“If, like many in the Lower Mainland, you have a Rheem tank heating your hot water, checking its age is easy: you just need to look at the serial number, explains Allan Lake, president of Surrey’s Good Guys Heating, Cooling & Plumbing.
The first two numbers refer to the month of manufacture: 01 = January; 02 = February, and so on. The next two numbers refer to the year: 97 = 1997; 05 = 2005, and so on.
This is followed by a letter and five more numbers. For example, serial number 0511B94210 would mean the tank was made in May (the first two numbers are 05) of 2011 (the next two numbers are 11).
If you have documentation, the warranty will be applied from the installation date. But if you don’t it will be applied from the date of manufacture. For newer tanks, online registration is required, or the warranty will also be from the date of manufacturer. You can see whether your water heater was registered at Rheem’s water heater warranty verification page.”
Read more on water heater age and warranties here.
Many water heaters will have an installation date on a sticker where you can determine its age. If not it’s usually easy enough to decode based on the serial number similar to Rheem water heaters. This is important information as the average warranty runs for around 6 years. For the lifespan of your water heater you should expect it to last at least 10 years.
The professionals at Team Mechanical offer water heater repair, installation, and maintenance. If you need service or installation call us at 612-729-5646 to schedule an appointment.
