Originally Posted By: tpriddy This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Going over the Texas SOP for water heater installation in the garage this is what it says: Inspect garage units and report as in need of repair the following; A lack of protection for physical damage to the unit; and burners, burner ignition devices or heating elements, switches or thermostats that are not a minimum of 18 inches above the lowest garage elevation.
Now I understand that gas water heaters need to be elevated, but the way the SOP reads by placing heating element in there do you think that means electric water heaters should be elevated also???? IRC does not make mention of heating elements??? 
Originally Posted By: tpriddy This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
That’s why i am curious about electric ones, aren’t the elements really concealled. There is nothing to cause combustion of garage gases in an electric water heater that I know of. Not anymore than outlets in the garage. I could be wrong, I just don’t know.
Originally Posted By: Monte Lunde This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
The key words are “A lack of protection for physical damage to the unit”. The 18" is about where a bumper is located on a car. The damage will be to the stand if hit by a car, not the unit’s electrical elements.