Care of your hot water heater is an important, but often neglected, part of home maintenance. Generally, the insides of the water tank are to be left alone. Improper maintenance could cause dangerous contamination of your drinking water. The outside also requires little care and periodic cleaning. A few components will require a closer eye. The anode may been to be replaced from
. time-to-time, and also the pressure relief valve (sometimes called T&P) needs to be tested. See this website for lots of information: http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pages/WHRpages/English/Longevity/water-heater-basics.html