So many things can affect the frequency at which you service your water cooler. Some of these are the location of the water cooler, the cooler type, the usage intensity. Cleaning should be done every 6 months. As for the servicing, it is up to you to decide how many times to call a repairman in a year. If the water cooler is recurrently used, you may have to get it serviced at least twice a year. If the unit is freestanding, less movement is involved so the potential for damage is lower. As for the units that compact and easy to move around, you will have to get them serviced every so often.