Protection from impact

Does anybody ever write up a water heater or any appliance for lacking protection as per IRC M1307.3.1 - Appliances located in a garage or carport shall be protected from impact by automobiles. If you look in the plumbing code check page 21 fig 52 they show bollards protecting from vehicle impact. I have never seen any type of physical protection in any garage. It is also stated in the Texas SOP that a garage unit needs to be physically protected. Any insight would be appreciated.

If there is no curb 4" min (I think) or post blocking the appliance’s, I wright it up.

Heck, it’s a safety hazard. :shock:

I write it up all the time. With these Cadillac Escalades, one needs a wall to protect the appliances from the women drivers (ooooooops) and that might not even be enough.

I thought the water heater was there to protect the house from the car

rlb

My thoughts exactly Richard, the world will be a much safer place when IRC/UPC demands 5mph bumpers be fitted to water heaters :wink:

Regards

Gerry

Or maybe the water heater, as it comes tumbling down, is the only thing tall enough to wash the roof of the Escalades.

all ya realy need is one of those tennis balls on a string. they stop any car just by hitting the windsheild. i say the info-mercial last year. no need for breaks. and besides if the water heater is destroyed by a mear “tap” from an escalade, it was probably due for replacement anyway.

I couldn’t imagine a HI not writing that up.

i know right? i alway write up every garage i find without a tennis ball hanging on a string. (sorry i couldn’t help myself…no one can)

That’s what I meant. No tennis ball = a Summary finding.

I’ve never seen any type of protection for a water heater here in SW Florida. Is this a nation-wide requirement/code, or does our quasi Banana Republic status down here allow us to “do it our way”?

Brad Wheeler
GCIT

Hey, Brad.

I believe bollard protection for water heaters is in your Florida codes. Check with your fellow NACHI Florida inspectors.

IRC is a 4" Steel Pipe in concrete backfilled with concrete as bumper…no?

That’s the norm here.