Your water heater operates in conditions most manufacturers don't design for. In summer, your incoming water temperature can be 90°F — meaning the heater barely has to work. In winter, it drops to 55°F, and the unit suddenly has to work twice as hard. This seasonal swing stresses components differently than in moderate climates.

Then there's the water itself. At 15–25 grains per gallon, West Valley water deposits a thick layer of calcium and magnesium sediment in the bottom of tank heaters every year. Without annual flushing, that sediment layer grows until it insulates the burner from the water, making the unit work harder, run hotter, and fail sooner.

Tankless units aren't immune — Arizona hard water can scale heat exchangers within 2–3 years without descaling. We recommend annual maintenance for any water heater in Arizona, and we offer service plans to make that easy.