Aitons Equipment® HVAC age

How to determine the date of production/manufacture or age of Aitons Equipment® and related 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: MARS (Motors and Armatures, Inc) - merged with Heat Controller, Inc. in 2013.

Subsidiaries or other related brands: Heat Controller (H.C.I.) | Century | Comfort-Aire | Comfort-Aire by Aitons |

Important Brand Notes: Aitons Equipment of Canada was acquired by Heat Controller Inc. in May of 2000. Comfort-Aire and Century are private label brands of Heat Controller, Inc. (now MARS). Both Aitons and Heat Controller were wholesale distributors of HVAC equipment under their own private brand lines now consisting of primarily Comfort-Aire and Century. The units under the Aitons and Heat Controller brand names were actually manufactured by a variety of entities including but not limited to: Climate Master, Goodman, Rheem, ICP, Addison Products, and Nordyne. To our knowledge and research, Aitons and Heat Controller are no longer an original equipment manufacturer, but rather distribute private-label equipment under Aitons and Heat Controller brand names made by other manufacturers. As such, the serial numbers encountered will be similar to the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) styles. For example, several recent Comfort-Aire systems utilize a Nordyne style serial number, indicating the unit to have been manufactured by Nordyne for Heat Controller private label. Similarly, other Heat Controller brands utilize Rheem, ICP, Goodman, and Climate Master style serial numbers. Unfortunately we have not encountered any data plates which indicate specifically the OEM or "made by..." name. This proves difficult to determine the specific style used and subsequently interpret the date of manufacture. Below are examples of some of the various styles that have been encountered.

To our knowledge, the only modern HVAC equipment currently retaining the Aitons' brand name is Comfort-Aire by Aitons. See Comfort-Aire or Heat Contoller

The date of production/manufacture or age of Heat Controller brand HVAC equipment can sometimes be determined from the serial number located on the rating data plate. The styles encountered are from a variety of other OEM manufacturer styles.

Example serial number styles/formats found:

Style 1: 98E-500386 -or- 92A-C70097
Style 2: x8205
Style 3: x611

For other styles not listed here, see also:

Heat Controller
Comfort-Aire

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

Style 1: **98E-500386 -or- 92A-C70097**

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

Month of manufacture can be determined by using the 3^rd position (letter) of the serial number

Note: This is an Addison Products by Heat Controller Inc. style used after 1990.

The sequence number (after the hyphen) can begin with a letter -or- number.

Style 2: x8205

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

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

Note: This stye used from 1976 to 1990 in air conditioning equipment. Any equipment utilizing this style serial number will have far exceeded industry average service design life.

Style 2: x611

Year of manufacture can be determined by using the 2^nd position of the serial number. Decade must be assumed

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

Note: This stye used prior to 1976 in air conditioning equipment. Any equipment utilizing this style serial number will have greatly exceeded industry average service design life.

Aitons® History¹

Aitons' Equipment of Canada was founded in the mid to late 1960's as a wholesale supplier of residential and commercial air conditioning and heating equipment across Canada.

2000 - Heat Controller acquired Aiton's Equipment of Canada, providing increased market penetration in North America. Comfort-Aire and Century brand names were distributed under the new Aiton's of Canada umbrella ("by Aitons") throughout Canada.
2013 - MARS (Motors and Armatures, Inc.), a leading commercial and residential HVACR motors and components supplier, acquires Heat Controller, Inc. and forms a merger between the two companies.
Current (2024) - The Heat Controller name was eventually dropped (circa 2016) resulting in two divisions of MARS - the motors and components (parts) division for which MARS was known for, and the MARS equipment division selling under the previous Heat Controller private label brand names of Comfort-Aire, Comfort-Aire by Aitons, and Century. The product lines include an impressively broad selection of HVACR equipment including heat pumps, split system air conditioners, air handlers, furnaces, geothermal, PTACs, portable room air conditioners, dehumidifiers, window air conditioners, ductless systems, commercial Rooftop units, packaged units, and more. The only current use of the Ations' name is in the equipment line Comfort-Aire by Aitons brand exclusive to the Canada market.
About MARS - Founded in 1945, MARS is a family-owned and operated supplier of motors, components, service/installation parts, and equipment for the HVACR industry. Originally launched as a motor repair company, MARS continually evolved its business throughout the years to meet the needs of customers. Now the MARS Motors and Components Division distributes an extensive line of MARS and JARD branded aftermarket replacement products, as well as original equipment components of leading manufacturers. MARS Equipment Division offers residential and commercial heating, cooling, and dehumidification equipment under the Comfort-Aire and Century brand names in the United States and under the Comfort-Aire by Aitons brand name in Canada. MARS Motors and Components Division operates from Hauppauge, New York, with distribution facilities in Earth City (St. Louis), MO and Halton Hills, Ontario. The MARS Equipment Division operates out of Jackson, Michigan, the former headquarters of Heat Controller, Inc.

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: 02/06/2024

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