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Serial Number Decoder
Decode manufacturer serial numbers into manufacture dates, production periods, and age estimates. Supports 60+ brands across 30 algorithm families with confidence scoring and ambiguity handling. Free web tool available now; REST API endpoint launching at general access.
POST /api/v1/age-estimate
What it does
Decode a manufacturer serial number into model number, manufacture date, and plant identifier.
Example Request
GET POST /api/v1/age-estimate Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY
How it works
- Your system sends a brand, serial number, and optional model number
- ApplianceAPI applies brand-specific decoding rules to extract the manufacture date
- Returns year, month (when decodable), confidence level, and explanation
- Ambiguous results (cycling year codes) return multiple candidate years with scoring
Example response
{
"brand": "Whirlpool",
"year": 2020,
"month": "Mar",
"week": 12,
"confidence": "high",
"year_ambiguous": true,
"year_alternate": 1990,
"notes": "10-digit serial; year code X → 2020 (also 1990); week 12"
}
Why it matters
- Home inspectors estimate appliance age for inspection reports
- Warranty companies verify manufacture dates for eligibility decisions
- Insurance adjusters assess appliance age for claims processing
- Repair companies evaluate repair-vs-replace recommendations
- Property managers track appliance lifecycle across portfolios
Who uses it
- Estimate appliance age
- Warranty eligibility checks
- Insurance claims
- Service dispatch pre-qualification
Current availability
The serial decoder engine is live with a free web tool at /appliance-date covering 60+ brands and 30 algorithm families. The REST API endpoint (POST /api/v1/age-estimate) is available for authenticated customers. Brand misspelling correction, structured error handling, and confidence scoring are built in.
Related features
Model Lookup API
Identify appliance brand, type, and title from a model number. Normalize messy CRM data.
Recall Checker
Cross-reference any appliance against the CPSC recall database. Know before you send a tech.
Unit Profile Panels
One API call returns a complete appliance profile: photo, specs, dimensions, recall status, and more.
Start using this feature
Join the waitlist for API access. Launching Spring 2026.