American Furnace Company (AFCO)® HVAC age

How to determine the date of production/manufacture or age of American Furnace Company (AFCO)® 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: Obsolete - No longer in production

Other related brands: Comfortmaker, Singer, SnyderGeneral

The date of production/manufacture or age of American Furnace Company (AFCO) brand HVAC equipment can not currently be determined from the serial number.

Example serial number styles/formats found:

Style 1: Unknown

If you have examples of American Furnace Company (AFCO) brand serial numbers and good photos of the rating plates and systems from any era, please forward them to us for our further research! You can use the form HERE

AFCO brand systems were manufactured between 1900 and 1970. The Singer Furnace Company (subsidiary of Singer Sewing Machine Company) purchased AFCO in 1968 and placed it under the corporation's Climate Control Division. In 1970, Singer renamed AFCO to Singer American Furnace. SnyderGeneral purchased the Singer Climate Control Division in 1982. The Singer American Furnace brand name was dropped by SnyderGeneral Corp. in 1984 after the buyout of 1982.

Only the Comfortmaker name (once a flagship product line of AFCO) currently remains as a distant remnant of this former company.

See full history below.

AFCO® History¹

1900 - Company established in St. Louis by Harry Van Bayse, John Laux, and William D. Harrison who all met while working at Front Rank Steel/Langenberg Manufacturing Company. Production limited to warm-air heaters

1919 - Bayse buys out Laux's share of the company

1921 - Bayse buys out Harrison's share of the company

1942 - AFCO leaves residential production to manufacture furnaces for the military during WWII. Opens new facility in Redbud, IL.

1945 - AFCO is manufacturing a variety of warm-air furnaces including coal, gas, and oil.

1950's (early) - AFCO began manufacturing residential air conditioners - both central and window unit models.

1950's (general) - Company producing 3,000 furnaces and air conditioners per month including brands such as "Thermo" and "Air Stream". Introduces "Comfortmaker" brand combination heat/air unit and firmly establishes its southern market for air conditioners.

1955 - AFCO opens regional distribution center in Chicago serving a four-state area

1968 - Singer Furnace Company (subsidiary of Singer Sewing Machine Company) purchases AFCO and places it under the corporation's Climate Control Division.

Any system bearing the brand name "AFCO" or "American Furnace Company" will have been manufactured during the era's leading up to 1968-1970. After 1970 AFCO became a defunct brand.

1970 - Became Singer American Furnace

1982 - Singer Co.'s Climate Control Division is purchased by it's then president, Richard W. Snyder, and becomes SnyderGeneral Corp. More than half the bank debt ($14 million) was paid back within 9 months, and venture capitalists who invested in Snyder were bought out by early 1984.

1984 - Singer and Singer American Furnace brand names dropped and no longer used; however, "Comfortmaker" brand from 1950's AFCO era was kept alive.

1991 - Economic conditions hinder financial growth of the SnyderGeneral company. With global economic recession in full swing, SnyderGeneral sets its eyes on international markets to serve as the prime area for growth. SnyderGeneral subsequently sells Comfortmaker and Arcoaire brand lines to Inter-City Products.

1994 - The remainder of SnyderGeneral operations are sold to Hong Leong Group Malaysia, which is partially comprised of O.Y.L. Industries Berhad, a manufacturer of residential and light commercial HVAC equipment. SnyderGeneral is renamed "AAF-Mcquay Incorporated" and divided into two major companies: "AAF International" and "McQuay International". AAF International was based in Louisville, KY and manufactured air filtration products and systems including commercial, industrial, and residential air filters, as well as air pollution control products, machinery filtration, and acoustical systems. McQuay International was based in Minneapolis, MN where it designed, manufactured, marketed, and serviced all HVAC systems and products formerly undertaken by SnyderGeneral (with exception to the Arcoaire and Comfortmaker brands previously sold to Inter-City Products). McQuay International sold its products under various brand names, including Wesper, JennFan, Barry Blower, and AAF (commercial and institutional HVAC equipment).

1999 - Inter-City Products becomes wholly owned subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation. Name was changed to "International Comfort Products" at this time (abbreviated as ICP).

Any Comfortmaker brand bearing the parent company name "Inter-City Products" will have been manufactured between 1991-1999.

Comfortmaker brand remains owned by ICP (International Comfort Products), and is one of many heating and air conditioning brands under the ICP umbrella.

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: 08/29/2023

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