Atwood maintenance is simpler than Suburban\'s because no anode rod replacement is needed.
Annually
- Flush tank — drain via plastic drain plug; refill with fresh water; drain again
- Replace drain plug with new Teflon tape (every 1-2 years)
- Clean spider screen on burner intake — same RV-specific issue as Suburban
- Verify bypass valves set to "operate" after winter
- T&P valve test
Before each trip
- Visual LP and electrical connections
- Brief operation test on both fuels
Before winter storage
- Drain tank via drain plug
- Activate bypass valves to "winterize" position
- Pump RV antifreeze through plumbing
What Atwood doesn\'t need
- No anode rod inspection or replacement
- No magnesium-vs-aluminum anode decision
This is Atwood\'s structural advantage over Suburban — meaningfully less maintenance burden.