Video · AC Replacement
How Old Is My AC Unit? Tyler Griffin Checks the Data Plate
How old is my AC unit? The data plate on the outdoor unit tells you, usually coded into the serial number. Tyler Griffin reads one here: the homeowner guessed 2005, and it was built in 2016.
Job footageSwiftPro
- Topic
- AC Replacement
- Length
- 1:49
- Posted
- July 20, 2026
- Shot by
- The SwiftPro crew, Northern Virginia
What you’re seeing in this video
Tyler Griffin, SwiftPro's owner, in a black SwiftPro polo and khakis, heads around back to the outdoor unit, tucked tight against the house, hoping the label is still readable. It is. The homeowner thought it went in around 2005. The plate says 2016, so it's about 10 years old.
That one fact changes the advice. Sitting on the deck step with blue gloves in hand, he talks through options: if the furnace gets relocated, replacing the AC too is worth considering, but the existing coil can also stay with a furnace sized to fit it. Later, from the driver's seat, he lays out the plan: a range of options, explained in person, with virtual estimates for anyone who'd rather.
I think I've got that information. Let me go take a look at the back AC unit. Hopefully some things on it are still legible. Okay, yep, yep, yep.
They tucked it right in here. Okay. I just want to confirm the age real quick. How old did you think it was?
2005. It's actually from 2016, 10 years old. Oh. Um I I saw the coil downstairs and I didn't think it looked like it was 20 years old.
What I would say is we'll put together options for you. Okay. go to the trouble of relocating it, I would at least consider replacing it Right. just because that's a point of vulnerability and might be probably cuz it's you're going to get a better bang for your buck Yeah.
and costs only go up. If you're leaving this as is, then certainly we can just get the right size furnace to fit that coil and we can reinstall it. I mean, that is possible. There'll be reconfiguration in that basement regardless As far as the you know the movement of the the furnace itself.
So, here's what I I think would be best. I've documented a lot of information here. If we can come up with a good plan, is it something you would get done on the sooner side? Like, what's the what's the timeline you're thinking about?
Depends on how much it's going to cost. it. So and we'll take a look at that. Yeah.
No problem. Okay. Well, thanks for your time. Thank you.
Okay, it's been a pleasure. Great to Great to meet you. Thank you. Um we'll put everything together and I'll be I'll be back in touch.
All right. All right, well, that was fun. A little bit unexpected in terms of potential larger project that we were doing. That was not something we knew about.
Pretty pretty fun that we drew his his name out, which is which is really awesome. So we're going to be putting together his estimate and then give him the option he wanted in person. So, um we can also do virtual estimates for people as well. We just like to explain the options we recommend so that they make sense.
So, we're going to put together range of options. Hopefully we'll have one that makes sense for him to to get this done done now or in the future when the time's right. So on to our next stop.
Why it matters in your house
- Guessing your AC's age can cost you. A 10-year-old unit and a 20-year-old one call for very different advice, and the wrong guess pushes you toward replacing early or repairing late.
- Most manufacturers code the build year into the serial number, often as digits near the start. If the plate is faded, a phone photo with the flash on usually brings it back.
- Relocating a furnace or redoing a basement is a natural time to look at the AC. Reusing a younger coil is possible as long as it matches the new equipment.
How can I tell how old my AC unit is?
Find the metal data plate on the outdoor unit, usually on a side panel. Some list the manufacture date outright. Most hide it in the serial number, where a few of the digits encode the year and often the week. Every brand does it differently, so snap a photo and a tech can read it for you in a minute.
Want it done at your place? See AC Replacement at SwiftPro or call (703) 997-9757.
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