Determining the age of your Bradford-White water heater can be tricky if you don’t have the associated table to decode your serial number. For unknown reasons, some manufacturers refuse to print a calendar date on the label to tell you, the homeowner, when a water heater was manufactured. Show
Obviously, the manufactured date and installation date will never be the same on any water heater, but they are typically close. Unless you have an obscure unit that has sat in a warehouse for an extended period of time, it’s rare to see a date of manufacturing not be within a few months of the installation date of a water heater. While Bradford-White does not print a manufacturing date on the label, they do supply us with their chart so you can easily cross-reference the age of your water heater. To check the age of your water heater you will need to locate the serial number on the label. The first two letters of the serial number are all you need to focus on. The first letter of the serial number corresponds to the year that the water heater was manufactured. The second letter of the serial number corresponds to the month that the water heater was manufactured. I can’t think of a scenario that you would need to know the month your water heater was produced, but that information is available should you need it. Below is the decoding chart that Bradford White has posted to their website. To check the age of your water heater, simply find the serial number and cross-reference the first letter to the table below. This table should be good until 2023, at which time I assume they will start over with the letter A for 2024. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens with that. Pro Tip: Sometimes the label is damaged and you can’t read the serial number. If you find yourself in a situation where you can’t get the serial number, look for the ANSI date on the label. The production year will not likely be the same as the ANSI date because production years are typically a few years later than the ANSI dates. It won’t be exact, but it should get you close. Bradford White Water Heater Age Chart (Year)
Bradford White Water Heater Age Chart (Month)
When Should You Replace Your Water Heater?Most water heaters have a general life expectancy of about 10 years. Anytime I see a water heater during a home inspection that is around this age I always make sure my client understands that many water heaters have failed and flooded homes. Any water heater that is close to the 10 year mark should be considered a unit that will need to be replaced at any time. While it’s no fun to buy water heaters, it’s even less fun to come home to a flooded basement because you waited too long to change out your water heater. It’s critical to understand that regardless of how big your water heater’s tank is, the system is pressurized by the incoming water line. If a hole were to burst in the side of your water heater, you would not only receive the 40 or 50 gallons the tank is holding. If you are not home to shut the water off, it keeps coming. A catastrophic water heater failure can flood your house with thousands and thousands of gallons of water if you are not home to catch the problem. For this reason alone I recommend the replacement of any water heater that is older than 10 years. While you could certainly argue that many water heaters last much longer than 10 years, you greatly increase the risk of flooding and water damage the longer you leave an old water heater in place. One last thing: It’s important to note that water heaters should be drained once a year to help remove the sediment at the bottom of the tank. I suspect this gets done about as much as people clean their dryer vents… as in, not at all. Even though they should. I’ve owned two houses and three water heaters for a total of 23 years–and I’ve never drained one, except to replace it. But you really should follow your water heaters manufacturer’s directions on care and maintenance. Failure to do so could void your warranty. Water Heater FAQ’sKeep Learning!
Hi, I'm Ben, and I inspect houses. I grew up with a hammer in my hand, and have been a professional home inspector for 14 years. My blog is here for info about home inspections around the Louisville, Kentucky area, and just about anything construction-related. How often should you replace your water heater?How long should a hot water heater last? Many homeowners wonder “How often should a hot water heater be replaced?” In a typical situation, you should expect your water heater to last about ten years.
Can a water heater last 50 years?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.
What is the normal life expectancy of a water heater?While the typical water heater has a lifespan of about 10 years, careful consideration of the factors that pertain to its lifespan can provide the InterNACHI home inspector and the homeowner with information about the potential costs that would be incurred by replacing the water heater.
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