Who makes Everkleen water heaters?

Everkleen is a sub-label of Richmond, which is a Rheem brand — so Everkleen tanks are built by Rheem Manufacturing and carry the same serial number date code as Ruud, Richmond, and GE units. InspectApedia documents Everkleen as a Richmond sub-label.

How do I tell the age of an Everkleen water heater from the serial number?

After any leading letter prefix, the first two digits are the month and the next two are the year. For example, serial RH1204C03317 means December 2004 — month 12, year 04. Letters before the digits are plant codes; the date always follows them.

Where is the serial number on an Everkleen water heater?

On the rating plate — a silver or white sticker on the side of the tank, usually in the upper half, that lists the model and serial numbers together. If it has faded, photograph it and boost the contrast; the first four digits after any prefix are all you need.

Is Everkleen still made?

Everkleen was a retail sub-label — most units still in service date from the 1980s through 2000s. The decoding rules are the same regardless of age, though very old units may use one of Rheem's retired formats.

How long does an Everkleen water heater last?

Tank-style units average 8–12 years. If your Everkleen is past 10 years, plan for replacement before a leak decides for you.

Everkleen Water Heater Age by Serial Number — Free Lookup

Rheem

Enter the serial number from the rating plate (the silver data sticker on the upper side of the tank; on tankless units it is inside the cover on the right side). Works for Rheem, Ruud and Richmond — many Rheem plates also print the manufacture date directly as "MFG. DATE".

How Old Is Your Everkleen Water Heater?

Everkleen is a sub-label of Richmond, the Rheem brand — so Everkleen tanks are built by Rheem Manufacturing and use Rheem's date code: month, then year, in the first four digits after any letter prefix. Enter your serial in the free decoder above for an instant answer, or follow the guide below to read it yourself.

Where to Find the Serial Number

Check the rating plate on the side of the tank — a silver or white sticker, usually in the upper half, that lists the model number and serial number together. The date lives in the serial, not the model number. On older tanks the sticker can fade; a phone photo with the contrast bumped usually makes the digits readable.

How the Everkleen Serial Format Works

Rheem encodes the date as MMYY — month first, then year — in the first four digits after any letter prefix:

Worked example — RH1204C03317:

RH = plant code (ignore)
12 = December (month)
04 = 2004 (year)
C and the remaining digits = production sequence
Result: manufactured in December 2004

Letter prefixes are plant codes. Serials often start with R, RH, RN, RHNG, or a single letter — none of these are part of the date. Skip them and read the first four digits you find.

Why Your Everkleen Water Heater's Age Matters

Lifespan. Tank water heaters average 8–12 years of service. Past that, internal corrosion makes tank failure — and a flooded floor — far more likely.
Warranty. Everkleen tanks carried standard warranty terms counted from the manufacture date, not the install date. The serial tells you whether a repair might still be covered.
Replacement planning. A unit past 10 years is on borrowed time. Knowing the date lets you shop for a replacement calmly instead of during an emergency.

Sources

Brand ownership verified against InspectApedia's Rheem age decoder (Everkleen listed as a Richmond sub-label) and the InterNACHI water heater dating chart.

Frequently asked questions

Who makes Everkleen water heaters?: Everkleen is a sub-label of Richmond, which is a Rheem brand — so Everkleen tanks are built by Rheem Manufacturing and carry the same serial number date code as Ruud, Richmond, and GE units. InspectApedia documents Everkleen as a Richmond sub-label.
How do I tell the age of an Everkleen water heater from the serial number?: After any leading letter prefix, the first two digits are the month and the next two are the year. For example, serial RH1204C03317 means December 2004 — month 12, year 04. Letters before the digits are plant codes; the date always follows them.
Where is the serial number on an Everkleen water heater?: On the rating plate — a silver or white sticker on the side of the tank, usually in the upper half, that lists the model and serial numbers together. If it has faded, photograph it and boost the contrast; the first four digits after any prefix are all you need.
Is Everkleen still made?: Everkleen was a retail sub-label — most units still in service date from the 1980s through 2000s. The decoding rules are the same regardless of age, though very old units may use one of Rheem's retired formats.
How long does an Everkleen water heater last?: Tank-style units average 8–12 years. If your Everkleen is past 10 years, plan for replacement before a leak decides for you.