Maintaining your home is very important and will extend the life of most components if maintained properly. One of the most important items is the homes hot water heater! A lot of them are located in our attics, an even better reason to keep an eye on them! Most people don't know that they should be drained once a year to remove the sediment in the bottom of the holding tank. This will improve water volume. The T&P Valve should be replaced every 3 to 4 years. They clog up due to rust and minerals in the water. If you have never flushed the unit and it is 9-11 years old, don't begin now! It's getting near the time it will need to be replaced so wait until you install the next one and begin an annual maintenance program! To replace a 40 gallon water tank you can expect to spend $1,000-$1200.