This is a typical nameplate you might find on the back of your air conditioning unit. This plate actually shows the manufacturer’s date. Sometimes you have to decipher the age of your unit by looking at the serial number.
Or homeowners might wonder how old their current unit is. If you don’t know the age of your AC unit and you have some concerns about how efficient the unit is running, it may be good to check before we hit the high temps this Summer.
There is a somewhat simple way to check the age of your AC unit. Here’s how:
* Go to the AC condenser outside your home. The condenser is that big square metal box usually on the side of your house with the fan inside. Look on the back and you will see a nameplate.
* If you can take a picture of it, great. If not, write down all the info you can, but especially the Brand, model and serial number. Those are the clues you will need to do your work. The serial number has the age coded within the numbers. Some nameplates (like the one pictured to the right) have the manufacture date on it! If it does, that may be all the searching you will need to do.
* Once you have captured that info do one of two things: 1) Call a local Air Conditioning professional for help, or 2) Search the web by entering the brand and serial number and seeing what comes up. Usually you will find a website that can help you. Some sites even have a calculator to figure out the date for you. If your nameplate has the manufacturer date imprinted on it that is helpful, but it is most likely not the date the unit was installed, however, it is probably fairly close.
Determining how old your AC unit is will help you know what to do next –Repair or Replace. Knowing the age will help you know if it is efficient for today’s demands. and may also help you determine what energy savings you could possibly experience with a newer model.
