them later after the concrete has cured, and then you can run electrical wiring to those boxes. Just check with an electrician to see if they can be used for outlets, as sometimes they can't be.