Updated at: 07-04-2023 - By: Sienna Lewis

You know the old adage, “don’t judge a book by its cover,” right? The same can be said for the air conditioner’s facade. You can’t always tell how old your air conditioner is or even how well it’s functioning by looking at it from the outside.

Your unit is subject to the elements, including rain, wind, sunlight, and even snow, due to its outdoor location. The exterior may take a beating, but the internal components are safe and sound.

In most cases, the first four digits of the serial number can be used to determine the age of the air conditioner. Nonetheless, you may need a bit more time to figure out what these figures actually mean. If your serial number looks like W301114213, for instance, it’s possible that it was made in the 30th week of 2011.

If your air conditioner is less than ten years old, you may be in luck as far as energy efficiency goes. When compared to older air conditioners, ones manufactured within the last decade should save you a ton of money on your monthly electricity bill due to their improved efficiency.

Why Is There A Need To Distinguish The Age Of An Air Conditioner?

Think of a typical summer day. Heat is pouring into your room like a raging fire. You decide to turn on your AC only to find out it doesn’t work. Being in such a precarious position is, without a doubt, the worst possible scenario.

How Do I Find Out How Old My AC Is? | First Choice Heating & Cooling

Knowing the AC’s status can help prevent this from happening. Owners can get a sense of their AC’s efficiency and potentially avoid the hassle of a breakdown by simply knowing how old it is.

Determine Your AC Unit’s Age with a Cheat Sheet

Don’t be afraid to use an A/C age cheat sheet if you’re not sure how old your system really is. If you want to know for sure how old your air conditioner is, you can use the Building Intelligence Center’s user-friendly cheat sheet.

Extend Your AC Unit’s Lifespan

The typical lifespan of an air conditioner is between 10 and 20 years.

Keep these things in mind when operating your air conditioner to ensure its maximum lifespan:

  • Don’t put unnecessary strain on your air conditioner. Keep the blinds drawn to block out the sun and keep the air circulating by turning on the fans. The air conditioner and your utility bill will both benefit from this.
  • Avoid isolating spaces. If you want to get the air circulating in your home, leave the doors ajar at all times.
  • Keep your unit in good working order by scheduling regular maintenance visits from a professional. Keeping up with this is like brushing your teeth: you know it’s good for you right now and in the long run.
  • In order to ensure proper operation, the compressor and condenser must remain unimpeded at all times. Make sure there is nothing blocking the condenser and compressor on your outdoor air conditioner. The optimal operating distance for the unit is twenty-four inches in every direction. For this reason alone, clearing the area around your unit of any bushes, grass, branches, or other obstructions is highly recommended.

Check the Nameplate

A nameplate or other form of identification should be attached to each and every air conditioner. If you look on the outside of the condenser’s cabinet, you might be able to spot a special identification label. The unit’s back is typically the most remote location. Included on this plate should be the date it was made. As a result, you can determine the age of the device by knowing exactly when it was manufactured.

If the air conditioner doesn’t have a label, you can still find the model and serial number by looking around. If you type those digits and the brand name of your air conditioner into a search engine, you might get back some results that include the manufacturing date of your unit. If that is not the case, you should be able to call the manufacturer, provide the serial number(s), and receive information about when the air conditioner was produced. Don’t settle for a vague time frame to determine when production of your AC model began or ended. You need to know when exactly your device was manufactured.

Look at Receipts and Paperwork

Those who have the original purchase receipt can easily determine the age of their unit. If you don’t have a receipt, you might be able to figure it out using other documents. If you still have the user guide or receipt from when you bought the air conditioner, it may specify when it was produced.

In addition, you can ask your HVAC technician some questions. If you have an ongoing maintenance agreement with the technicians who installed the unit, they may specify the date of installation in their report or quote. If they still have records from that long ago, they might be able to tell you when it was installed.

Contact your HVAC technician for an educated guess if you’re still having trouble determining the age of your air conditioner. Based on their expertise and knowledge of when certain models of air conditioners were produced, they may be able to help you narrow it down.

How To Distinguish The Age Of My Air Conditioner?

For however many years, air conditioning has been helping us beat the heat of the summer and unwind. There are some odd questions to ponder once you realize how much easier life is now that you have an air conditioner. Asking, “How old is my air conditioner?” Okay, well there are a few telltale signs that can help you figure out how old your air conditioner really is.

How Old is My Air Conditioner?

Tip #1. Check the nameplate of your air conditioner

Checking the condenser is the standard practice for estimating an AC’s age. To identify the condenser, look for a square or rectangular box. You won’t have any trouble finding it because it is enormous and is usually located on one of the sides of a house.

The condenser’s nameplate is typically situated on its back. Take a picture of the plaque with your camera or phone. The production date is displayed there.

If you can’t find it, however, please provide the air conditioner’s brand and model. Once you have compiled all the data you need, you can look it up online or consult with qualified a/c technicians.

Tip #2. Check the date of manufacture

Let’s say you have no clue how old your air conditioner is because you can’t decipher the condenser. In that case, you can find a wealth of resources online.

Finding the date of manufacture of your air conditioner, for instance, can help you determine how old it is using the information provided by some websites. If your air conditioner’s production date is not listed on the company’s website, you can still use the internet to figure it out.

Tip #3. Check the date of installation

Finding the setup time is another option. Typically, the date of installation is located close to the date of manufacture.

How To Know If The Air Conditioner Should Be Replaced or Repaired?

After determining how old your AC unit is, you may be debating whether to get it repaired or replace it. When your air conditioner reaches the end of its typical lifespan of ten to fifteen years, there are a number of considerations to make.

The cost of maintaining your air conditioner through the current summers needs to be considered first. Second, think about how much money you’ve spent on AC repairs in total. Finally, determining how effective your air conditioner is would be a big help. Your air conditioner should be replaced if you find that repairs will cost more than the unit was originally worth.

3 Ways To Determine The Age Of My Central Air Conditioner & If It Needs Repairing In Ontario

Contact Precision Heating & Air Today for AC Service

Serving Dallas, Hiram, Acworth, Kennesaw & Marietta, GA

Please call Precision Heating & Air for superior HVAC assistance.

Contact us at 770-445-0870 or use the online form on this page. We look forward to assisting you with all your cooling requirements.

Wrapping Up!

If you want to know how effective your air conditioner is, one way to do so is to determine its age. So now whenever you wonder things like “how old is my air conditioner?” you know exactly where to look. You can get a feel for its effectiveness and decide whether to replace it or fix it based on your response to the question. More information about your air conditioner will be available to you. Go here to read more engaging pieces. We’ll see you in the next piece.