Full Answer
How to determine the age of your water heater?
Water Heater Age – How Old Is Your Water Heater?
- Determining Water Heater Age. With newer models, the installation date of the water heater is usually located on the information sticker that is right on the water heater.
- Decoding A Water Heater’s Serial Number To Find Construction Date. ...
- When To Replace Your Water Heater. ...
- Water Heater Age & Replacing Your Water Heater. ...
When is it time to replace my water heater?
When to Replace the Water Heater in Your Home
- The System Age. How long do water heaters last in a standard home? ...
- Loss of Hot Water Volume. Another sign that is a clear indicator of when to replace your water heater is a low volume of warm water.
- Rising Heating Bills. Hot water accounts for most of the heating energy used in your home. ...
- Corrosion. ...
- Reddish Discoloration in the Water. ...
- Too Many Repairs. ...
How many years is a water heater good for?
How many years is a hot water heater good for? As a general rule, a tank style water heater will last, on average, 8 to 12 years. If your water heater is pushing the 10-year mark, there's a good chance it's time to replace the unit, and you may want to consider a tankless model.
Does my water heater need replacement?
When to replace a water heater depends on the problems you're having. Some issues can be resolved with repairs, but if your water heater is more than 10 years old, replacing it may be the best option. With the right water heater parts and accessories, you may be able to fix a water heater yourself.
How can I tell when my water heater was manufactured?
Check the label Check for a manufacturer label on the side of your water heater — this should include the installation date. If the label is missing, or the installation date is not listed, you can use the serial number to determine the age of your unit.
Can you tell how old a water heater is by the serial number?
On older models, you can determine the age of your unit by decoding the water heater serial number. Some manufacturers, including Rheem, made it easy by incorporating the month and year built into the first 4 digits of the serial number.
How do you read a water heater label?
Since 2008, they use an 11- digit alpha-numeric serial number. The first two positions are the year followed by a two digit week. (Sept 1986) B-W uses a 20-year letter code cycle to designate the year. The first letter is the year and the second is the month.
How do you read a serial number on a US water heater?
American Water Heater wants to make it simple for you to read their labels and find the date of manufacture. The serial number on one of these units is also 10 digits. The first two digits tell you the year of manufacture, and the second two tell you which week of the year.
How often should you replace your water heater?
between eight and ten yearsHow Long Do Water Heaters Last. — The majority of water heaters last between eight and ten years. While ten is the age at which heater replacement is generally recommended, the actual need to replace a heater could arise before or after this timeline.
How long are water heaters good for?
Typically a residential hot water heater lasts between 6 and 13 years. Beyond 12 years, you are on borrowed time!
What does the number on the water heater mean?
When it comes to water heaters, the most pertinent information can be found in the model and serial numbers. The serial number contains the year the water heater was manufactured and the model number will tell you the size i.e. how many gallons the water heater holds.
Where is the manufacture date on a Rheem water heater?
With a Rheem water heater, once you have located the rating plate, you need to find the serial number, which will be made up of 10 numbers and letters. Once you have found this, look at the first four numbers. The first two numbers represent the month of manufacture while the second pair show the year of manufacture.
How old is my GE water heater by serial number?
Our serial numbers begin with two letters, followed by six numbers, with a letter at the end. The two letters at the beginning of the serial number tell you the month and year it was made. Where is my model and serial number located? The first letter identifies the month.
How long do electric water heaters last?
How Long Do Water Heaters Last? Based on the manufacturer's suggested service life, the life expectancy of a water heater is about eight to 12 years. That varies with the location and design of the unit, quality of installation, maintenance schedule and water quality.
How do I find the year of my Whirlpool water heater?
Whirlpool water heaters are manufactured by Craftmaster, and their coding system is that the first two numbers of the serial number are the year of manufacture.
Where is the manufacture date on a Whirlpool water heater?
The age of the water heater can be determined by reading the serial number. The serial number can be found on the label of the water heater. The serial number will always begin with 4 numbers. Occasionally, there might be a letter after the first 4 digits, or there may just be a sequence of numbers.
How old is my GE water heater by serial number?
Our serial numbers begin with two letters, followed by six numbers, with a letter at the end. The two letters at the beginning of the serial number tell you the month and year it was made. Where is my model and serial number located? The first letter identifies the month.
How do you read A. O. Smith serial number?
Serial number styles/formats found are: The Date of manufacture is coded in the 1st four numerical digits of the serial number. The second set of digits represent the week of manufacture.
Where is the manufacture date on a Rheem water heater?
With a Rheem water heater, once you have located the rating plate, you need to find the serial number, which will be made up of 10 numbers and letters. Once you have found this, look at the first four numbers. The first two numbers represent the month of manufacture while the second pair show the year of manufacture.
Where is the manufacture date on a Whirlpool water heater?
Whirlpool water heaters are manufactured by Craftmaster, and their coding system is that the first two numbers of the serial number are the year of manufacture. So the serial number of the water heater data plate in the photo below (circled in red) indicates that the water heater was manufactured in 2005.
How long does a water heater last?
Common conventional electric water heaters tend to last 10–15 years, and typically come with a standard six-year warranty. If you don’t know the age of your current unit, it’s worth checking to see if you’re nearing time for replacement.
Where to find installation date on water heater?
Check for a manufacturer label on the side of your water heater — this should include the installation date.
How far apart are Bradford white water heaters manufactured?
Note: Bradford White water heaters manufactured 20 years apart will have the same letter designation
When was the 1210 water heater made?
This means a water heater with a serial number 1210 would have been manufactured in the tenth week of 2012.
Who makes PermaGlas water heaters?
The Glascote and PermaGlas water heater brands are also manufactured by A.O. Smith, and their rating plates can be read in the same way.
How many numbers are on a Rheem water heater?
With a Rheem water heater, once you have located the rating plate, you need to find the serial number, which will be made up of 10 numbers and letters.
What is the rating plate on a water heater?
Every water heater has a rating plate on it that contains information such as the name of the manufacturer, the model, the wattage of the heating elements, its capacity in gallons and more. The information displayed varies – for example, if you have a water heater with a tank, the information will be different from the information on ...
What does the serial number on a Bradford White mean?
With Bradford White, things are a little more complicated since this manufacturer uses a letter in the serial number to represent the year and a letter to represent the month.
When was the C12 serial number made?
This means that, for example, a serial number beginning with C12 would have been made in March of 2012.
When was 9835 made?
This means a serial number starting with 9835 would have been made in the 35 th week of 1998.
How to tell how old a water heater is?
All water heaters have information on them you can use to see how old the heater is. Ideally, you can simply look at the manufacturer’s label . This should be on the side of the unit. It will usually include the date the heater was installed. However, sometimes the installation date may not appear there.
How long does a water heater last?
Water heaters can last a long time. But the expected lifetime for a water heater varies considerably. Some models can give faithful service for up to 20 years. However, others may only last around eight years. It partly depends on whether the heater uses electricity or gas for the fuel source.
How many digits are in a water heater serial number?
A water heater’s serial number typically uses four digits to give the heater’s age. The serial number often has several more digits in it. But these other digits usually don’t have anything to do with the age. You can ignore these.
How many digits are in a water heater?
A water heater’s serial number typically uses four digits to give the heater’s age. The serial number often has several more digits in it. But these other digits usually don’t have anything to do with the age. You can ignore these. Most of the time, the heater age is given first in the serial number.
What does 1208 mean on a heater?
So 1208 means it was made in the eighth week of 2012. For older heaters, the second letter in the serial number gives the month.
What does it mean when your water heater is running out of water?
When you see signs of age, such as running out of hot water, it can mean the tank has gotten filled up with sediment or something else is about to go wrong.
What happens if your water heater is worn out?
A worn-out water heater can also leak, put out water that’s too hot or too cold, reduce your water flow to a trickle or cause water to smell or look bad.
Whirlpool Water Heater Age
The age of the water heater can be determined by reading the serial number. The serial number can be found on the label of the water heater. The serial number will always begin with 4 numbers.
Concluding
Finding the age of your water heater is critical so you can understand the approximate life left on your Whirlpool water heater. If you have not already, check out our blog on water heater lifespan to find how many more years you could get from your water heater.
How to tell the year of a water heater?
If the manufacturer is American Water Heater, the first two digits of the serial code represent the year of installation, and the second two represent the week. For example, if the first four digits are 0608, then your water heater was installed the eighth week of 2006. A.O. Smith Corporation and State Industries use the second, third and fourth characters of the serial number to denote installation. Look at the second letter, which is between letters A and M (excluding I) to check the month. The third and fourth numbers represent the year. For example *D04 means your water heater was installed in April of 2004.
Where to find serial number on water heater?
Locate the manufacturer's label and serial number on the side of your water heater. The sticker is generally above the heater's warning labels and next to the energy guide. Check to see if the installation date is listed on the sticker. If not, write down the serial code. The serial code often details the month and year ...
What does the first two numbers on a water heater mean?
The first two numbers represent the month and the second two numbers represent the year. For example, if the first four numbers of the code are 0690, then the water heater was installed in June of 1990. If you can't decode the serial number, contact the manufacturer directly.
Do water heaters have a serial number?
Most modern water heaters have a sticker that displays the installation date, but the serial number isn't always easy to decode. Verifying the installation date doesn't necessarily prove the age of the water heater, since some units are pre-owned, but it does help with making home improvement decisions.
Is a water heater a real estate investment?
A water heater is an important appliance in almost any residenti al real estate investment. Unfortunately, a water heater doesn't last forever, so it's important to know the installation date to troubleshoot problems, find replacement parts or determine if it's time to replace it completely.
