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If you are replacing a water heater in Las Vegas, you need earthquake straps. There are lots of safety requirements for water heaters and their placement.
The requirement says that for seismic zones 3 and 4 (parts of Nevada are 3 and the rest is a 4), “water heaters shall be anchored or strapped to resist horizontal displacement due to earthquake motion”. The water heater must be strapped in two locations. One strap should be in the upper one-third of the tank, and the other strap should be in the lower one-third of the tank with a minimum of four inches of distance above the controls.
It also says that water heaters placed in an area where they may be subjected to mechanical damage (like a garage) must be suitably protected from such damage (like a car hitting it) by being installed behind adequate barriers. This is why you see a bollard often installed in front of the water heater, so your car will hit the steel pole rather than the water heater.
Water heater straps can be purchased at most home centers and install easily. They must go into wall framing to provide the strength to hold the water heater in place during any seismic event.
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