There is no doubt about it at all. The person who installed the water heater had planned to put seismic straps on the tank. Now this was not a professional installer, that was for sure because the TPR drain was routed up and through flex drain. That is not the way to go about that. But when I looked at, and touched the tank, it shifted around more so than it would if it had any type of bracing or brackets on it. In a case like that, you always wonder if the installer did not know the tank requires straps in our seismic zone. But then I noticed something in a new box down beside the tank. When I touched the box, it was heavy. Bottom line is, while we thought about it, we are still not quite strapped in Bellingham. Steven L. Smith Bellingham WA Home Inspections 
Not Quite Strapped In Bellingham
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7 comments • Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector • July 22 2009 09:09AMComments
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Seems like we are always finding those "close-but-no-cigar" moments:)
I'm sure that installing the straps is next weekends do it yourself project!
Another case of riding the rapids without a guide. Kate Ford
What's that saying? Close only counts in hand grenades and horse shoes.
Hi Steven. After you get enough of these pictures, you might want to write a book. I get a lot of laughs, looking at these ingenious home repairs!
Steve - are you in an area that requires the straps? I for one have never seen them, but I do know when boxes are heavy...
Jay,
They are mandatory here. Our seismic conditions are not too unlike CA.