Here’s a quick lookup for your York age of unit search. It applies to York central air conditioners, heat pumps and furnaces plus some other equipment. The info here shows how to read a York serial number from the 1970s to the present.
How to Read York Serial Numbers
Style #1: 10 Characters with Letters and Numbers (10/2004 to Present)
The second and fourth characters are numbers that combine to show the year – 1 & 4 would be 2014.
The third character is a letter representing the month: 01 is January, 02 is February, etc.
Style #2: 10 Letters – 4 Letters followed by 6 Numbers (Earlier)
The second letter represents the month. The third letter represents the year. See the Codes below.
These codes are fully explained below.
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How to Read York Serial Numbers – Full Explanation
There are two styles. Newer models, from October 2004, use the new style explained first.
Style #1: 10 Characters – Letters and Numbers – October 2004 to Present
The current or “new” style of York serial numbers applies to all HVAC units manufactured after October 2004. It’s more complex than serial numbers from Amana, Trane and other manufacturers. Maybe they wanted to be “tricky” to disguise the date the unit was made?
These serial numbers all contain 10 characters – Letter, number, letter, plus 7 additional numbers.
Serial Number Example: N0D6653823
The characters indicating date are underlined. The numbers are the year; the letter is the month.
The first letter is the location where it was produced – some people like to know! The key for the factory is below.
Year: The second and fourth characters are numbers and indicate the year of manufacture, so the serial number – N 0 D 6 653823 has a 0 (zero) as the 2nd character and a 6 as the 4th character so the unit was made in 2006.
For clarification: The 2nd and 4th characters are always numbers, so 0 is zero, not the letter “O” and 1 is one, not the letter “I”.
Month: The 3rd character is another letter and indicates the month the unit was made based on the letter code below.
A = January / B = February / C = March / D = April / E = May / F = June / G = July / H = August / K = September / L = October / M = November / N = December
Note that there is no I (i) in the list – This prevents confusion with the number 1.
The above serial number has the letter “D” as the second character indicating the unit was made in April.
Manufacture Date: April 2006
What about the letter that starts the code? The first character in the serial number will be a letter which indicates the plant where the unit was made as follows:
N = Norman / W = Wichita / A = Apodaca / S = Source One (This seems to refer to Source 1, which is York’s subsidiary for York parts. It is unclear why it might be used in the code. If you know, please share it with us.)
This unit used in the example was made at the Norman plant.
Lookup Tip: York, Luxaire, and Coleman are three brands all produced by Johnson Controls. The new style of York serial number nomenclature is now identical to Luxaire and Coleman serial numbers and decoding method for age of units.
Style #2: 10 Characters – 4 Letters + 6 Numbers – 1971 to 2001
This section covers York serial number decoding for manufacture dates from 1971 to September 2004. It’s another code that is more complex than most brands use.
The first letter is the plant or location of manufacturing, which is shown below. The date code is explained first.
The underlined characters, the second and third letters, are the ones that give the year and month.
Serial Number Example: YHFM321456
Month: The 2nd letter indicates the month the unit was made based on the letter code below. Note, the letter “I” is not used.
A = January / B = February / C = March / D = April / E = May / F = June / G = July / H = August / K = September / L = October / M = November / N = December
This serial number has an “H” as the 2nd letter, so the unit was made in August.
Year: The 3rd letter represents the year – the “F” in this example.
You’ll immediately note that some letters represent more than one year. They repeat every 21 years. And, for example, it should be easy to tell by looking at the furnace or condensing unit whether it was made in 1971 vs 1992 or 1980 vs 2001, right?
Here’s the code: A = 1971 or 1992 / B = 1972 or 1993 / C = 1973 or 1994 / D = 1974 or 1995 / E = 1975 or 1996 / F = 1976 or 1997 / G = 1977 or 1998 / H = 1978 or 1999 / J = 1979 or 2000 / K = 1980 or 2001 / L = 1981 or 2002 / M = 1982 or 2003 / N = 1983 or 2004 / P = 1984 R = 1985 / S = 1986 / T = 1987 / V = 1988 / W = 1989 / X = 1990 / Y = 1991
Note that the letters “I”, “O”, “Q”, “U”, and “Z” are not used. The I and O could be confused with numbers – but it is unclear what the folks at Johnson Controls/York were thinking.
F = 1976 or 1997: The example given above was made in 1976 or 1997. Again, you should be able to determine which of those years is the likely manufacturing year by the condition of the unit.
Manufacture Date: August of 1976 or 1997
As above, the 1st letter indicates the plant where the unit was made. Here are the older locations:
A = Addison / B = Blackville / C = Canada / D = Medina / E = Elyria / M = Madisonville / N = Norman / T = Typhoon / U = Tutco / W = Wichita / X = Monterrey, MX / Y = York
The unit was made at the plant in York, PA, the site of the original York Manufacturing Company.
Interested in Replacing Your York HVAC Unit?
You can check the latest York HVAC systems cost here and we update the prices yearly. Or you can use our free quote tool to get 3 estimates in a minute, which already takes rebates and tax credit into consideration and filter the unqualified contractors automatically.
The Importance of Regular Maintenance for York HVAC Units
Maintaining your York HVAC system is not just about ensuring it runs efficiently; it’s also about safeguarding the longevity of the unit. Regular maintenance can significantly impact the performance and lifespan of your air conditioner, heat pump, or furnace. For instance, a simple task like replacing or cleaning air filters can prevent the system from overworking, leading to reduced wear and tear on its components.
York recommends a comprehensive check-up at least once a year. This check-up should include inspecting the refrigerant levels, testing the system’s electrical components, and ensuring the condensate drain is clear. Such preventive measures can help avoid unexpected breakdowns, especially during extreme weather conditions when you need your HVAC system the most.
Moreover, a well-maintained York HVAC system operates more efficiently. This not only translates to a comfortable indoor environment but also contributes to lower energy bills. An efficient system requires less energy to maintain the desired temperature, reducing your carbon footprint and promoting environmental sustainability.
