Do you know what this water heater in the garage is missing? A safety post (bollard). The bollard protects the water heater from vehicular damage (should a car lurch toward it) and prevents the water tank from rupturing. Can you imagine what would happen if 40+ gallons of very hot water suddenly came rushing out all over your garage, dry wall, vehicle, personal belongings, and possibly even you? Not to mention the electric or gas powered heating element inside the water heater that needs to stay submerged or it can become a very dangerous fire hazard. The best way to prevent this is to make sure that a safety bollard is installed – and of course, routing maintenance of the water heater is also key because older units can also rupture on their own if not property maintained.
