This installment is aimed at home owners. The intention is to provide information on How to determine the age of a hot water tank or hot water heater.

There are several dozen manufacturers of residential hot water heaters in North America and they all have a date code so they can track warranty or production defects throughout the products’ life cycle. Fortunately there are only a hand-full of manufacturers that make up the majority of the hot water tanks that we, as home inspectors, come across on a daily basis.

The generally accepted life expectancy of a residential hot water heater or hot water tank is 10-15 years. There are several factors that can affect the life of a hot water tank, most notably the load that the tank is under, the chemistry of the water being heated and the environment in which the tank is located.

The following information will enable a home owner to determine the age of their hot water heater (for the most common brands seen in the Greater Vancouver Region).

Manufacturer: Rheem

The date code can be found in the Serial Number. Rheem water heaters have a ten digit serial number, the first 2 digits are the month of manufacture and the next 2 digits are the year

Example: 1001X4567 = October 2001

Manufacturer: John Wood

The date code can also be found in the Serial Number. John Wood water heaters have a ten digit serial number. The date code is either the first four digits or the last four digits. More recent water heaters will be coded to the first four digits, if your water heater is coded to the last four digits it is probably well beyond its’ expected life cycle. With the John Wood water heater coding the first 2 digits are the year of manufacture and the next 2 digits are the month.

Example: 100134567 = January 2010

Manufacturer: Bradford White

The date code can be found in the Serial Number. Bradford White water heaters have an Alpha numeric serial number, the first letter represents the year of manufacture, the second letter represents the month of manufacture. The following table is used to decode the year:

A=2004 E=2008 J=2012 N=1996 W=2000
B=2005 F=2009 K=2013 P=1997 X=2001
C=2006 G=2010 L=2014 S=1998 Y=2002
D=2007 H=2011 M=1995 T=1999 Z=2003

 

The following table is used to decode the month:

A=JAN E=MAY J=SEPT
B=FEB F=JUNE K=OCT
C=MAR G=JULY L=NOV
D=APR H=AUG M=DEC

 

NOTE: Some January 1997 models were erroneously marked “OA”, when really they should have been marked “PA”.

 Contact us at Stonegate Home Inspections 12593 115 Ave, Surrey, BC V3V 3P8 (778) 960-4357

For other models not listed here or for other questions concerning your home, please feel free to contact  Stonegate Home Inspections Ltd for a free consultation. Happy New Year!

 

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