Fillable checklist

Water Heater Maintenance Checklist: Tank and Tankless Annual Service (Free Printable PDF)

Fillable tank and tankless water heater maintenance form: flush, anode, T&P, descale, and a service log. Print blank or save a filled PDF.

Maintenance Fillable form · 5 sections · 31 checks Download filled or blank PDF and CSV Cross-checked against CPSC, DOE Energy Saver, and Rheem / A. O. Smith OEM · Last verified Sep 1, 2026

Snugage fillable checklist

Fill this on screen, then download a PDF or CSV. Download a blank copy to complete by hand. Answers stay in this tab only. The next visitor sees a blank form. This is owner and technician annual and periodic maintenance for a US home storage tank (gas or electric) or tankless water heater. It is not a full plumbing inspection and not a licensed gas-fitter exam. Follow the OEM manual for the unit on site.

  • 5 sections
  • 31 checks
  • Blank for each visitor

Form details

Unit and service date

Record the heater that is actually installed. Mark tank lines N/A on a tankless unit, and tankless lines N/A on a storage tank. This is a maintenance template, not a substitute for the OEM procedure or a licensed plumber.

11 fields
Unit and service date

Basement, garage, closet, attic, outdoor, or other.

Tank: gallons. Tankless: gallons per minute (gpm) from the rating plate.

CPSC, DOE, and ENERGY STAR recommend 120°F to reduce scald risk and standby loss. Record the actual setting. This is not a pass or fail limit.

Owner, technician name, or company.

Inspection station

Storage tank tasks

Complete these lines on a storage tank (gas, electric, or heat pump). Mark N/A on a tankless installation. Skip a line only when it is not due this visit under the OEM interval. Shut off power or gas before draining. Refill an electric tank completely before restoring power.

10 items
Storage tank tasks

Power or gas off before draining

Electric and heat pump: open the labeled breaker. Gas: set the control to OFF and close the gas shutoff if the OEM requires it. Let water cool when you can. Wear gloves and eye protection.

Power or gas off before draining: Done, Skip, or N/A

Flush or drain sediment until water runs clear

A. O. Smith and Rheem treat an annual tank flush as typical; hard water may need about every 6 months. DOE Energy Saver also recommends draining a quart about every 3 months. Bradford White and Rheem Use and Care also call for a monthly small drain. Follow the OEM for this model.

Flush or drain sediment until water runs clear: Done, Skip, or N/A

Drain valve opens, closes, and does not leak

Connect a hose rated for hot water to a safe drain. If the valve is clogged with sediment, stop and call a plumber. Close firmly after the flush.

Drain valve opens, closes, and does not leak: Done, Skip, or N/A

Anode rod inspected or replaced

Steel glass-lined tanks use a sacrificial anode. Rheem: inspect annually and replace when more than 6 inches of core wire is exposed. A. O. Smith: inspect yearly. Bradford White: inspect about every 2 years, sooner with a water softener. Do not leave a tank in service with the anode removed. Mark N/A on tankless or tanks with no sacrificial rod.

Anode rod inspected or replaced: Done, Skip, or N/A

T&P valve lift test or visual check

At least once a year, OEMs tell you to lift the lever so water discharges through the pipe to an open drain, then confirm the valve reseats. Hot water is a scald hazard: keep people away from the outlet. If nothing discharges, or the valve weeps afterward and expansion is already controlled, replace the valve. Visual-only is for a seized lever you will not force.

T&P valve lift test or visual check: Done, Skip, or N/A

Tank and pipe insulation checked

DOE Energy Saver: insulate the tank if it is warm to the touch and insulate hot pipes, following the manufacturer. Do not cover the T&P opening, burner access, or combustion-air openings on a gas heater. Many heat pump tanks are already insulated: extra blankets can void the warranty. Mark Skip if insulation is already adequate.

Tank and pipe insulation checked: Done, Skip, or N/A

Drain pan and pan drain clear

IPC 504.7: a pan is required for a storage tank where leakage would cause damage. Pan at least 1.5 inches deep, drained by an indirect waste of at least 3/4 inch. Plastic pans are not for gas-fired heaters. Mark N/A if the location would not be damaged (for example a garage slab with no finish below) or a replacement where a pan drain was never installed, if local code allows that exception.

Drain pan and pan drain clear: Done, Skip, or N/A

Heat pump air filter cleaned

ENERGY STAR: clean the air filter every 6 to 12 months, more often in dusty rooms. Some units alert when the filter is due. Mark N/A if this is not a heat pump water heater.

Heat pump air filter cleaned: Done, Skip, or N/A

Heat pump condensate line clear

ENERGY STAR: clean condensate lines yearly so they flow. Standing water in a metal pan often means a clog. Mark N/A if this is not a heat pump water heater.

Heat pump condensate line clear: Done, Skip, or N/A

Tank refilled before restoring power

Open a hot faucet to purge air, then restore the cold-water inlet until the tank is full. A. O. Smith: an electric element that fires in an empty tank will burn out. Relight a gas pilot only after the tank is full, using the lighting instructions on the unit.

Tank refilled before restoring power: Done, Skip, or N/A

Inspection station

Tankless tasks

Complete these lines on a tankless (on-demand) heater. Mark N/A on a storage tank. Descale interval depends on water hardness and the OEM. Isolation valves make a flush practical. Do not plug the pressure relief valve.

10 items
Tankless tasks

Inlet water filter cleaned

Navien, Rinnai, and Rheem: close isolation valves, remove the cold-inlet strainer, rinse debris, and reinstall. Advanced/recirc models may have a second screen. Clean again after a descale if the OEM says to leave the filter in during the flush.

Inlet water filter cleaned: Done, Skip, or N/A

Heat exchanger descaled or flushed

Navien: at least yearly, more often with hard water, high setpoint, or high use. Circulate vinegar or an approved solution (Navien: at least 45 minutes). Rinnai: typically 4 gallons of undiluted white vinegar for at least 1 hour. ENERGY STAR: harder water needs more frequent acidic flushes. Follow this model's manual.

Heat exchanger descaled or flushed: Done, Skip, or N/A

Fresh-water rinse after descale

Navien: flush with fresh water at least 10 minutes after the solution. Restore isolation valves to the service position so hot water can flow to the house.

Fresh-water rinse after descale: Done, Skip, or N/A

Isolation valves used and restored

Rinnai recommends isolation/service valves so the heat exchanger can be flushed without breaking unions. Confirm valves are open to the house after service. Mark Skip only if you flushed another OEM-approved way.

Isolation valves used and restored: Done, Skip, or N/A

Condensate trap cleaned

Navien: remove the cup at the bottom, clean, and reseat the o-ring. Condensing Rinnai units have an integrated trap: do not add a second trap. Prime the trap with water before firing if the OEM requires it. Mark N/A on non-condensing units.

Condensate trap cleaned: Done, Skip, or N/A

Condensate drain and freeze protection

Slope to a drain or condensate pump. Do not tie the condensate line to the pressure-relief discharge. Outdoor or garage lines can freeze: insulate or route indoors per the OEM. Neutralizer media on condensing units: inspect and replace when spent. Mark N/A on non-condensing units with no condensate.

Condensate drain and freeze protection: Done, Skip, or N/A

Freeze protection powered or unit drained

Navien and Rinnai: built-in freeze protection needs electricity (and often gas). Do not unplug in freeze weather except for service. If power or gas will be off, or the house will be empty, drain the heat exchanger, condensate trap, and relief valve per the OEM. Freeze damage is typically excluded from warranty.

Freeze protection powered or unit drained: Done, Skip, or N/A

External pipes insulated against freeze

Internal freeze protection does not protect piping, valves, or the condensate line outside the cabinet. Insulate hot and cold lines. Garage and outdoor units need draft control. Mark Skip in warm months when freeze is not a factor.

External pipes insulated against freeze: Done, Skip, or N/A

Intake air filter cleaned

Navien: clean the inlet air screen inside the cabinet. Rheem: keep vent terminations clear of dirt, snow, and pests. Mark N/A on electric tankless with no combustion air path.

Intake air filter cleaned: Done, Skip, or N/A

Pressure relief valve not plugged

Rinnai: do not remove or plug the PRV. Discharge must be independent of condensate. Test or inspect per the OEM. Periodic discharge can mean thermal expansion on a closed system, not a reason to cap the valve. Some local codes still want a combination T&P even when the ANSI tankless standard does not.

Pressure relief valve not plugged: Done, Skip, or N/A

Inspection station

Safety, combustion, and shutoffs

These lines apply to the installed heater. Mark N/A on combustion and flue items for electric resistance or heat pump units with no burner. Expansion-tank lines are N/A when there is no closed system and no tank. This is visual and operational maintenance, not a combustion-analysis exam.

11 items
Safety, combustion, and shutoffs

Combustibles kept clear of the heater

Bradford White and other OEMs: do not store gasoline, paint thinner, or other flammables near a gas water heater. Keep the listed clearance. Area around the heater should stay clean enough to service.

Combustibles kept clear of the heater: Done, Skip, or N/A

Combustion air openings unobstructed

A. O. Smith: clean air-intake vents on gas models. Do not block louvered doors or add insulation over the burner. Mark N/A on electric and heat pump storage with no burner.

Combustion air openings unobstructed: Done, Skip, or N/A

Vent, flue, or draft hood checked

Rheem: combustion chamber and burner should be free of soot; a draw test at an atmospheric draft hood confirms products leave the house. Direct-vent and tankless: intake and exhaust terminations clear, slope and condensate as the OEM requires. Mark N/A on electric with no flue. Call a licensed gas technician for sooting, backdraft, or CO concerns.

Vent, flue, or draft hood checked: Done, Skip, or N/A

Fuel shutoff accessible at the heater

IPC 504.3: a separate valve to shut off the fuel supply. Know where it is before you service. Mark N/A on electric-only heaters.

Fuel shutoff accessible at the heater: Done, Skip, or N/A

Electric disconnect or labeled breaker

IPC 504.3 / NFPA 70: a means to disconnect electric water heaters. Confirm the breaker is labeled. Many gas tankless units also need 120-volt power for controls and freeze protection.

Electric disconnect or labeled breaker: Done, Skip, or N/A

Cold-water shutoff at the heater

IPC 503.1: a valve on the cold branch near the heater that serves only this heater, accessible on the same floor. Bradford White: install a shutoff in the cold supply. Confirm it operates.

Cold-water shutoff at the heater: Done, Skip, or N/A

Expansion tank present on a closed system

Closed systems (backflow preventer, check valve, or pressure-reducing valve on the supply) need a way to absorb thermal expansion. Bradford White, Rheem, and Amtrol: a properly sized expansion tank on the cold inlet. Weeping T&P is often expansion, not a reason to plug the relief valve. Mark N/A if the supply is open and no tank is installed.

Expansion tank present on a closed system: Done, Skip, or N/A

Expansion tank pre-charge checked

Amtrol: a licensed professional should check the system yearly. Check pre-charge with the tank isolated and empty of water, at ambient temperature, to match cold-water supply pressure. Replace a corroded tank or a discolored InSight cap rather than adding air. Record psi in the service log. Mark N/A if no expansion tank.

Expansion tank pre-charge checked: Done, Skip, or N/A

Relief discharge pipe open and correct

ICC CodeNotes on IPC 504.6 / IRC P2804.6.1: full size, gravity, not trapped, no valve or cap, air gap in the same room, termination observable (often within 6 inches of the floor, pan, or receptor). Do not thread the outlet. Hot discharge is a scald and burn hazard.

Relief discharge pipe open and correct: Done, Skip, or N/A

No leaks at tank, fittings, valves, or pan

Check the shell, unions, drain valve, T&P or PRV, pan, and condensate. Catching a small drip early avoids floor damage. A persistent T&P drip after a good expansion tank and normal supply pressure usually means replace the valve.

No leaks at tank, fittings, valves, or pan: Done, Skip, or N/A

Faucet temperature checked against setpoint

CPSC: after water has not been used for at least two hours (or first thing in the morning), run hot water and read a thermometer at the faucet. Compare to the thermostat setting you recorded. Adjust only per the OEM. Electric tanks often have two thermostats that must match. Not a code pass or fail number: 120°F is the CPSC, DOE, and ENERGY STAR recommendation.

Faucet temperature checked against setpoint: Done, Skip, or N/A

Form details

Service log and sign-off

Write what you found and replaced, set the next due date, then sign. If combustion, gas, or a seized T&P needs a license, pick Licensed technician needed instead of Service complete.

8 fields
Service log and sign-off

Air-side reading with the tank isolated and empty. Leave blank if no expansion tank.

Typical annual visit, or sooner in hard water.

Draw your signature, or upload an image to replace it.

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References

  1. Avoiding Tap Water Scalds (CPSC Publication 5098) - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
  2. Energy Saver: Tips on Saving Money and Energy in Your Home (2022) - U.S. Department of Energy
  3. How to Save Energy at Home - ENERGY STAR / U.S. EPA
  4. Water Heater Maintenance Guide - A. O. Smith
  5. How to Keep Your Tank and Tankless Water Heaters Running at Peak Performance - Rheem
  6. Residential Electric Water Heater Use and Care Manual - Rheem
  7. Installation and Operation Instruction Manual - Bradford White
  8. Tankless Water Heater Maintenance - Navien
  9. How to Descale Your Tankless Water Heater - Navien
  10. How to Avoid (or Thaw) a Frozen Tankless Water Heater - Navien
  11. SENSEI RX Residential Installation and Operation Manual - Rinnai
  12. Thermal Expansion Tanks Installation and Operation - Amtrol Therm-X-Trol
  13. Water Heater Safety in the I-Codes (IPC 504.6 / IRC P2804.6.1) - International Code Council
  14. ENERGY STAR Water Heater Partner Resource Guide - ENERGY STAR / U.S. DOE
  15. Measure Guideline: Heat Pump Water Heaters in New and Existing Homes - U.S. DOE Building America
  16. Heat Pump Water Heater Installation Best Practices - ENERGY STAR

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These checklists are provided for general reference only. Always verify the steps against local codes, a licensed inspector or a qualified contractor before relying on them, especially for safety-critical work.