Honestly, I’ve skipped a year here and there and didn’t notice any real difference. Maybe I just got lucky, or maybe my water isn’t as hard as some places. I get the maintenance is important, but sometimes it feels like overkill to do it every single year.
Skipped a year once myself, and I’ll be honest, it didn’t blow up or anything. But I did end up with a weird rattle in the pipes that freaked me out for a bit. Turned out to be some scale buildup that probably wouldn’t have happened if I’d flushed the system like I was supposed to. I get what you’re saying here:
Honestly, I’ve skipped a year here and there and didn’t notice any real difference. Maybe I just got lucky, or maybe my water isn’t as hard as some places.
Thing is, you might not notice much until something goes sideways. Sometimes it’s just a slow drop in efficiency, or you start hearing odd noises, or you get a leak in a spot you didn’t expect. I’ve seen folks go years without touching their system, then suddenly they’re dealing with a corroded tank or a busted valve. Not saying it happens every time, but when it does, it’s usually at the worst possible moment—like right before a holiday or when you’ve got guests.
I’m probably more cautious than most, but I’d rather spend an hour once a year than end up replacing a whole unit. Especially if you’ve got hard water, those minerals can sneak up on you. It’s kind of like skipping oil changes on your car... might be fine for a while, but eventually, it catches up.
That said, if your water’s soft and you’re not seeing any issues, maybe you can get away with stretching it a bit. Just don’t push your luck too far. The one time I did, it cost me a weekend and a lot of swearing under the house.
