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Rheem water heater warranty check: How to check the age of your Rheem hot water tank

One of the last things homeowners want to come home to is a flood of water gushing from their hot water tank. Or getting ready for a big event, only to discover there’s no hot water.
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If, like many in the Lower Mainland, you have a Rheem tank heating your hot water, determining its age is as simple as looking at the serial number, notes Allan Lake, president of Surrey’s Good Guys Heating, Cooling & Plumbing.

One of the last things homeowners want to come home to is a flood of water gushing from their hot water tank. Or getting ready for a big event, only to discover there’s no hot water.

Yet many homeowners will experience these scenarios at some point, given the life expectancy of a hot water tank is typically between eight and 12 years.

If, like many in the Lower Mainland, you have a Rheem tank heating your hot water, checking its age is easy: you just need to look at the serial number, explains Allan Lake, president of Surrey’s Good Guys Heating, Cooling & Plumbing.

The first two numbers refer to the month of manufacture: 01 = January; 02 = February, and so on. The next two numbers refer to the year: 97 = 1997; 05 = 2005, and so on.

This is followed by a letter and five more numbers. For example, serial number 0511B94210 would mean the tank was made in May (the first two numbers are 05) of 2011 (the next two numbers are 11).

If you have documentation, the warranty will be applied from the installation date. But if you don’t it will be applied from the date of manufacture. For newer tanks, online registration is required, or the warranty will also be from the date of manufacturer. You can see whether your water heater was registered at Rheem’s water heater warranty verification page.

How long is the warranty on Rheem water heaters?

Most Rheem hot water tanks have a six-year warranty on parts, including tank leakage.

Some models, such as “Classic Plus” (but not just regular “Classic” models) have eight-year parts warranties. “Classic” models with the Energy Star logo also usually have eight-year warranties.

It’s important to note that these warranties only cover parts – they do not include labour. Usually the labour warranty is only for one year. That means you’ll have to pay for labour and likely a warranty processing fee as well.

Other manufacturers

If you are checking the warranty for another brand of water heater, such as Bradford White or John Wood, visit Good Guys Heating, Cooling & Plumbing’s water heater warranty check page.

To schedule a water heater repair or replacement, call 604-GOOD-GUY (604-466-3489) or use their online form.