Furnaces, AC and heat pumps

How old is my Amana (heating and cooling) furnace, AC or heat pump?

Amana heating and cooling equipment has been built by Goodman since 1997 and uses Goodman's year-then-month serial. Older Amana units used a letter code spelled out by the word BLACKHORSE, which gives the last digit of the year but not the decade.

How to read a Amana (heating and cooling) serial number

Year and month, all digits (1997 to today (made by Goodman))

The first two digits are the year and the next two are the month. The rest is a production number.

0211847363 reads as November 2002.

Two sources agree PickHVAC, McGarry and Madsen Home Inspection, HVACbase, InterNACHI inspector forum

Letter code, pre-1997 (1971 to about 1996)

On older Amana units the first letter gives the last digit of the year using the word BLACKHORSE: B is a year ending in 1, L in 2, A in 3, and so on to E for a year ending in 0. The decade is not in the serial.

BB80200127 reads as 1991 (month not encoded) or 1981 (month not encoded) or 1971 (month not encoded).

Two sources agree Energy Trust of Oregon furnace chart, InterNACHI inspector forum

Where to find the serial number

Furnace: inside the front panel or on the side of the cabinet.
AC, heat pump or mini-split: the plate on the outdoor unit, usually near the line connections.
Use the line marked Serial No. or S/N, not the model number. If the plate prints a manufacture date, use that.

How long should it last?

Typical life of a furnace: 15 to 20 years

A gas furnace usually lasts 15 to 20 years. Well-maintained units in mild climates reach 25; units that run hard with dirty filters fail sooner.

How long does a furnace last? · Should I replace my furnace? · HVAC.com, Lennox, InterNACHI (15-25)

Typical life of a central air conditioner: 12 to 15 years

A central AC condenser usually lasts 12 to 15 years. In hot climates where it runs most of the year, 10 is more typical; in the north, 20 is possible.

How long does a central air conditioner last? · Should I replace my air conditioner? · Bryant, Lennox, InterNACHI (7-15)

Typical life of a heat pump: 10 to 15 years

An air-source heat pump usually lasts 10 to 15 years. It runs in both seasons, so it logs more hours than a furnace or an AC alone.

How long does a heat pump last? · Should I replace my furnace? · Trane, Lennox, Bryant, InterNACHI

Should I replace it?

Should I replace my furnace? · Should I replace my air conditioner?

More Amana (heating and cooling) pages

Amana furnace age · Amana central air conditioner age · Amana heat pump age

Parts that help it last

Furnace filters Check the size printed on the old filter and buy the same. A clogged filter is the most common cause of avoidable furnace trouble.
Leak alarm Useful near a high-efficiency furnace or an AC coil, where condensate drains can clog.

Check your model and size before you buy. Amazon links are affiliate links: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Keep a record of your home

The age you just looked up is the kind of fact that gets lost. A written record of serial numbers, install dates, repairs and who did the work saves the next owner, inspector or insurer from guessing.

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