Maytag Water Heater Age Lookup
Decode your Maytag serial number to find the manufacturing date, age, and full specs. Free and instant - no account needed.
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Finding Your Maytag Serial Number
Check these four spots on your Maytag water heater
Common Locations
What to Look For
- White or metallic manufacturer sticker
- Labeled "Serial No." or "S/N"
- Typically 8–12 characters long
- Usually near the model number
Can't find it? Try removing access panels or checking behind the temperature dial.
Maytag Serial Number Examples
Don't worry if yours looks different - Maytag has multiple formats and our system can decode most variations.
About Maytag Water Heaters
Maytag-branded water heaters were built within the State Industries and A.O. Smith family of manufacturers, which is why they decode with the same serial number date code shared across A.O. Smith, State, American, and Reliance units. The manufacture date is encoded in the first characters of the serial number, so you can read the year and week (or month on older labels) directly from the rating plate.
Because Maytag tanks came off the same production lines as the broader A.O. Smith family, the decoding rules, build quality, and replacement parts line up closely with State and American units of the same era. Most residential Maytag heaters used the modern YYWW format, where the first two digits are the year and the next two are the week of the year. Older units may use a letter-month format where a leading letter stands for the month followed by the two-digit year.
If your Maytag heater is past the 8 to 12 year mark, start budgeting for replacement and watch for rust-colored hot water, popping or rumbling from sediment, or a pilot that will not stay lit. Universal anode rods, dip tubes, thermostats, and elements fit these tanks since they share construction with the rest of the A.O. Smith family.
Where to find the serial
The serial is on the rating plate wrapped around the upper third of the tank, usually a silver or white sticker near the cold water inlet. It is labeled SERIAL or SER NO and sits next to the model number. Maytag water heaters were built within the A.O. Smith and State Industries family, so the label layout matches State and American units of the same era.
What the serial actually looks like
Why the age is worth knowing
Maytag residential tanks typically carried 6 to 12 year warranties depending on the model, and the warranty clock runs from the manufacture date on the label, not the install date. Once a Maytag heater passes the 10 year mark, budget for replacement and watch for rusty hot water, sediment rumble, or a pilot that will not stay lit.
Quick answers for this brand
Who made Maytag water heaters?
Maytag-branded water heaters were produced within the A.O. Smith and State Industries family of manufacturers. That is why they decode with the same serial number date code used by State, American, and other A.O. Smith family brands.
How do I read the date on a Maytag serial number?
Most Maytag tanks use the YYWW format: the first two digits are the year and the next two are the week of the year. Older units may use a letter-month format where a leading letter is the month (A = January, skipping I) followed by the two-digit year.
Where do I get parts for a Maytag water heater?
Because Maytag tanks share construction with the A.O. Smith family, universal parts like the anode rod, dip tube, thermostat, and heating elements fit without issue and are available at any hardware store. For brand-specific gas valves, cross-reference to the equivalent State or American part.
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