This is how the water heater was installed in the crawlspace at my last inspection. This was installed by a licensed plumber who did have a permit. What are your thoughts on this? My thought is 1. The dirt in contact with the bottom of tank will lead to premature failure. Plus the location (sump pit) is naturally damp in this area.
2. What about combustion air? To me this has restricted air since its set down in the pit.
Edit: The city passed this install. I feel like its wrong, but wanted more opinions.
