HVAC & water heater serial number lookup
Find out how old your furnace, AC, heat pump or water heater is, and what that means for your next repair bill.
Why your unit’s age matters
When a furnace stops heating or a water heater starts leaking, the first thing a technician asks is how old is it? The answer decides almost everything that comes next:
- Is the repair worth it? A $2,500 repair makes sense on a 6-year-old furnace. On a 20-year-old one, that money usually goes further toward a new unit.
- Is it still under warranty? Furnace and AC parts are often covered for 10 years when the unit was registered, and water heater tanks for 6 to 10. You can only claim if you know it’s young enough.
- Is it on a recall list? Safety recalls cover units built in specific date ranges.
- How long until you need to replace it? Knowing you have 2 years left rather than 10 lets you budget instead of paying emergency prices.
Most homeowners don’t know how old their equipment is, especially if it came with the house. The date is printed on the unit, but it’s hidden in the serial number, and every brand codes it differently:
| Brand | Serial | How the date is coded | Made |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goodman | 1306123456 | first four digits: year, then month | June 2013 |
| Bradford White | JC16433183 | first letter: year, second letter: month | March 2012 |
| Carrier | 2993A00001 | first two digits: week, next two: year | July 1993 |
UnitAgeCheck knows each brand’s format, so you don’t have to.
How it works
- Find the data plate. It’s the label with the model and serial numbers. Where to look on each type of unit.
- Enter the serial number. Add the model number and your state for specs, efficiency and a local estimate.
- Get your answer: the manufacture date, how much typical life is left, warranty and recall status, and whether to repair or replace.
Example result
Goodman gas furnace in Ohio, serial 1306123456
- Made June 2013, so it’s about 13 years old
- Typical life in Ohio: 13.5–25 years (nearing end of typical life)
- Repair or replace: Repair it, but start planning for a replacement for a typical major repair
What you get
- Manufacture date decoded from the serial number
- Remaining life: a typical range, adjusted for your state’s climate and water hardness
- Specs & efficiency from the model number (DOE and ENERGY STAR data)
- Recall check against U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls
- Warranty guidance and a link to the manufacturer’s own lookup
- Repair or replace, using typical costs and your state’s energy prices
Look up by brand
- Bradford Whitewater heater age
- A. O. Smithwater heater age
- Statewater heater age
- American Water Heaterwater heater age
- Rheemfurnace, AC or heat pump age
- Rheemwater heater age
- Ruudfurnace, AC or heat pump age
- Ruudwater heater age
- Goodmanfurnace, AC or heat pump age
- Amanafurnace, AC or heat pump age
- Daikinfurnace, AC or heat pump age
- Carrierfurnace, AC or heat pump age
- Bryantfurnace, AC or heat pump age
- Paynefurnace, AC or heat pump age
- ICPfurnace, AC or heat pump age
- Tranefurnace, AC or heat pump age
- American Standardfurnace, AC or heat pump age
- Lennoxfurnace, AC or heat pump age
- Yorkfurnace, AC or heat pump age
- Whirlpoolwater heater age
- Navienwater heater age
- Rinnaiwater heater age
More brands are coming. We only add a brand once its serial format is checked against manufacturer documents.
How long do they last?
- How long do water heaters last?Tank: 8–12 years (gas). Tankless: 15–20.
- How long do furnaces last?Gas furnace: 15–25 years.
- How long do AC units last?Central AC: 10–15 years.
Why trust it
- Sourced formats. Serial formats come from manufacturer documents. Where a manufacturer hasn’t published an older format, we use it only if at least two independent sources agree, and we label the result as lower confidence.
- Public data. Lifespans from industry studies, recalls from the CPSC, efficiency from DOE and ENERGY STAR, energy prices from the EIA. Sources.
- Independent and free. Not affiliated with any manufacturer. No sign-up.
FAQ
How do I find out how old my furnace, AC or water heater is?
The manufacture date is coded into the serial number on the unit’s data plate. Each brand writes it differently: some use digits for the year and month, others use letters or the week of the year. Enter the serial above and we’ll decode it.
Where is the serial number?
On the data plate (rating label). On a furnace it’s usually inside the lower front panel; on an outdoor AC or heat pump it’s on the side near the electrical connections; on a water heater it’s on the side of the tank above the controls.
Is the lookup free?
Yes. UnitAgeCheck is free and needs no sign-up. If you want quotes from local contractors there’s an optional form, but you don’t need it to get your result.
Which brands can you decode?
Bradford White, A. O. Smith, State, American Water Heater, Rheem, Ruud, Goodman, Amana, Daikin, Carrier, Bryant, Payne, ICP, Trane, American Standard, Lennox, York, Whirlpool, Navien, Rinnai so far. We add a brand only once its serial format is checked against manufacturer documents.