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How old is my Bradford White water heater?
The first two letters of a Bradford White serial number are the date: the first letter is the year and the second is the month. The letters repeat every 20 years, so count the digits after them: seven means it was made before December 2007, eight means December 2007 or later.
The year letter
The first letter. It comes round every 20 years, and the digits after the two letters say which time: seven digits, before December 2007; eight, December 2007 or later. I, O, Q, R, U and V aren't used.
| Letter | Year (7 digits) | Year (8 digits) |
|---|---|---|
| A | 1984 or 2004 | 2024 |
| B | 1985 or 2005 | 2025 |
| C | 1986 or 2006 | 2026 |
| D | 1987 or 2007 | 2007 |
| E | 1988 | 2008 |
| F | 1989 | 2009 |
| G | 1990 | 2010 |
| H | 1991 | 2011 |
| J | 1992 | 2012 |
| K | 1993 | 2013 |
| L | 1994 | 2014 |
| M | 1995 | 2015 |
| N | 1996 | 2016 |
| P | 1997 | 2017 |
| S | 1998 | 2018 |
| T | 1999 | 2019 |
| W | 2000 | 2020 |
| X | 2001 | 2021 |
| Y | 2002 | 2022 |
| Z | 2003 | 2023 |
D with eight digits is December 2007 (DM): the first serial with eight.
The month letter
| A January | B February | C March | D April |
| E May | F June | G July | H August |
| J September | K October | L November | M December |
Examples
Where the serial number is
On the rating label on the side of the tank, usually near the top, marked "Serial No." or "S/N".
How long they last
Most tank heaters last 8 to 12 years. Warning signs: rusty hot water, rumbling, water at the base. What a replacement costs, and the permit.
Other makers
A.O. Smith and State · Rheem and Ruud · Any brand, from a photo