How often should a water heater be serviced?
Once a year is the right rhythm for most homes.
For a tank heater, that means draining a few gallons from the bottom to flush out the sediment that settles there, and checking the anode rod. When the rod is mostly eaten away, it is replaced. Those two jobs are the difference between a tank that gives up at eight years and one still going at twelve.
The relief valve should be tested too, so you know it will open if the pressure or temperature climbs.
A tankless unit needs its heat exchanger descaled once a year. In hard water areas, skipping it leads to error codes, lukewarm water and a shorter life.
Keep a note of the date on the side of the heater or in your phone each time it is flushed. It turns a guess about when it was last done into an answer, and it is useful to anyone who buys the house.
Want it looked at?
Want the yearly service done? Book it with the form, and tell us the make and age of the heater.