As home inspectors it's important to be able to decipher the age from the manufacturers serial numbers on heating and AC equipment. Below is a fairly complete list we have compiled from our experience.                      Back to Tech Library

Amana: BLACKHORSE. B=1971 or 1981. (Of course, now that they've been bought by Goodman, who knows what'll happen.)

BARD

1962 to March 1980
Sample Number 123456 A D

1st six digits are the Unit Identity Number. In this example they are represented by the numbers 123456.

7th digit is the month of Manufacture. (The letter A in the Sample represents January).
A = January
B = February
C = March
D = April
E = May
F = June
G = July
H = August
Letter “I” was not used.
J = September
K = October
L = November
M = December

8th digit is the year of Manufacture. (The letter D in the Sample represents 1964).
1962 = B
1963 = C
1964 = D
1965 = E
1966 = F
1967 = G
1968 = H
Letter “I” was not used.
1969 = J
1970 = K
1971 = L
1972 = M
1973 = N
1974 = O
1975 = P
Letter “Q” was not used.
1976 = R
1977 = S
1978 = T
1979 = U
1980 = V


Bard

April & May 1980

Sample number 123 D A 123456

1st three digits are the Compressor Part Number.

4th digit is the month of Manufacture. In this sample D represents April.
D = April
F = May

5th digit is the year of Manufacture. In this sample A represents 1980.
1980 = A

This serial number style was only used during the months of April & May 1980.

6th thru 11th digits represent the Unit Identity Number.


Bard

June 1980 to Current

Sample number 123 H80 1234567 02

1st three digits = Compressor Part #

4th digit = Month
A = January
B = February
C = March
D = April
“E” was not used
F = May
“G” was not used
H = June
“I” was not used
J = July
K = August
L = September
M = October
N = November
“O” was not used
P = December

5th & 6th digits = Year

80 = 1980
81 = 1981
82 = 1982
right on thru. The year 2000 started the numerical numbering from 00.
00 = 2000
01 = 2001
02 = 2002
right on thru to current date.

7th thru 13th digits = Unit Identity #

14th & 15th digits = Factory Code (01=OH; 02=GA)


Carrier, Bryant, Payne, Day & Night: Recently (last 20 years or so) the first four numbers in the serial number represent the week and year. Previously, it was a complex series of letters and single digits. Call 905 672-0860 if you get stuck.

Coleman: Serial numbers prior to April 1992=1st two numbers are month, then year, then series.
After April 1992, 1st two numbers are year, then month, then series.

Comfortmaker (International Comfort) uses the first letter for the month (skipping I) and the first two digits are the year.

First Company Service Parts is one of 4 divisions of First Operations. They supply OEM equipment to all of the major HVAC manufacturers. They are located in Dallas, Tx at 214-388-5751. Harold Hammer at Tech Support (ext#5) will answer your questions.

Goodman: First two digits of the serial number are the year. Second two are the month.
Btu rating is model number..ie; GMP075-3 (75,000 bonnet input)
Compressor is same :serial # 9709088872 (yr1997 wk 09) Tonnage is model # CK361C The first two numbers after the CK (letters) divided by 12 is tons. ie: 36 div by 12= 3 tons.

Lennox: Either the first two or second two digits are the year, it varies by era, but most of them actually have a separate sticker somewhere that has the year printed on it. Newer ones are first two equals manufacturing plant #, 2nd two are year and letter in fifth slot is month (A thru M minus I). So 5898G 07568 would be Plant # 58, Year of MFR would be 98 and month would be July.

Rheem & Rudd: in the middle of the serial number will be a letter "F" the following four numbers are the week and year.
The first letter of the serial number gives the year of manufacture as follows:

Trane
Trane uses alpha codes in their serial numbers to determine year of manufacture. They started this in 1987 with the letter B and skipped a couple of letters during the years........ The first letter of the serial number gives the year of manufacture as follows:

In 2002 they started their serial numbers with the year it was built. In 2002 the first character of the serial number is 2, in 2003, 3 and so on.

Z=2001
R=2000
P=1999
N=1998
M=97
L=96
K=95
J=94
H=93
G=92
F=91
E=90
D=89
C=88
B=87
S=86
Y=85
X=84
W=83
U=82(seventh digit)
T=81(seventh digit)
O, A=80(seventh digit)


York (Unitary Products since 1984)
Note: they skip the letters I, O, Q, U, Z.
Year of make indicated by 3rd letter in the serial number.
Fraser, Johnston and Luxaire were purchased by York in 1980.

1971 - A
1972 - B
1973 - C
1974 - D
1975 - E
1976 - F
1977 - G
1978 - H
1979 - J
1980 - K
1981 - L
1982 – M
1983 – N
1984 – P
1985 - R
1986 - S
1987 - T
1988 - V
1989 - W
1990 - X
1991 – Y
1992 – A
1993 - B
1994 - C
1995 – D
1996 - E
1997 - F
1998 - G
1999 - H
2000 - J
2001 - K
2002 - L
2003 - M
2004 - N
2005 - P
2006 - R
2007 - S