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Montgomery Ward Water Heater Age: Serial Number Lookup & Decoder

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 Montgomery Ward Water Heater?

Like Sears, Montgomery Ward never manufactured water heaters. Wards was a retailer — it bought tanks from established manufacturers and sold them under its own name, including the long-running Wards Signature line (Signature 300, 500, and 700 models). More than one company held that contract over the years, so identifying the maker is step one.

Who Actually Made Your Wards Water Heater

According to inspection-industry references, Montgomery Ward water heaters were built mainly by Rheem (alongside its Ruud and Richmond brands) and by State Industries, and some were sold under the Reliance name as well. The exact year ranges for each supplier are not publicly documented, so the reliable way to identify your unit's maker is the serial number format.

How to Tell: Serial Format Differences

Check the first characters of your serial against these documented patterns:

  • Rheem style — digits, often after an SN or SNN prefix, with the month and year in the first four digits. Example: SNN 0483113079 reads as April (04) of 1983, and 1170 3310 reads as November 1970.
  • Wards prefixed style — serials printed like SNN 1280A12345: ignoring the prefix, digits 1–2 are the month and digits 3–4 the year, so this one is December 1980.
  • State style — about 8 characters starting with a letter for the month (A = January, skipping I) followed by two digits for the year. Example: B9912345 is February 1999.

Try This Decoder First

Because most Wards tanks were Rheem-built, start with the decoder above. If it can not make sense of your serial — especially if it is short and opens with a letter followed by two plausible year digits — your unit is probably State-built, so try our A.O. Smith serial number decoder next (State became part of A.O. Smith).

Where to Find the Rating Plate

Look for the rating plate (data plate) on the side of the tank — a sticker, usually in the upper half, listing the model and serial numbers together. Wards model numbers often start with prefixes like SRM, SHL, or SHT. On very old units, also check the top of the tank and behind the front service panel.

Why the Age Matters

  • Lifespan. Tank water heaters average 8–12 years. Since no Wards unit has been made in decades, yours is far past that window.
  • Failure risk. Internal corrosion makes tank rupture and a flooded floor much more likely in an aging unit.
  • Replacement planning. Any Montgomery Ward water heater still running is on borrowed time — replace it on your schedule, not during an emergency.

Sources

Manufacturer history and serial formats verified against the InspectApedia Montgomery Ward water heater age decoder and the InterNACHI water heater dating chart. Rheem-built brand list per the Honest Home Inspections water heater age chart.

Frequently asked questions

Who actually made Montgomery Ward water heaters?
Montgomery Ward was a department store and catalog retailer, not a manufacturer. Its water heaters — including the Wards Signature line — were built by established manufacturers and rebranded. Rheem (including Ruud/Richmond) built many of them, and State Industries built others, which is why the serial formats differ between units.
How can I tell which company made my Montgomery Ward water heater?
The serial number format is the giveaway. Rheem-built serials open with the month and year as four digits (like 0483113079 for April 1983). State-built serials are about 8 characters starting with a letter followed by two digits for the year (like B9912345 for February 1999). Many Wards serials also carry an SN or SNN prefix before the date digits.
Where is the serial number on a Montgomery Ward water heater?
On the rating plate — a sticker on the side of the tank, usually in the upper half, listing the model and serial numbers together. On very old units, also check the top of the tank and behind the removable front service panel if no sticker is visible on the side.
What if the decoder on this page can not read my serial?
This page runs the Rheem decoder, which covers the most common Montgomery Ward format. If your serial is short and starts with a letter followed by two plausible year digits, your unit may be State-built — try the A.O. Smith decoder at /ao-smith/serial-number-lookup/ instead (State became part of A.O. Smith).
Are Montgomery Ward water heaters still being made?
No. Montgomery Ward closed its stores in 2001 and the brand has not sold water heaters for decades. That means any Wards tank still in service is far beyond the typical 8–12 year water heater lifespan and should be replaced proactively.