howoldisthat

Home / Water heaters / Richmond

How old is my Richmond water heater?

Type the serial number from the Richmond label to see when it was built. Richmond units are built by Rheem, so the serials follow that company's format.

Scan insteadWhere is the label?

Example

RHNG0301A20897
  • RHNGProduct prefix, not part of the date
  • 03Month: 03 = March
  • 01Year: 01 = 2001
  • APlant line: A

Built March 2001

25 years, 7 months old

Past typical life. Past the usual 6 to 12 year lifespan. Watch for rust-colored hot water, rumbling or popping from the tank, and moisture around the base.

Plan the replacement

  • Plan the replacement before it fails. A failed tank can release its full contents onto the floor.
  • Check the base and the fittings on top for moisture or rust now, and keep checking.
  • Know where the cold water shutoff above the tank is, so you can stop a leak quickly.
  • Some home insurers ask the age of the water heater, and in Florida a 4-point inspection flags tanks over 10 years. Check before you renew or buy a house.
  • Tank warranties usually run 6 to 12 years. Coverage usually counts from the install date or from a few months after the build date, so the build date is a good guide.
How this was read
  1. Skip the leading letters RHNG. They name the product line.
  2. The first two digits, 03, are the month: March.
  3. The next two digits, 01, are the year: 2001.
  4. A is the production line, followed by a running number.

Format: Rheem month and year. Sources: Rheem service bulletin TSB 1207 (PDF), Rheem: reading your serial number, CPSC 2016 Rheem recall.

Reading a Richmond serial number

Richmond is Rheem’s Menards brand. The serials follow Rheem’s formats, so a Richmond serial reads the same way as a Rheem one.

About Richmond

  • The Richmond name came to Rheem in a 1955 merger with Richmond, a maker of porcelain plumbing fixtures.
  • Rheem launched the Richmond line of gas and electric water heaters in 1983 for hardware stores and do-it-yourself buyers.

Source: Rheem 100

Rheem plant letter, week and year

Used 2012 to today. Example: Q121561200

Newer Rheem, Ruud and Richmond serials start with a plant letter (A, C, M, Q or W), then the week (2 digits), then the year (2 digits), then a 5-digit number. Rheem switched plants to this format from April 2012. Some older guides, including Rheem’s own website, still describe only the month-year format.

Worked example: Q121561200 was built Week 12 of 2015 (around March), so it is 11 years, 7 months old as of October 2026.

The full lookup tables are on the Rheem page, since Richmond uses the same code.

Sources: Rheem service bulletin TSB 1207 (PDF), Rheem: reading your serial number, CPSC 2016 Rheem recall

Rheem month and year

Used through about 2014. Example: RHLN0205A20589

Older serials put the month (2 digits) and year (2 digits) first, after any product letters like RH, RN or GE. A plant letter and a running number follow, like RHLN 0205A20589 for February 2005.

Worked example: RHNG 0301A20897 was built March 2001, so it is 25 years, 7 months old as of October 2026.

Sources: Rheem service bulletin TSB 1207 (PDF), Rheem: reading your serial number, CPSC 2016 Rheem recall

Richmond recalls

Recalls from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that name Richmond. Whether a unit is included depends on its model and build date; the checker above flags matches.

YearRecallHazard
2007Rheem, Ruud, Richmond and Paloma power vent tankless water heatersDust can build up if the filter door is off, which can cause carbon monoxide.
2005Robertshaw R110 gas valves on water heatersScrews on the gas valve can break and leak gas, which can cause a fire or explosion.