Keep it going
$67
The $67 Heating Check
Combustion, the relief valve, the low-water cutoff and the circulator, and our tech reads the rating plate behind the jacket.
Through December 31
Boiler age decoder
How Old Is My Boiler? Find the Year It Was Made
Pick the brand and type the serial number off the label: the decoder shows the year your boiler was made, how old it is and how much of a boiler’s typical 20 to 30 years is left. On most boilers the label is inside the cabinet, so if you can’t see it, don’t open it: send us photos or book a visit and our tech reads it.
Rather have a person look at it? Tell us the brand and about how old you think your boiler is.
- The year it was made, from the serial
- Typical life left, and the upkeep that gets it there
- Can’t find the label? We read it at the visit
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Boiler piping on one of our jobs. The rating plate sits behind the jacket.
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Decode the serial number
How old is my boiler?
Your answer shows up here
The year it was made, how old it is, and how much of its typical life is left.
- Type the year it went in
- Or snap the label
- Or let us come out and read it
Don’t want to open it yourself? We’ll come out.
On most boilers the label is behind the front panel, next to the burners and the wiring. Leave the panel on. Our tech reads the label, tells you the age and checks it over while we’re there.
Or send three photos
Take the three photos: wide, up close, the label
Like a car trade-in app: tap a photo, and the camera shows a frame for that shot. The guide shows the three we want. Snap the label and we try to read it right here; send all three and a person double-checks.
Photos are in the form below. Add your name, phone and ZIP, then send.
Send the photos to a person
Someone on our team reads the label, then calls or texts you with the age and what we’d do about it. The label on this one is usually inside, so skip photo 3 if you can’t see it.
Where the label is
Where to find the label on a boiler
On most boilers the rating plate is behind the front jacket panel, near the burners or the gas valve. A few have a sticker on the side jacket. Don’t pull a panel off to find it: the burners and the gas valve are behind it. Send the wide and close photos, and if a label shows on the outside, snap it too. Otherwise we read it at the visit.
- The whole boiler. Step back until the whole boiler fits, with the pipes coming off the top and the expansion tank if you can see it.
- The front and the gauge. The front of the jacket and the pressure and temperature gauge.
- The label, only if it shows. A sticker on the outside of the jacket. If it’s behind a panel, skip this one: we read it at the visit.
A boiler in a Northern Virginia home.
Typical life
How long heating, cooling and water heaters last
The typical range for each, in Northern Virginia homes. Upkeep moves a unit toward the top of its range; skipping it moves it toward the bottom.
| Equipment | Typical life | Start planning |
|---|---|---|
| Furnace | 15 to 20 years | Around year 15 |
| Air conditioner | 12 to 15 years | Around year 12 |
| Heat pump | 10 to 15 years | Around year 10 |
| Tank water heater | 8 to 12 years | Around year 8 |
| Tankless water heater | 15 to 20 years | Around year 15 |
| Boiler | 20 to 30 years | Around year 20 |
Upkeep
Typical boiler upkeep that adds years
What keeps a boiler running toward the top of its range, and what we do at the visit.
- A check every fall. Combustion and the burner, the vent, the pressure relief valve, the low-water cutoff and the circulator pump.
- Watch the pressure gauge. Most homes run 12 to 15 psi cold. Way above or below that is a call, not a fix to try yourself.
- The expansion tank. A waterlogged expansion tank makes the relief valve drip and the pressure swing. We check it every visit.
- Bleed the radiators when they’re cold at the top. Air in the system means cold spots and banging pipes.
Past its years
Priced in writing
Boiler replacement
A new boiler, sized to your radiators and priced in writing at a free in-home estimate.
Date codes
How to read the date in a boiler serial number
Where each brand hides the year. The examples are made up; type yours in the decoder above and it does the reading.
| Brand | Where the date is | Example serial | Reads as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weil-McLain | We read it from the label photo | ||
| Burnham | We read it from the label photo | ||
| Peerless | We read it from the label photo | ||
| Utica | We read it from the label photo | ||
| Navien | We read it from the label photo | ||
| Viessmann | We read it from the label photo | ||
| Lochinvar | We read it from the label photo |
Signs
Signs a boiler is near the end of its life
Age is one sign. These are the others we see on calls.
- It’s past 20 years old
- Water on the floor around it
- The relief valve drips
- Radiators that stay cold after bleeding
- Banging or kettling while it heats
- Rust or soot around the burner door
Seeing one of these?
Get the boiler looked at before it picks the day.
Keep reading
More equipment age decoders and next steps
Equipment age decoderEvery type on one page.How old is my furnace?Typical life 15 to 20 years.How old is my air conditioner?Typical life 12 to 15 years.How old is my heat pump?Typical life 10 to 15 years.How old is my water heater?Typical life 8 to 12 years.Boiler replacementWhat a new one costs and how it goes.
Asked on the phone
Questions about equipment age, answered
How do I tell how old my boiler is?
Most boiler makers don’t put a date code in the serial that you can read yourself. Look for a made-on date printed on the label, or send us the label photo and a person reads it.
How long does a boiler last in Northern Virginia?
A boiler typically lasts 20 to 30 years in Northern Virginia. Yearly upkeep is what gets one to the top of that range; skipped upkeep is how one fails early.
Where is the label on a boiler?
On most boilers the rating plate is behind the front jacket panel, near the burners or the gas valve. A few have a sticker on the side jacket. Don’t open it: book a visit and our tech reads it.
Should I repair or replace an old boiler?
Inside its first 20 years, repair it and keep up the yearly upkeep. Between 20 and 30, a big repair is usually money better put toward the replacement. Past 30, get the replacement priced now so it doesn’t pick the day for you. A free in-home estimate puts both side by side.
Can you read the label for me?
Yes. Take the three photos above (the whole unit, up close, the label) and send them with the form. A person on our team reads the label and calls or texts you with the age and what we’d do. If the label is inside the cabinet, book a visit and the tech reads it there.
Not sure how old it is?
Have a person read the label for you
Send the form at the top, or the three photos above, and our office calls or texts you back. If the label is inside the cabinet, the tech reads it at the visit and tells you what it means for your house.
SwiftPro Heating, Cooling & Plumbing
4230 Lafayette Center Dr N, Chantilly, VA 20151
44679 Endicott Dr, Suite 211, Ashburn, VA 20147
SwiftPro Plumber & Water Heaters
4200 Lafayette Center Dr, Suite N, Chantilly, VA 20151
Virginia Class A contractor license #2705192276
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