Find the complete rating plate
Tank water heaters usually place the rating plate on the side of the jacket. Tankless units commonly place it on a side panel or underneath the cabinet. Capture the entire label before zooming in on individual fields.
Do not remove sealed combustion, gas, or electrical covers to search for a serial number.
Fields worth recording
- Manufacturer and brand
- Model number
- Serial number
- Nominal capacity
- Fuel or power source
- Input rating
- Voltage and phase
- Maximum working pressure
- Certification or listing marks
Serial age and installation date are different
A manufacture date can precede installation by weeks or months. Permit records, invoices, service stickers, or registration records may be better evidence of installation date.
Use the serial date to identify the product era and check whether other records are plausible.