Life expectancy of an Intertherm water heater:

Tthis article describes how to read the data tag and de-code its numbers to determine the age of an Intertherm water heater. We show typical water heater data tag model and serial number formats and note where in that information the year or week or month and year are encoded.

How to De-Code the Data Tag on an Inter-Therm Water Heater - Age Determination

Intertherm / Intertherm & Miller Water Heater Age Decoding Guide

Intertherm water heaters, also sold under the brand Intertherm - Nordyne, are produced by State Industries in Ashland City TN.

Photo: An Intertherm gas fired water heater for manufactured homes, listed by Arco cited below.

[Click to enlarge any image]

Query: Hi, can you tell me the date an Intertherm water heater was made?

Model #IHMS960E4 - Serial #K07433029 

Reply: best guess 1974

From the serial number, look at the first four digits of the serial number KO 74 - where the format is MM YY for the production month and year. Most likely this unit was made in 1974.

Another example, using Inter therm model #HE40-240SH and the Serial # 078318181 we would decode the date of manufacture as MM YY in the first four digits or July 1983.

A third Intertherm water heater decoding example using digits 3-4 as production month and digits 5-6 as production year we would decode Serial # AB039912345 as having been produced in March 1999.

Also see Rheem water heater de-coding data.

Intertherm currently produces air conditioners, heat pumps, and packaged systems that provide combined heating and cooling.

For Intertherm compatible water heater parts, installation instructions, and new equipment see Rheem equipment or see Arco Refrigeration or Arco Distributing 101 Arco Drive Saint Charles, MO 63303, Tel: 800.438.2720, Website: http://www.arcodistributing.com

Illustration: Intertherm electric water heater, side-entry, and a gas water heater, both designed for manufactured homes, from Arco Distributing cited below.

• Contact: Arco Distributing, 101 Arco Drive, Saint Charles MO 63303 USA, Main Phone: 636-947-4111 Toll-Free: 800-438-2720 listing Intertherm water heaters and accesories including
  
  State Sealed Combustion Manufactured Home Approved gas weater heaters and other State electric water heaters with side inlet and outlet - shown here. - Retrieved 2020/01/14 original source: https://www.arcodistributing.com/parts-solutions/heating-and-cooling/intertherm-water-heaters-accessories/
  
• Also see STATE WATER HEATER AGE & MANUALS
• Contact: Intertherm, Website: https://intertherm.net/all-products/ Intertherm produces split system, electric, gas and oil furnaces, and packaged systems specifically designed for manufactured homes. Nortek Global HVAC, NO CONTACT INFORMATION - at least none easy to find, and no downloads of manuals.
• Also see RHEEM WATER HEATER AGE & MANUALS
• Also see NORDYNE WATER HEATERS who produce Nordyne Intertherm electric water heaters
• Also See Intertherm Heating and Cooling.

On 2016-09-12 by (mod) re: fixing corroded Intertherm water heater plumbing leaks at a connection

Richard:

If the threads into the tank itself are intact you should be able to replace just the connector.

On 2016-09-12 by Richard

I've got an Intertherm 40 gal. electric, glass lined, hot water heater that's 23 years old.

A plastic nut connection at the tank intake failed. Wondering if I should get a new tank or just replace the plastic connection pipe? Anyone with Intertherm experience?

 

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2020-01-22 by (mod) -

Intertherm SN H03220585 you're right that this format doesn't seem to match some of our examples above.

Best guess: 2003 - those 2 digits after the H, perhaps week 22.

On 2020-01-21 by bberonda005

Having trouble determining my water heaters age from the examples shown. House was built in 2004 but I purchased in 2017 so making sure about warranty.
Intertherm
Model - IN1402HMSE3
SN - H03220585

On 2019-04-24 by (mod) -

See

TANKLESS WATER HEATER LIFE & USES

or

WATER HEATER LIFE

On 2019-04-23 by How long should intertherm water heaters last

How long should intertherm water heaters last

On 2018-08-07 by (mod) - choosing a replacement heating element for an Intertherm electric water heater

Typically electric water heater elements are standard in common mounting methods (typically a 1 1/2" threaded fitting or a 4-bolt mounting) and wattage ranges, though you need to pay attention to the length of the element - in some applications a longer element might touch an internal part of the water heater and thus could be unsafe;

There are conversion kits that can convert a 4-bolt flange-type water heater element to a 1 1/2" threaded heater element, permitting use of universal threaded heater elements in an older 4-bolt type water heater. I'll illustrate a kit (from Home Depot stores) below.

As I'll comment again below: check the data on the label or data tag on your water heater to see what heater element wattage is specified by the manufacturer and don't exceed that.

Changing from the original factory water heater element to a higher wattage than the original might

1. increase your electric bill

2. possibly be unsafe as it will make water hotter - though your heater's thermostat should control that

3. possibly damage the water heater as you are using a higher wattage heater than the manufacturer instended

4. probably void the manufacturer's warranty on your water heater

5. probably increase the rate of heating element burn-out or shorten the heater element life

Changing to a LOWER wattage heating element than the original is OK, safe, and may increase heater element life or lower the burn-out rate.

Changing the water heater element length and shape, or WATT DENSITY is also OK AS LONG AS it doesn't protrude further into the heater nor in a different direction than the original heater element, such as changing to a lower watt-density heating element can give a longer electric water heater element life.

A "lower watt density" means that for the same total wattage, say 3800 watts both old and new elements, if the new 3800 W heater element is a low-watt-density heating element it will distribute the actual production of heat over a larger physical area (of heating element surface) and thus be less stressed and will last longer.

DO NOT EVER install an electric water heater heating element with a different voltage rating than the original.

Installing a 240VAC rated heater element when the original was 120VAC means the element won't get hot. You won't have more than tepid water.

Installing a 120VAC rated water heater element when the original was 240VAC is dangerous as the lower-voltage element is going to short out or burn-up right away.

DO NOT ever install a higher-wattage rated electric water heater element than the wattages given on the data tag on your water heater. Doing so is unsafe.
IMAGE LOST by older version of Clark Van Oyen’s useful Comments code - now fixed. Please re-post the image if you can. Sorry. Mod.

On 2018-08-07 1 by Sheba

My water heater is a 38 Watt and I put a 45 watt heating element in it will that cause me any problems like raise my electric bill or overheat the water too much

On 2016-11-26 by (mod) -

Trav

You'll need both the brand and the serial number as serial number decoding to find the age or date of manufacture of a water heater varies by brand.

On 2016-11-25 by Travis

How can i tell the age of a hot water heater the serial #J99335616

On 2016-03-26 by (mod) -

Check out the suggestions in the article above: typically the manufacture date is encoded as we show - yours is 07 75

On 2016-03-26 by Anonymous

Intertherm water heater Serial number 0775331930 how old is the water heater

On 2015-07-08 by judy.golder@earthlink.net

I read your info on using the Model # to determine the date of mfg on Intertherm Nordyne water heaters. However,
my Intertherm water heater's model # is INI40NHOST. No way to determine a date by this. Any suggestions?

On 2015-02-22 0 by (mod) - can you wrap a Intertherm Nordyne hot water heater

Gail,

Usually no. There are safety worries.

Please see

INSULATE HOT WATER TANK?

On 2015-02-16 by Gail

can you wrap a Intertherm Nordyne hot water heater

...

Continue reading  at WATER HEATER WARRANTIES or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• AGE of HEATERS, BOILERS, FURNACES
• AGE of PLUMBING MATERIALS & FIXTURES
• WATER HEATER AGE DECODING GUIDES - six methods for figuring out the age of a water heater
• WATER HEATER AGE & MANUALS - home
• WATER HEATER LEAK REPAIR
• WATER HEATER LIFE
• WATER HEATER RESET BUTTONS & CONTROLS
• WATER HEATER WARRANTIES

Suggested citation for this web page

INTERTHERM WATER HEATER AGE at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to WATER HEATERS

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