Bradford White water heater age by serial number
Bradford White serial numbers start with two letters: the first is the year and the second the month. The year letters repeat every 20 years, so this Bradford White serial number lookup shows every possible Bradford White manufacture date and its age.
Where do I find the serial number?
Bradford White puts the serial on the rating label on the side of the tank. On gas models it is usually close to the gas control valve. On electric models, look above the upper element cover.
How to read a Bradford White serial number
A Bradford White serial is two letters followed by seven or eight digits. The first letter is the year and the second is the month. Because the year letters cycle every 20 years, DG6322957 could be July 2007, July 1987 or July 1967. Eight-digit sequence numbers started in December 2007, which helps narrow it down.
Year letter, month letter, sequence
- Used
- 1964 to present
- Format
- Year letter, month letter, sequence
- Example
- DG6322957
- Years
- A to Z, skipping I, O, Q, R, U and V. Each letter repeats every 20 years: A is 1964, 1984, 2004 and 2024.
- Months
- A to M, with I skipped. J is September, M is December.
Example, read
The year letter repeats
The year letter repeats every 20 years. A can mean 1964, 1984, 2004 or 2024, so we show every year a serial could be.
The clue from the length of the sequence number comes from a single source. We use it to order the dates, never to hide one.
Serial beginning with the letter O
- Used
- 1997
- Format
- Serial beginning with the letter O
- Example
- OA8226825
- Months
- A to M, with I skipped. J is September, M is December.
Example, read
Check the first character
O is not a Bradford White year letter. Units marked this way are described as a 1997 labeling error. Check that the first character really is the letter O and not a zero.
Where to find the serial number
Bradford White puts the serial on the rating label on the side of the tank. On gas models it is usually close to the gas control valve. On electric models, look above the upper element cover.
Questions
How old is my Bradford White water heater?
Read the first letter for the year and the second for the month. BH6511396 could be August 2005, August 1985, August 1965 or August 2025. The 2025 reading is unlikely, because seven-digit sequence numbers ended in 2007.
Why does Bradford White repeat year letters?
It uses 20 letters for years, skipping I, O, Q, R, U and V. After 20 years the cycle starts again, so A meant 1964, 1984, 2004 and 2024.
How can I tell which year is right?
Check the condition and style of the heater, any installation paperwork, or a manufacture date printed elsewhere on the label. A heater from 1987 usually looks very different from one built in 2007.
What does the length of the serial tell me?
Eight-digit sequence numbers started in December 2007, and seven-digit ones were used before that. We use this to order the dates, never to remove one.
My serial starts with the letter O. Is that a mistake?
O is not a Bradford White year letter, but sources describe units labeled this way in 1997. Make sure it is the letter O and not a zero. OA8226825 reads as January 1997.
Can I look up a Bradford White model number here?
No. The Bradford White model number identifies the heater's type and tank size. The serial is the part that carries the year and month.