Bradford White age lookup

How to read a Bradford White water heater serial number

Type the serial number from the label and the decoder shows when your Bradford White water heater was made. Below that: every Bradford White format the decoder knows, and a real label from one of my inspections.

Accuracy is not guaranteed.

This decoder gives an estimate based on how brands have coded serial numbers in the past. Manufacturers change their formats, and a serial can be misread, so the results may be wrong. Use them as a starting point only. Confirm with the date printed on the plate or with the manufacturer.

Reading a Bradford White water heater serial number

Bradford White serials start with two letters. The first is the year and the second is the month, A for January through M for December, skipping I. The year letters repeat every 20 years, so the length of the number after the letters matters: 8 digits means December 2007 or later, and 7 digits means earlier. ZL52501103 was made in November 2023.

Rating plate on a Bradford White gas water heater, serial number ZL52501103 outlined in red
Bradford White gas water heater plate from one of my inspections. The outlined serial reads as November 2023. No date is printed, but the 2019 standards year on the plate fits.

Bradford White labels usually do not print a date. Look for a standards line such as ANSI Z21.10.1 with a year after it. The water heater cannot be older than that year, which helps on 7-digit serials where the letter could mean the 1980s or the 2000s.

Bradford White serial number formats

Each format below has a made-up example split into its parts, so you can match it to your own serial.

  1. 2 letters, then 8 digits (December 2007 and later)

    ExampleTK41234567: Year T, Month K, Unit number 41234567.

    Reads as October 2019. Used from 2007 to today.

    • The first letter is the year and the second is the month (A is January, M is December, no I). The unit number went from 7 digits to 8 in December 2007, which settles which 20-year cycle the year letter belongs to.

  2. 2 letters, then 7 digits (before December 2007)

    ExamplePC1234567: Year P, Month C, Unit number 1234567.

    Reads as March 1997. Used from 1984 to 2007.

    • The first letter is the year and the second is the month (A is January, M is December, no I). The year letters repeat every 20 years, so A to D can mean the 1980s or the 2000s. A standards year on the plate, such as ANSI Z21.10.1 with a year after it, rules out anything older than that year.

  3. Starts with OA, then 7 digits (January 1997 only)

    ExampleOA7654321: Year O, Month A, Unit number 7654321.

    Reads as January 1997. Used from 1997 to 1997.

    • A short run of serials started with the letter O by mistake. They were all made in January 1997.

Bradford White tankless units built by other companies may use those companies' serial styles. If the plate has no printed date, Bradford White can date the unit from the full serial number.

Where to find the serial number on a Bradford White water heater

Look for a label marked Serial, Serial No. or S/N. The model number is usually right next to it, so check which one you're reading.

  • Gas or electric tank. A rating label on the side of the tank, usually at eye level or above the gas control. If the tank sits in a closet, it may face the wall; a phone camera held at an angle often reaches it.

Another brand? Use the water heater serial number decoder for all 18 brands.

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