A.O. Smith® Water age
How to determine the date of production/manufacture or age of A.O. Smith® brand Water Heater Systems.
Water heaters in general have an average estimated useful service life of 10-12 years, though water quality, routine upkeep/maintenance, and location of the water heater will all play critical roles in the longevity of these systems.
See also: Estimated Useful Service Life Expectancies
Parent Company:
Subsidiaries:
Example serial number styles/formats found:
→Style 1a: 1210A002243
→Style 1b: S1318 F000046
→Style 1c: 1836111786352
→Style 2: AF04A093001
→Style 3: GG03-1495366-S29
→Style 4: E07A135491
Legend: Year is RED; Month is GREEN; Week is BLUE
→Style 1a: 1210A002243
→Style 1b: S1318 F000046
→Style 1c: 1836111786352
Year of manufacture can be determined by using the 1st & 2nd digits of the serial number
Week of manufacture can be determined by using the 3rd & 4th digits of the serial number
→Style 2: AF04A093001
Serial number begins with two letters. This style has been discontinued.
Year of manufacture can be determined by using the 1st & 2nd digits of the serial number
Month of manufacture can be determined by using the 2nd letter of the serial number
Production Month Codes:
- A= January
- B= February
- C= March
- D= April
- E= May
- F= June
Production Month Codes:
- G= July
- H= August
- J= September
- K= October
- L= November
- M= December
→Style 3: GG03-1495366-S29
Serial number begins with two letters. This style has been discontinued.
Year of manufacture can be determined by using the 1st & 2nd digits of the serial number
Month of manufacture can be determined by using the 2nd letter of the serial number
Production Month Codes:
- A= January
- B= February
- C= March
- D= April
- E= May
- F= June
Production Month Codes:
- G= July
- H= August
- J= September
- K= October
- L= November
- M= December
→Style 4: E07A135491
Serial number begins with two letters. This style was discontinued somewhere between 2008-2010
Year of manufacture can be determined by using the 1st & 2nd digits of the serial number
Month of manufacture can be determined by using the 2nd letter of the serial number
Production Month Codes:
- A= January
- B= February
- C= March
- D= April
- E= May
- F= June
Production Month Codes:
- G= July
- H= August
- J= September
- K= October
- L= November
- M= December
As of 2019, A.O. Smith® will have celebrated 145 years in business, and continues to be one of the world's leading manufacturers of commercial and residential water heaters and boilers. A.O. Smith® provides a comprehensive product line featuring many of the best known brands in the industry. The company began in 1874 making metal parts for baby carriages and bicycles. From this early beginning, A.O. Smith® grew into an integral part of the automobile revolution when it developed a new lightweight steel car frame in 1899. This car frame was eventually supplied to the likes of Cadillac, Oldsmobile, and Ford. Over the years, A.O. Smith® continued its devotion to technology and innovation as it developed or improved on several manufacturing processes including production line automation, an improved method of welding, and the process of fusing glass to steel which led to glass-lined beer kegs, brewery tanks, and residential water heaters.
A.O. Smith® remains a popular water heater brand for residential and commercial applications. After several company acquisitions (GSW, American, State, Takagi, Lochinvar), their line of water heaters includes the brand names: GSW, John Wood, Whirlpool, U.S. Craftmaster, American, State, Reliance, Kenmore, Takagi, and Lochinvar.
A.O. Smith® History¹
- 1874 - Machine shop started as Charles J. Smith - Machinist (name later changed to C.J. Smith and Sons)
- 1889 - Introduces concept of forming steel tubing from sheet metal and enters the bicycle manufacturing industry, eventually becoming the largest bicycle parts manufacturer in the world
- 1899 - Arthur O. Smith (son of Charles) develops the worlds first pressed steel automobile frame
- 1902 - Company receives first order of auto frames from Peerless Car Company - closely followed by orders from Cadillac, Packard, and Oldsmobile
- 1904 - Arthur O. Smith incorporates the A.O. Smith Company
- 1906 - Henry Ford orders 10,000 steel auto frames, leading the company to develop the first mass production process for assembling frames
- 1914 - Develops Smith Motor Wheel, a gas powered device for bicycles
- 1918 - Develops coated welding rod which influenced the development of arc welding as a mass production method
- 1921 - Reveals the world's first fully automated frame assembly plant , dubbed "the Mechanical Marvel"
- 1936 - Patents the process of glass lining a water heater tank
- 1939 - Begins producing residential water heaters
- 1942 - Produces bomb casings, aircraft propellers, nose frames for the B25 bomber, and landing gear for the war effort
- 1948 - Acquires Burkay Company of Toledo, OH and enters market for coil-type commercial water heaters
- 1949 - Introduces "Harvestor" glass fused to steel silo for dairy and livestock operations
- 1953 - Glascote Products, Inc. becomes a subsidiary of A.O. Smith® expanding its vessel manufacturing capabilities
- 1961 - Opens commercial water heater and boiler plant in Ontario, Canada
- 1967 - Begins making fiberglass body panels for Corvette Stingray
- 1972 - Water heater division opens first European operation in the Netherlands
- 1982 - Company produces 100 millionth passenger car frame
- 1995 - A.O. Smith® enters China market with three joint ventures
- 1997 - Sells automotive division and exits the auto industry after 98 years
- 2001 - A.O. Smith® acquires State Industries, Inc.
- 2006 - Acquires Canadian GSW, Inc. and American Water Heater Company. The addition covers American, Whirlpool, GSW, and John Woods brands
- 2010 - Acquires Takagi's North American operations as a joint venture to market and manufacture tankless water heaters in North America
- 2011 - Acquires Lochinvar Corporation, leading manufacturer of high efficiency water heaters and boilers
- 2016 - A.O. Smith® enters water treatment market through acquisition of Aquasana
- 2017 - Expands North American water treatment presence through acquisition of Hague Quality Water
¹History excerpts derived from research at https://www.aosmith.com/About/History/
