For most water heaters, yearly maintenance is worth it. A.O. Smith says that "servicing your water heater each year helps prolong its life and increase energy efficiency," and one visit costs a fraction of what a replacement does. It is not worth paying for on a tank that is already leaking or rusting through, because no service will fix that.
What a Yearly Service Protects
Most water heaters around Wilmington do not fail because of a defect. They fail because of buildup nobody looked at. A maintenance visit deals with the three things that wear a heater out:
- Sediment. Minerals settle on the bottom of the tank. A.O. Smith notes that "sediment buildup in the tank can reduce your water heater's energy efficiency," and that "most types of tank water heaters require flushing at least once per year." Sediment also causes the rumbling and popping many people hear, and it takes up room the tank was built to hold. Our post on preventing sediment buildup explains how it forms.
- The anode rod. This metal rod rusts on purpose so the steel tank does not. A.O. Smith recommends "inspecting the anode rod once a year." Once the rod is used up, the tank starts to corrode, and a corroded tank cannot be repaired. Our guide to anode rod lifespan covers how quickly they wear.
- The safety valve. The temperature and pressure relief valve is tested to confirm it opens and reseals. See our guide to testing the relief valve.
What It Saves You
The value is easiest to see against the cost of a new heater. Our published installed prices are $2,198 for a 50-gallon Bradford White electric water heater and $2,498 for a 40-gallon Bradford White gas water heater. A maintenance visit costs a small fraction of that.
What you get back for it:
- More years from the tank. A replaced anode rod and a clean tank floor are the two things most likely to add life to a heater.
- Lower running costs. A tank without a layer of sediment heats water more efficiently.
- Planned replacement instead of an emergency. At the end of the visit you get an honest read on how much life the unit has left. If replacement is coming, you can choose the timing instead of finding out on a cold morning.
When It Is Not Worth It
Maintenance protects a healthy water heater. It cannot rescue a failing one. Save your money and plan a replacement instead if:
- The tank itself is leaking. Water from the tank body means the steel has rusted through.
- The hot water is rusty. That usually means the lining inside the tank has broken down.
- The unit is well past ten years and has never been serviced. On an old tank, the drain valve is often seized with sediment and has to be replaced before a flush can even happen. That is worth doing on a heater with years left, but not on one near the end. Our post on the signs you need a replacement explains how to tell.
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Tank or Tankless, City or Well Water
A tank water heater gets a drain and flush, an anode check, a relief valve test and an inspection of the vent on gas units or the elements on electric units. A standard visit takes about an hour.
A tankless water heater needs yearly descaling instead. Mineral scale builds up inside the heat exchanger, cuts output and triggers error codes. A cleaning solution is circulated through the unit from its service valves. Our guide on how often to flush a tankless water heater goes into more detail.
Water supply matters too. A.O. Smith notes that "if you live in a hard water area, you may need to flush your water heater more often." City water in Wilmington and Newark leaves sediment in tanks. Well water in Chester County and Cecil County carries more minerals, so those homes often need service more than once a year.
When to Book It
September to November is the best time. Colder incoming water in winter makes a water heater work harder, and that is when weak parts give out. A heater serviced in the fall goes into the cold months clean and checked.
The price depends on whether the unit is tank or tankless, how long it has been since the last service, and whether parts such as an anode rod or drain valve need replacing. You get a flat price confirmed before any work starts.
Book Your Maintenance Visit
Water Heater Now provides annual water heater maintenance in Wilmington and across New Castle County, Chester County and Cecil County, under Delaware plumbing licence PL-0002475. Call (302) 240-2818. We answer 24 hours a day.
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Source, verified October 13, 2026: A.O. Smith, Water Heater Maintenance Guide. Pricing is Water Heater Now's published flat rate as of October 2026.
