How To Determine The Age Of Your Heil Air Conditioner

If you’re unsure about the age of your Heil air conditioner and want to make an informed decision about whether to repair or replace it, this article is here to help. We’ve conducted extensive research and consulted experts to provide you with a comprehensive guide.

To determine the age of your Heil air conditioning unit, follow these steps:

Step 1: Locate the Serial Number
Every Heil air conditioning unit has a data or rating plate that serves as an identification tag containing important information, instructions, and warnings. The serial number can be found on this plate, typically located on the outer jacket of the unit.

Step 2: Identify the Serial Number Format
Heil has used four different serial number formats over the years to indicate the year and week of manufacture of their air conditioning units.

Style 1:
This format consists of 10 characters, starting with a letter followed by nine numerical digits. An example is E072514528.

Style 2:
This format consists of nine characters, with the first character being a letter and the rest being numerical digits. An example is H55116328.

Style 3:
This format also consists of nine characters, with the first character being a letter followed by nine numerical digits. An example is H55120465. Note that for units repaired under recall, a new serial number sticker is placed over the original serial number, resulting in the same format as Style 2.

Style 4:
This format consists of six numerical digits. An example is 297448. This style was used for older Heil air conditioner models manufactured before 1979.

Step 3: Determine the Manufacturing Year
Once you’ve identified the format of your Heil air conditioning unit’s serial number, you can decipher the characters to determine the manufacturing year and week.

For Style 1:
This is the latest serial number format used by Heil. The first two numerical digits represent the manufacturing year, while the third and fourth digits indicate the week of that year. For example, in the serial number E072514528, the numbers 07 correspond to the year 2007, and the numbers 25 represent the 25th week, which falls between June 18-24, 2007.

For Styles 2 and 3:
These serial number formats were used exclusively by Heil from 1980 to 1989. The first character, a letter, indicates the decade of manufacture, while the second character, a numerical digit, represents the specific year within that decade. The third and fourth digits indicate the week of manufacture. For instance, in the serial number H55116328, the letter H signifies the 1980s, the number 5 indicates the year 1985, and the numbers 51 represent the 51st week, which falls between December 16-22, 1985.

For Style 4:
This serial number format was used for Heil air conditioner models manufactured before 1979. In the example 297448, the first numerical digit, 2, suggests that the unit may have been manufactured in 1952, 1962, 1972, or an earlier year.

Average Lifespan of a Heil Air Conditioner

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average lifespan of a central air conditioning unit is approximately 15-20 years. However, with proper care and maintenance, the lifespan can be extended.

Tips to Extend Your AC Unit’s Lifespan

Here are some ways to prolong the lifespan of your air conditioning unit:

1. Keep the surrounding area clean and free of debris.
2. Regularly clean or replace the unit’s filter.
3. During moderately warm weather, consider turning off the unit or switching it to fan mode instead of running it at a very cold temperature.
4. Pay attention to any unusual sounds that may indicate a problem.
5. Use blinds or curtains on the sunny side of your house to reduce heat.
6. Clean the indoor or condensing coils regularly.
7. Lubricate the unit’s fan motor.
8. Clean the air ducts or hire a professional to do it.
9. Schedule regular air conditioning repair or preventive maintenance.

Do Old Air Conditioners Consume More Electricity?

Yes, old air conditioners tend to consume more electricity compared to newer units, as stated by the U.S. Department of Energy. The compressors in old units require more electricity to reach the desired temperature, while newer units are more energy-efficient.

New Air Conditioner Indicators

Here are signs that it may be time to replace your air conditioner:

1. The unit no longer produces cool air, indicating potential issues with the compressor or refrigerant levels.
2. The air conditioner is over 10 years old, and replacing it can help save on electricity bills and repair costs.
3. Frequent repairs are necessary, making it more cost-effective to invest in a new unit.
4. The cost to replace a part is close to half the price of a new unit.
5. Unusual sounds are emitted during operation, indicating wear and tear.
6. The air conditioner fails to cool your home evenly.
7. Despite changing the filter, the airflow remains low.
8. Excessive leaking is observed. While condensation is normal, fluid leakage indicates a problem.

Conclusion

To determine the age of your Heil air conditioning unit, locate its data plate, which contains the serial number. Then, identify the serial number format to decipher the manufacturing year and week. Additionally, we’ve explored the average lifespan of air conditioners, ways to extend their lifespan, and signs indicating the need for a replacement. Armed with this knowledge, you can make an informed decision about your Heil air conditioner.