4.8
Based on 7606 reviews
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Universe technician installing water heater

Your Water Heater Runs Every Day. Universe Makes Sure It Stays Running.

Regular maintenance is what keeps a water heater running efficiently through its full service life instead of failing early.

Long Island’s hard water shortens water heater life faster than most homeowners expect. Universe Home Services dispatches licensed plumbers across Long Island, Rockland County & Bergen County who service water heaters with that specific knowledge built into every visit.

Contact us online to schedule your water heater maintenance visit today.

(516) 473-0202


A Local Partner to Maintain Your Water Heater

A water heater does its work quietly in a corner of the home, and the annual visit that keeps it running should be just as low-friction.

Universe has been the plumbing company for Long Island, Rockland County & Bergen County households for decades, and what keeps homeowners calling for their annual water heater service is how uncomplicated the visit is.

A licensed plumber arrives on time, works without disrupting the rest of your day, and walks you through what the tank looks like, what was serviced, and what to expect in the year ahead. The maintenance itself is straightforward. The relationship with the company handling it should be too.

(516) 473-0202


Skilled employees

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Years in Business

Emergency Service


What Annual Maintenance Protects

Annual maintenance changes how long your water heater lasts, how efficiently it runs, and whether small issues get caught before they become leaks.

Sediment accumulates at the bottom of a tank over time, insulating the heating element or burner from the water above it. The system has to work harder and run longer to deliver the same output. A regular flush removes that sediment, restores heat transfer efficiency, and keeps recovery time where it was when the unit was new.

A water heater fighting against scale on the heating element and sediment at the bottom of the tank consumes more energy to produce the same hot water. In a household where the water heater runs every day, that inefficiency adds to the utility bill continuously. Maintenance keeps the system operating at the efficiency it was designed for.

The anode rod is the component that protects the tank lining from corrosion by sacrificing itself through a chemical reaction. When it is depleted, the tank itself starts corroding from the inside. An anode rod inspection during annual maintenance catches depletion before the tank becomes the thing that is deteriorating. Replacing a rod costs a fraction of what a tank failure costs.

Hard water accelerates wear on Long Island water heaters faster than in areas with softer water. Consistent maintenance: flushing sediment, inspecting the anode rod, checking the pressure relief valve. Each of those steps directly extends how long the unit lasts. A water heater that has been maintained annually typically outperforms one that has not, measured in years.


What Our Customers Are Saying

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4.8
Based on 7606 reviews
Excellent company and great workers I had the pleasure of having Dean R and Nelson H quick work and honest work
Island Sun
3 days ago
Absolutely fantastic! Jamie was outstanding as well as Keith and Ben! I'm a first time homeowner and Jamie went way above and beyond helping me get my mini splits furnace and on demand hot water heater. Keith was very informative and helpful when giving me my electric service quote and Ben was great when he and his crew (Fritz among many others) came to install everything! Also, the customer service employees are very nice and do a really good job. When I bought this home knowing I needed these things immediately I did a lot of review reading and once I came to Universe and read how happy people were I knew this was who I was going to go with.
Paul Reh
1 week ago
I received a quote on replacing an older existing central air conditioning for my home last summer from Frank Barczik. I didnโ€™t decide to purchase at that time. Last week an emergency situation developed and I called Frank. He quickly and professionally sent me a new quote. I decided to go ahead with the replacement. He stopped by to double check everything. Universe was able to have an installation crew at my home the next day. The crew worked neatly and diligently throughout the day to install the system by 5 pm. Frank stopped by midday to check on everything. The installers were polite and knew what they were doing. I am very satisfied with the work that was done. If you want a professional job done right the first time with a great company that stands behind their work, choose Universe.
Mary Vargas
2 weeks ago
Connor Tomaszewski is one of the best technicians out there and the only one who truly knows Navien boilers inside and out. His work is outstanding, and he is always professional, knowledgeable, and reliable. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for top-quality service!
Craig Livingston
2 weeks ago
We recently hired Universe for our oil to gas conversion, along with some related work. Everyone who worked on these projects was professional and a pleasure to deal with. In particular, Nikki LaCava did a wonderful job coordinating the work and assisting with our permits and other required paperwork. Brian Gerle and Hayden Muttee did a fantastic job installing the gas piping for the project, while Sal Tarantino and his crew (Hayden Muttee and Nick DiGiacomo) also did fantastic and efficient work removing our old furnace and hot water heater and installing the new equipment. Additionally, Christopher Martin did a great job fixing an interim problem with our old hot water heater before the final conversion was completed. Thanks to you all for a job very well done – each one of you deserves a five-star review! Thank you again for everything, Craig and Claudine Livingston
Paula Condit
2 weeks ago
Dawid Boroch and Tyler Quintero came to upgrade my electric, replace box inside and outside. Fantastic job done. Neat clean and knowledgeable. Explained all! Very happy with Universe
JG
2 weeks ago
June 2026 The pump from my washing machine decided to stop working a few nights ago. What a disaster! Thank goodness I had the gizmo on the floor that starts beeping when water hits it because it could have been a lot worse. The water in the pump kept pouring out until it was empty. I called Universe and Melanie F. came over. She evaluated the situation and made plans to come back the following day to install a new pump. I was so impressed with Melanie. Her recommendations on the new pump worked out great. I was so pleased with Melanie's professionalism and knowledge that she's coming back soon to install the automatic water main shut off when it senses a leak. Once again I highly recommend Universe and Melanie F.! April 2026 Nick S. came to do the yearly service for my air conditioning. Nick is great and very up front which I like. After almost 17 years I need a new system. Ugh! He brought me outside and showed me all the reasons why it should be replaced. I could wait & see but didnโ€™t want to risk it so Saturday Iโ€™ll be getting a new system. It just needs to be done. I was very happy Nick explained everything to me. Heโ€™s very knowledgeable & friendly. I would also like to acknowledge the following employees from Universe who all had some part of the installation of my furnace, compressor and humidifier. Everyone who came to my house were so friendly and respectful. The guys all explained what was being done. They also installed an Air Scrubber which purifies my system of spores, etc. The employees are Tommy Ercolano, Matt Drury, Carlos Caceros, Justin Quan-Soon, Jamell Smith and Karl Rindfleisch. All were fabulous. And I can't forget Chester Sacknievich who came back to fix an issue I was having and figured out the solution. Chester is great. I highly recommend Universe. Their employees go above and beyond!!
Vanessa Arnone
3 weeks ago
Our water heater unexpectedly had to be replaced after National Grid identified it as a safety concern before reconnecting our gas service. Needless to say, it was a very stressful and completely unexpected situation. From my very first phone call, everyone at Universe Home Services was kind, patient, and incredibly helpful. They understood the urgency and had a technician at my home much sooner than I expected. Jeff Madonia was outstanding. He took the time to thoroughly inspect everything, patiently answered every question I had, and never made me feel rushed or like I was inconveniencing him. He explained my options clearly, walked me through the estimates on his tablet, and made sure I understood everything before moving forward. Initially, it looked like the installation might have to wait until the following morning. I asked if there was any chance it could be done the same day, and Jeff immediately went to see what he could do. A few minutes later, he came back and told me they were going to make it happen that day. That level of customer service meant so much during a stressful situation. I also appreciated how respectful Jeff was while working in my home. Even when I had left the door unlocked while he was moving equipment in and out, he always knocked before coming back inside. That level of professionalism and respect stood out to me and made a stressful situation much easier. The entire experience, from the first phone call through the completed installation, was professional, efficient, and reassuring. Jeffโ€™s kindness, knowledge, and willingness to go the extra mile made all the difference. Thank you, Jeff, and thank you to the Universe Home Services team.
I had an issue with my HVAC, and Universal was able to send someone out very quickly. Both Chester and Dawid were knowledgeable, professional, efficient, and very respectful of my home. They diagnosed and fixed the problem promptly, and the entire experience was smooth from start to finish. Thank you for your excellent service! I will definitely use Universal again in the future and highly recommend them.
Anthony Hartmann
4 weeks ago
Excellent work by Patrick for a light fixture and hard wiring for a video doorbell with chime.
Michael Greer
4 weeks ago
Universe responded promptly to my service call and the technician was very friendly and knowledgeable. We had to wait a few days for the parts, but when it arrived (new sewage ejector pump) the repair was done quickly and everything worked perfectly.
howard valan
4 weeks ago
Tim the technician answered all my questions to my satisfaction and explained all my options thoroughly. His work solved my issue and he offered some insight into a replacement unit if I opted to do so.
Desiree Boucher
1 month ago
I had a great experience with Universe Home Services. I initially left a message on their call system and received a call back with 30 minutes from Laurie. I explained my concern and issue we were having with out Central AC and she was able to schedule service for that same day. I received text messages with arrival time, when the technician was on their way, and when they arrived at my home. Our service technician was Bob Grillo. He was super personable, kind and very thorough in his process. He answered all my questions and explained exactly what he was doing as he was troubleshooting. I had a great experience overall with the customer service as well as the job completion and would highly recommend Universe Home Services and Bob as the technician.
Danny Sutton from Sales was amazing.without him this was not possible.so kind and empathetic towards customer amazing service From the crew who was here to install the air condition Sean Dany Jared Brian Very professional polite and extremely knowledgeable They worked so efficiently and kept the area clean that you could not feel that a big job was completed after they left. I will recommend Universe home service to everyone out there who is looking for a reliable company.
shelly bansal
1 month ago
VERY. GOOD. SERVICES. THEY. COVER. GAURENTEE. FOR 5. YEARS. GOOD PRICE. TONY. ASHMAVI. THE. BEST. WHO. EXPLAINED. ALL DETAILS. AND. GIVE. GOOD PRICE. TOP. RATED. THANKS TO. UNIVERSAL. HOME. SERVICES
Scott Faucheux
1 month ago
We have used Universe now for a few installations, Anthony recently swapped out a toilet for us, cleared out a major blockage on a sewer line and Vidal just installed a whole house filtration system for us after our previous system failed on our 1929 house. They have been very polite, knowledgeable and efficient and have always given us fair and tiered options with pricing. We would highly recommend their services.
Justin Bridges
1 month ago
Micheal was a great technician, perfectly on time, fast detailed diagnosis, made quick work of the repair work, communicated everything. Universal did all my installations of all new HVAC and I always trust them with the maintenance.
Mario Sesso
1 month ago
Ac repair
Donna Cincotta
1 month ago
Kevin came to my home, evacuated the problem and detailed the situation to me. He ordered the new ductless equipment and installed it the next day. Kevin was professional, honest, neat and made sure the air conditioning was working properly. For my air conditioning units and repairs, I wouldnโ€™t go anyplace else.
The team was incredibly professional, friendly and worked efficiently to get the job done. I had a great experience
fran lucher
2 months ago
Came within reasonable time, fixed problem & checked for other possible issues.
William Funcheon
2 months ago
Dean, your technician is definitely an asset to your company. He was so thorough and kind. I canโ€™t say enough about him!
Laurence Andrews
2 months ago
I am pleased with the the service man that came out. He is very knowledgeable and professional
Donna Mckeon
2 months ago
Our service person Sean was great. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Answered all questions we had. Definitely will use Universe home services again
I canโ€™t say enough good things about Universe home services and repairs. We have been a customer of Universe for years. Recently we had a plumbing issue and they were wonderful. Jeff the plumber was very professional and a pleasure to work with. We have also worked with Marc on a gas conversion. He was very knowledgeable, professional, and helpful. Great company with quality people! Update June 2026 – another 5 stars for Universe Home Services and electrician Dawid Boroch. Dawid was very professional, knowledgeable, and his work is exceptional. He explained the scope of the job and answered our questions before beginning his work and walked us through the results afterwards. Dawid was an absolute pleasure to work with and we highly recommend him!


How the Home Comfort Club Applies to Your Water Heater

The Home Comfort Club includes a basic plumbing visual inspection as part of your annual membership visits.

The Home Comfort Club is Universe’s membership program for Long Island homeowners who want their heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical systems looked after on a regular schedule.

The plumbing benefit is a basic visual inspection, a structured opportunity for a technician to look at your plumbing systems, including the water heater, and flag developing concerns. Members also get priority access to scheduling, reduced rates on service work, a credit toward a new system installation, and no dispatch fee when a technician performs work.

For a full water heater maintenance visit including flush and anode rod inspection, Universe schedules service separately. Contact us to learn what the membership covers.

Green Universe Van parked on the side of residential street


(516) 473-0202

Why Universe Is the Right Plumber for This Job

Water heater maintenance is plumbing work that requires a licensed plumber who understands the equipment and what Long Island’s water conditions do to it.

Universe has been doing licensed plumbing work across Long Island, Rockland County & Bergen County since 1954, and the plumbers who handle water heater service understand what Nassau County’s water chemistry demands from the equipment.

Long Island water is hard. Your technician understands how that mineral content accumulates on heating elements, what it does to the anode rod on an accelerated schedule, and how to assess whether a unit is tracking toward normal end of life or being shortened by water chemistry that has not been addressed. That local knowledge changes the quality of the assessment.

Your technician evaluates what the water heater actually needs. If the anode rod has another year of useful life, you hear that. If the sediment load is manageable with a flush, that is what happens. If the unit is approaching the end of its service life, you get a straight assessment of what to expect and when. Universe does not manufacture replacement urgency.

Universe is a BBB Accredited Business that has been doing licensed plumbing work in Long Island, Rockland County & Bergen County since 1954. Water heater service has been part of that work for decades, not a recent service category added to the list.

If your water heater is showing accelerated wear from hard water, the underlying cause is worth addressing. Universe can evaluate whether a water softener makes sense for your home during the same visit, not as a sales pitch but as a practical answer to a problem that will otherwise keep shortening equipment life.

Water heater maintenance occasionally surfaces related issues: a corroded supply connection, a failing expansion tank, a pressure concern that involves the home’s overall plumbing. Universe covers plumbing, electrical, and HVAC across Long Island under a single roof. When a maintenance visit turns up something outside the water heater itself, one call is still all it takes.

Other Water Heater Services Universe Handles

Maintenance is what extends the life of your water heater. These are the other water heater services Universe handles across Long Island, Rockland County & Bergen County.

A new water heater installation covers more than dropping in a tank. Sizing for your household’s demand, connecting supply and venting to code, installing or servicing the expansion tank, and complete startup testing all determine how the system performs over its service life.

Universe handles new water heater installations across Long Island, Rockland County & Bergen County, including tankless conversions when your home’s gas supply and venting support the change.

When a water heater stops producing hot water, recovers slowly, or shows signs of leaking, Universe diagnoses the cause and repairs it. Element failures, thermostat issues, pressure relief valve problems, and leak sources are all within scope for Universe’s licensed plumbers, including emergency response when a water heater fails outside of business hours.

When a tank has reached the end of its service life or develops an internal corrosion failure, Universe manages the full replacement. Sizing for your household’s demand, removal of the old unit, installation to current plumbing code, and startup testing. The same licensed plumbers who service your current water heater are the ones who replace it.

Hard water is the primary factor shortening water heater life on Long Island. A water softener or filtration system addresses the underlying cause rather than managing the symptoms through more frequent maintenance. Universe evaluates and installs water treatment systems for Long Island, Rockland County & Bergen County homeowners.

A water heater is one part of your home’s plumbing system. Universe handles the full range of plumbing services across Long Island, including drain cleaning, sewer work, fixture installation, and emergency repairs. When a water heater visit surfaces a related plumbing concern, one company covers the full scope.

Universe Home Services HVAC Technician near open van doors

(516) 473-0202



Put Annual Service on the Calendar

Once a year is the right interval, and before the system shows symptoms is the right time. Contact Universe Home Services to schedule your water heater maintenance visit across Long Island, Rockland County & Bergen County.

Our licensed plumbers flush the tank, inspect the anode rod, test the pressure relief valve, and assess overall system condition. Contact us online or call to get on the schedule.

Universe Home Services Technician near open van doors


Water Heater Maintenance Questions

How often should a water heater be serviced?

Once a year is the standard recommendation for conventional tank water heaters. On Long Island, where hard water accelerates sediment accumulation and anode rod depletion, annual service is more important than in areas with softer water. Tankless water heaters benefit from annual descaling of the heat exchanger, which is especially relevant in high-mineral-content water areas like Long Island.

What does water heater maintenance actually include?

A maintenance visit typically covers flushing sediment from the tank, inspecting and testing the anode rod, checking the pressure relief valve, evaluating the condition of supply connections and the expansion tank if present, and assessing overall unit condition including signs of internal corrosion or early tank failure. For tankless units, the primary service item is descaling the heat exchanger.

What does Long Island’s hard water actually do to a water heater?

Long Island sits in one of the hardest-water areas in the New York metro. The mineral content deposits scale on electric heating elements and on the walls of the tank, reducing heat transfer efficiency and increasing energy consumption. It also accelerates depletion of the anode rod, which shortens the window before the tank itself begins corroding from the inside. Annual maintenance addresses both effects directly.

My water heater seems to be working normally. Do I still need maintenance?

Yes. The two most important maintenance items, anode rod condition and pressure relief valve function, do not produce visible symptoms before they become problems. An anode rod can be fully depleted and the tank can begin corroding internally for months before any sign appears at the tap. A pressure relief valve can corrode in a way that affects its function without any outward indication. Annual maintenance is what finds both.

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