"Water Heater Installation: Clearances and Safety Devices" is lesson 5 of 8 in the Plumbing (C-36) Learning Hub. It opens with "Seismic Strapping - CPC 507.2" and works through 5 short steps, then a worked example you can check yourself against.
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The worked example in the course applies this lesson to a realistic job.
Water heaters in California must be strapped, blocked, or otherwise secured against horizontal displacement from earthquake motion, per CPC Section 507.2. In practice this means two seismic straps: one in the upper third of the tank and one in the lower third, anchored into structural framing - never into drywall alone.
Every water heater needs a temperature-and-pressure (T&P) relief valve to vent excess heat or pressure before the tank can fail. The discharge pipe from that valve must run to an approved point outside the structure (or an approved indoor termination), and it must NOT terminate into the water heater's own drain pan - the pan only catches leaks, it isn't rated to handle a full relief discharge.
A gas water heater installed in a garage needs its ignition source (burner/pilot) elevated a minimum of 18 inches above the garage floor, so it sits above the level where flammable vapors from parked vehicles can pool. Separately, if the water heater is subject to vehicle impact, it also needs physical protection such as bollards.
The remaining 2 steps, the worked example and the quiz are in the course. This is a preview. The full lesson, with the step-by-step explanations, a worked example and a quick-check quiz, is inside the classroom.
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