WaterHeaterTrace
Source-linked water heater lookups

How old is my water heater?

The build date is hidden in the serial number. Pick your brand and we decode the month and year instantly — using the manufacturer's own date-code rules, with every source linked.

Find your brand → How decoding works
  • Manufacturer-sourced rules
  • Estimates clearly labeled
  • Official verification links
8 brands with live decoders
4 manufacturer date-code engines
100% rules linked to their source
$0 free, no sign-up, no app

Get the age in three steps

  1. 1

    Find the serial number

    It's on the rating plate stuck to the side of the tank — usually near the top or by the gas valve, next to the model number.

  2. 2

    Pick your brand

    Each brand encodes the date differently. Choose yours and type the serial into that brand's decoder for an instant build date.

  3. 3

    Read the date & sources

    See the month and year, how old that makes it, plus warranty, recall, and a link to the manufacturer's own lookup to confirm.

Start with your brand

All brands →

All 8 brands below have a full live decoder — built on four manufacturer date-code formats, each with sourced rules, recall and warranty context, and official verification links.

Built to be trusted, not just clicked

Most "water heater age" pages give you one formula and hope it fits. We do the opposite — identify the right rule, show its source, and say so when a date is only an estimate.

Every rule is sourced

Each date-code rule cites the manufacturer chart, inspector reference, or CPSC notice it came from — with a "last verified" date.

Estimates labeled honestly

When a serial only narrows the date — or a brand doesn't publish its code — we mark it an estimate instead of faking certainty.

Recalls & warranty in context

The build date is tied to what it means: open recalls for that serial range, warranty start rules, and realistic service life.

Confirm on the official site

We link straight to the manufacturer's own warranty or date lookup so you can verify the result yourself — and never copy their manuals.

More ways in

Water heater age guide →

How serial date codes work across every brand, and how to read yours.

Serial number lookup →

Where to find the serial, and what each part of it means.

Browse all brands →

Every brand decoder in one place, newest engines first.

Find your water heater's age

Pick your brand and decode the serial in seconds — free and source-linked.

Find your brand →