When to do yearly service?

[beeger]

If you are set on doing an annual service try and use the regulator once or twice (local diving or at least in a pool) after it has been serviced but before leaving on your trip. That way if the tech does something freaky you will know it before you get all the way to Florida and find out that something isn't working as you expected. Besides, some practice dives right before your trip are never a bad idea regardless.

Yes, the regulator is a critical piece of life support equipment, but it also has a major impact on your enjoyment of diving. Anytime you have it serviced make sure it is working not just to your satisfaction but to your liking. Talk to the technician at your local shop and find out how he or she likes to tune your particular make/model.

These days some regulators are on a 2 year service interval. However, having the regulator just sitting around and not being in use can also cause some specific problems. Things that factor into a decision “to annual or not to annual” are the brand, type, age, and date of  last use, as well as the type of environment where it is regularly (or at least last) used.