Rheem HVAC Age by Serial Number
Enter the serial number from your Rheem furnace, AC or heat pump's data plate to get its manufacture date, remaining life, warranty and recall status, and a repair-or-replace recommendation.
How to read a Rheem serial number
We can decode serial numbers from Rheem furnaces, ACs and heat pumps built 1992–2026.
2009–2026 format
Rheem furnaces, air handlers, air conditioners and heat pumps made since 2009 have a serial that starts with a factory letter, then two digits for the week and two for the year, then five more digits. For example, W421724596 was made in week 42 of 2017.
1992–2026 format
Many Rheem furnaces, air handlers and air conditioners, especially older ones, have a letter M in the middle of the serial (it marks the factory). The two digits after the M are the week and the next two are the year, so 7351M280616735 was made in week 28 of 2006.
1992–2026 format
Many Rheem air conditioners, heat pumps, package units, air handlers and furnaces have a factory letter F, G, N or W in the middle of the serial (F = Fort Smith, Arkansas; G = Greenville, Alabama; N and W = Nuevo Laredo, Mexico). The two digits after the letter are the week and the next two are the year, so 4310F0193999999 was made in week 1 of 1993.
Worked examples
year month / week
| Serial | Built |
|---|---|
| W070999999 | February 2009 |
| W291013412 | July 2010 |
| 1234F059600001 | February 1996 |
| 6761F270499999 | July 2004 |
| 4310F0193999999 | January 1993 |
| 4946M35929999 | August 1992 |
| 7092N070199999 | February 2001 |
| ER5D707F01989999 | January 1998 |
Where to find the data plate on a furnace, AC or heat pump →
How long does a Rheem furnace, AC or heat pump last?
| Type | Typical life |
|---|---|
| Heat pump | 10–16 years |
| Gas furnace | 15–25 years |
| Central AC | 10–15 years |
Ranges come from industry life-expectancy studies (NAHB/Bank of America, InterNACHI, DOE) and apply across brands. Your result adjusts for your state's climate.
Is my Rheem furnace, AC or heat pump still under warranty?
- Air conditioners: Most Rheem air conditioners (e.g. RA13, RA14 and RA15 series): 10-year parts and compressor warranty if registered within 90 days, 5 years if not. Top models (RA18AZ, RA19AY, RA16AZ) get 10 years either way, plus a conditional 10-year unit replacement.
- Heat pumps: Most Rheem heat pumps (e.g. RP14, RP15 series): 10-year parts and compressor warranty if registered within 90 days, 5 years if not. Top models (RP18AZ, RP19AY, RP16AZ) get 10 years either way, plus a conditional 10-year unit replacement.
- Furnaces: 10-year parts warranty if registered within 90 days, 5 years if not (10 years either way on the R98MV, R97MV and R962V). Most current gas furnaces have a limited lifetime heat exchanger warranty for the original owner; the R801 series has 20 years.
Rheem furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps: register within 90 days of installation to get the longer 'conditional' coverage (usually 10 years on parts); unregistered, many models get 5 years. If you can't show the installation date, coverage starts 90 days after the manufacture date in the serial number.
Rheem furnace, AC or heat pump recalls
- Electric Furnaces and Air Handlers Recalled by Rheem Manufacturing (electric furnaces; the recall also covers air handlers, whose models are not listed here) (1999)
- Rheem Recalls to Repair Oil-Fired Furnaces Due to Fire Hazard (oil-fired furnaces; Rheem and Ruud brands) (2009)
Recalls come from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Decode your unit above to check whether its model and serial fall inside a recall.
Should you repair or replace it?
Once you decode your unit, we compare its age against its typical life, a typical major repair against the cost of replacing it, and, with your model and state, what a new unit would save on energy. A common rule of thumb: if a repair costs more than about 30–50% of a replacement and the unit is past mid-life, replacing usually wins.
Related brands
Rheem belongs to the same company as Ruud. Serial formats are often, but not always, shared.
FAQ
How do I tell how old my Rheem furnace, AC or heat pump is?
The manufacture date is encoded in the serial number on the unit's data plate. Rheem furnaces, air handlers, air conditioners and heat pumps made since 2009 have a serial that starts with a factory letter, then two digits for the week and two for the year, then five more digits. For example, W421724596 was made in week 42 of 2017. Many Rheem furnaces, air handlers and air conditioners, especially older ones, have a letter M in the middle of the serial (it marks the factory). The two digits after the M are the week and the next two are the year, so 7351M280616735 was made in week 28 of 2006. Many Rheem air conditioners, heat pumps, package units, air handlers and furnaces have a factory letter F, G, N or W in the middle of the serial (F = Fort Smith, Arkansas; G = Greenville, Alabama; N and W = Nuevo Laredo, Mexico). The two digits after the letter are the week and the next two are the year, so 4310F0193999999 was made in week 1 of 1993. We can decode Rheem furnaces, ACs and heat pumps built 1992–2026. Enter the serial above to decode it automatically.
How long does a Rheem furnace, AC or heat pump last?
Typical lifespans: Heat pump 10–16 years; Gas furnace 15–25 years; Central AC 10–15 years. These ranges apply across brands. Maintenance, climate and water hardness move a unit toward one end.
How do I check my Rheem warranty?
Rheem furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps: register within 90 days of installation to get the longer 'conditional' coverage (usually 10 years on parts); unregistered, many models get 5 years. If you can't show the installation date, coverage starts 90 days after the manufacture date in the serial number. Rheem's warranty lookup: https://www.rheem.com/warranties/ Register a unit: https://rheem.registermyunit.com/en-US/warranty/brand?brand=rheem
Has my Rheem furnace, AC or heat pump been recalled?
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission lists 2 recalls for Rheem furnaces, ACs and heat pumps. Enter your model and serial above to check yours against each recall's scope.
Sources: Rheem service, warranty and installation documentation; U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission; DOE and ENERGY STAR; NAHB/Bank of America and InterNACHI life-expectancy studies. More about our sources.