True or False: Under Washington's seismic provisions, a water heater must be braced, anchored, or strapped to resist horizontal displacement, typically restrained at points in both the upper and lower one-third of the tank.
Not quite. The answer is A: True
Washington's text requires a water heater to be anchored or strapped against horizontal movement from earthquake motion, with straps within the upper one-third and the lower one-third of the tank's height — and the lower strap kept at least 4 inches from the controls. Two restraint points keep the tank from tipping or walking, which is why a single top strap isn't adequate: it leaves the base free to swing out.
Reference: WAC 2021 51-56-0500, §507.2 (Water heater seismic restraint)
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