The Annual Water Heater Maintenance Checklist

Ninety percent of catastrophic water heater failures had warning signs a maintenance visit would have caught. Once a year, work through this checklist — or hand it to us and we'll do it in about an hour.

Exterior and safety checks

1. Look for rust, streaks, and moisture around the base, fittings, and T&P discharge pipe. 2. Test the T&P valve by lifting its lever briefly — water should flow, then stop completely when released. 3. Verify the discharge pipe runs to within 6 inches of the floor with no cap. 4. Check the area for flammables near gas units and confirm the vent draft is steady.

Water-side maintenance

5. Flush sediment by draining a few gallons from the drain valve until the water runs clear — in hard-water areas, do a fuller flush. 6. Inspect the anode rod every 3–5 years; replace it when it's down to a thin wire. 7. Check the expansion tank (if present) by tapping it — a hollow ring up top and solid thud below is healthy; waterlogged means replacement. 8. Verify temperature is set to 120°F with a thermometer at the tap.

Connections and protection

9. Inspect supply lines and shutoff valve — the valve should turn freely, not seize. 10. Look at the drain pan (or install one — see our pan installation service) and confirm the drain line is clear. 11. For gas units, watch the burner flame: steady blue is right, yellow and lazy means it needs service. 12. Note the age from the serial number and start budgeting if you're past year ten — see our lifespan guide.

The Attleboro reality check

Older homes add two wrinkles: shutoff valves frozen open since the '80s (exercise them gently during maintenance, and replace any that won't budge), and heaters crammed where a full flush is awkward (a short washing-machine hose and a bucket work fine). If any step feels beyond you — especially anything involving gas — call us at (833) 713-2101 and we'll run the whole checklist for you.