Water heater platform

Whats the deal with 18" water heater platforms for commercial spaces.

I've seen some places with them and some places without them.

Does sealed combustion have anything to do with them?

Does hi-low venting have to do anything with them?

Thanks.

Generally, gas waterheaters were required to be elevated in residential garages, due to the possible presence of spilled gasoline and other slovents. Same logic would apply to commercial locations. Also, codes take into account possible physical damage to water heaters.....by the car in your garage, and by forklifts or whatever general activity may be present in that commercial space. Elevation and/or bollards are part of the mitigation for that.

The manufacturers of FVIR water heaters do not require them to be elevated. Not all building codes and officials have accepted that. Here in San Diego, the building department was very quick to acknowledge the FVIR safety, and no longer require residential water heaters to be elevated . Depending on the layout of the garage, consideration must still be given to physical protection.

heater

The National Gas Code does not require the new FVIR heaters to be elevated if they are not subject to impact damage, and since most cities subscribe to that code they should comply with it, although not all realize it yet.