Ruud® HVAC age

How to determine the date of production/manufacture or age of Ruud® brand HVAC Systems.

The industry average service design life for most forced air furnaces is 15-20 years, and the industry average service design life for most air conditioning condensing units is 10-15 years. The average service design life of boilers can vary from as little as 10 years to as many as 50 years depending on the type and quality of materials used in their manufacture. Routine upkeep/maintenance, regional weather/climate, and location/placement of the mechanical systems will all play critical roles in the longevity of these systems.

Parent Company: Rheem Manufacturing (The Paloma Group)

Rheem Manufacturing acquired Ruud in 1959, further diversifying their water heater offerings and product lines. The recognizable and popular Ruud brand was eventually incorporated into their HVAC offerings as well. Ruud continues to remain a subsidiary of Rheem Manufacturing.

The date of production/manufacture or age of Ruud brand HVAC equipment can be determined from the serial number located on the rating data plate. Ruud has used multiple serial number styles over their production history.

Example serial number styles/formats found:

Style 1: W291013412
Style 2: CB5D302F099903346
Style 3: 7351 M2806 16735
Style 4: OR177 M2807 00097
Style 5: 0804B10488
Style 6: 123451872

Legend: Year is RED; Month is GREEN; Week is BLUE

Style 1: W291013412

Year of manufacture can be determined by using the 4^th & 5^th positions of the serial number

Week of manufacture can be determined by using the 2^nd & 3^rd positions of the serial number

Style 2: CB5D302F099903346

Year of manufacture can be determined by using the 3^rd & 4^th numbers following the middle letter of the serial number

Week of manufacture can be determined by using the 1st & 2nd numbers following the middle letter of the serial number

Note: The middle letter is the factory code (typically F, M, G, W, or N)

Style 3: 7351 M2806 16735

Year of manufacture can be determined by using the 3^rd & 4^th numbers following the middle letter of the serial number

Week of manufacture can be determined by using the 1st & 2nd numbers following the middle letter of the serial number

Note: The middle letter is the factory code (typically F, M, G, W, or N). The serial number may or may not contain spaces.

Style 4: OR177 M2807 00097

Year of manufacture can be determined by using the 3^rd & 4^th numbers following the middle letter of the serial number

Week of manufacture can be determined by using the 1st & 2nd numbers following the middle letter of the serial number

Note: The middle letter is the factory code (typically F, M, G, W, or N). The serial number may or may not contain spaces.

Style 5: 0804B10488

Year of manufacture can be determined by using the 3^rd & 4^th positions of the serial number

Month of manufacture can be determined by using the 1st & 2nd positions of the serial number

Note: This is a common water heater style serial number that was also used on some older HVAC systems.

Style 6: 123451872

Year of manufacture can be determined by using the last 2 digits of the serial number

Week of manufacture can be determined by using the 4^th & 3^rd from last digits of the serial number

Note: This is an older discontinued style from mid 1970's and prior, and was a common water heater style serial number that was also used with older HVAC systems.

Ruud® History¹

1880's - Edwin Ruud, a Norwegian-American mechanical engineer and inventor who immigrated to the United States, began working for George Westinghouse at the Fuel Gas and Manufacturing Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
1889 - Ruud engineered a design for an automatic storage tank-type gas water heater that used a bottom gas heater and temperature controlled gas-valve. The design was patented in 1890. In October 1890, he expanded on this first water heater design, under the Fuel Gas and Manufacturing Company.
1897 - Ruud filed a patent separate from the Fuel Gas and Manufacturing Company for an Automatic Water Heater. His new design consisted of a cast iron shell, enclosed burners, heating surfaces (a coil of copper tubing through which water flows), and thermostat controlling gas-valve. The object of the design improvement was, "to maintain the supply of water at the desired temperature at all times."
1898 - Ruud left the Fuel Gas and Manufacturing Company to start Ruud Manufacturing.
1908 - Ruud Manufacturing acquired two local heating and plumbing firms - the James Hay Company, heating and plumbing engineers, and Folsom-Webster Co., heating and plumbing contracting firm. Both owners of the acquired firms became president of Ruud Manufacturing and chief of the Cincinnati branch respectively.
1931 - Rheem began manufacturing automatic gas-fired storage water heaters after 1930 acquisition of Republic Steel who manufactured boilers and related storage tanks.
1954 - Rheem develops "glass lining" for its water heaters.
1956 - Rheem introduces "Rheemaire" central air conditioning and heater systems for homes. This eventually became one of the company's primary business areas.
1959 - Rheem purchased the Ruud Manufacturing Company, further expanding their water heater production and offerings.
1960's - Rheem diversifies further to include manufacture of bathroom fixtures and consumer musical instruments such as electric organs.
1968 - Rheem introduced its "Imperial" forced air gas furnace.
1968 - A plant was opened in Bergum (Burgum in Frisian) in the Netherlands. The plant was initially successful but had to close its doors by the end of 1983.
1970 - Rheem opens its air conditioning division in Ft. Smith, Arkansas.
1971 - Rheem built its water heating division headquarters in Montgomery, Alabama.
1979 - Rheem added heat pumps to its product line.
1983 - Rheem introduced the Richmond Water Heaters brand, aimed at hardware stores and home-improvement centers.
1984 - Rheem was acquired by Pace Industries, Inc. and discontinued manufacture of shipping containers by 1985 - ending 60 years of manufacturing steel drums and similar shipping containers.
1985 - Rheem expands through acquisition of RayPak, Inc., which expanded the business into swimming pool heaters as well as commercial boilers.
1988 - Rheem was acquired by Paloma Industries, Ltd., a privately held Japanese company with headquarters in Nagoya, Japan.
1990 - In a somewhat confusing era and chain of acquisitions, Rheem acquires the "Weatherking" line from Addison Products. Addison's Orlando, Florida operation was not part of the transaction. Addison Products Weatherking Division (Orlando) was later acquired by Heat Controller in 1995, and renamed Addison Products Co., a division of Heat Controller Inc. It was later acquired again and owned by Fedders in 2004 until their bankruptcy in 2008. (See Addison history for further info)
1992 - Rheem introduced the smallest gas furnace line in the industry.
1994 - Rheem was the first residential HVAC company to begin using scroll compressors throughout their lineup, and all air conditioners and heat pumps continue to use Copeland Scroll Compressors.
1997 - The company was first to introduce a 14 SEER remote condensing unit.
1998 - Rheem introduced the Modulating 90 Plus gas furnace. The company also began supplying Home Depot with a line of GE branded water heaters.
2009 - Rheem and Ruud were the first to sell a Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater, which was more than twice as efficient as similar electric water heaters. Also in this year, Rheem was first to produce a complete line of 14 SEER condensing units and heat pumps.
2010 - Rheem introduced a condensing Tankless Water Heater, and the first integrated heating and water heater system with one warranty and manufacturer.
2012 - Rheem launched the first commercial integrated heating and water heater system.
2013 - Acquired Heat Transfer Products Group (HTPG), a standalone company which produces the Russell, Witt, ColdZone and Kramer commercial refrigeration brands.

¹Excerpts from various industry sources

Every effort is undertaken to offer you correct and concise information to assist you in determining the age or manufacture date of HVAC/R equipment. Users relying on this information do so at their own risk.

Page last updated: 12/01/2023

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