The service is concrete, not ceremonial. On a tank unit: we flush the sediment that's been settling on the bottom — mineral fallout that forces the burner or elements to heat through a layer of rock, wasting energy and, on gas tanks, producing that popping-rumbling soundtrack of an overdue flush. We inspect the anode rod, the sacrificial metal stick whose entire job is to corrode so your tank doesn't; a spent anode is the single most fixable cause of premature tank death, and almost nobody checks theirs. We test the temperature and pressure relief valve — the safety device you want proven working and never needed — verify thermostat settings, and eyeball connections, venting, and the pan for early trouble.

Tankless units get their own routine centered on descaling the heat exchanger, and hybrids add air filter and condensate care to the tank checklist. Across all three, the economics are the same story: an hour of service a year against the cost of early replacement, higher bills, and the timing of failures — which, in our experience across the county, cluster with cruel reliability around holidays and house guests.