Water heater maintenance that follows the manufacturer's schedule, not a checklist invented for the invoice

Manufacturers publish what their equipment needs. Bradford White's manual calls for anode inspection every two years, operating the temperature-and-pressure relief valve annually, draining a gallon monthly to clear sediment, annual vent inspection and an annual check by a qualified technician. Rinnai calls for annual flushing and periodic inlet-filter cleaning. A maintenance visit does those things, for that equipment, and records them so the warranty history exists when it is needed.

In Metro Vancouver's soft water the priorities shift toward the anode and corrosion rather than scale, and toward venting and combustion on atmospheric tanks under aging chimneys. The visit ends with a written note of what was found and what, if anything, is recommended, with no pressure to buy.