CHOWZZ 2 Sets Universal Water Heater Earthquake Strap Kit, Expansion Tank Mounting Bracket, Water Heater Stand for up to 80gallon Water Tank with Install Accessory- Stainless Steel Straps

What this kit is and why I tried it

Securing a water heater and its expansion tank isn’t glamorous work, but it pays off the first time someone leans into the tank, a delivery bangs the utility room wall, or the ground shakes. I picked up the CHOWZZ strap kit to restrain a 40-gallon water heater and support a 2-gallon thermal expansion tank in a damp basement mechanical room. I wanted stainless hardware that wouldn’t rust and a bracket for the expansion tank so I wasn’t relying on the piping alone for support.

What’s in the box

The CHOWZZ strap kit is a two-set bundle designed for round tanks up to 80 gallons. In my kit, I found:
- Two stainless, slotted straps with mating buckles for the water heater
- A metal wall bracket dedicated to supporting an expansion tank
- A second strap for the expansion tank bracket
- Basic mounting hardware

The straps arrive long enough to wrap larger diameters with room to spare; you trim them to length once installed. The metal is stainless and reasonably thick for this category—rigid enough to hold tension without feeling brittle.

Installation: straightforward with a few caveats

If you’ve installed seismic straps before, nothing here will surprise you. If you haven’t, the steps are approachable, and you don’t need specialty tools.

My process:
1. Mark the strap heights. Most jurisdictions want one strap in the upper third of the tank and one in the lower third. That spacing gives good leverage and avoids controls and piping.
2. Find solid structure. I located studs with a stud finder and verified with a small pilot drill. If your layout doesn’t hit studs, add blocking; don’t rely on drywall anchors for this job.
3. Mount the strap brackets. I pre-drilled and used heavy lag screws with washers into studs. The included screws are serviceable, but I prefer 5/16-inch lags for shear strength.
4. Wrap and tension. The slotted stainless band threads through the buckle and cinches down as you pull—no separate ratchet needed. I used gloves; the cut edges can be sharp.
5. Trim excess. Tin snips make quick work of the extra strap tail. I folded the cut end back on itself to tame any sharp corners.

The expansion tank bracket goes up similarly. It’s a wall plate with slots that accepts the strap. I positioned it so the strap cradles the tank’s belly, taking the load off the pipe nipple. Once tightened, the tank sat level and felt neutral—no twisting force on the piping.

Total time for both the heater and expansion tank was under an hour, including measuring and cleanup.

Tips from the install:
- Dry-fit both straps before driving any screws; it’s easy to place a bracket exactly where a TPR discharge or gas shutoff wants to live.
- Mind clearances for service panels and the TPR valve. Don’t trap components behind a strap.
- Wear gloves when tensioning and cutting the bands. Stainless edges can bite.
- If your heater is skirted, avoid strapping across flimsy sheet metal—aim for the cylinder.

Build quality and design

For the price class, the build quality is solid. The stainless straps hold tension well and don’t “creep” after a week of humidity and temperature swings in the mechanical room. The buckles engage cleanly and don’t chew up the slots as you cinch them. The bracket for the expansion tank is heavier gauge than I expected and doesn’t flex under load. Once locked down, the entire setup feels like a rigid frame.

Corrosion resistance is the big advantage here. Basements and garages aren’t friendly to plated steel; I’ve watched cheaper zinc straps pit and stain over a couple of winters. The stainless in this kit has stayed bright and clean so far.

Fit and adjustability

The strap length is generous. On a 40-gallon tank I had plenty of excess to trim, and there’s enough length to wrap bulkier insulation jackets if needed. The buckles allow incremental tightening—you can really sneak up on a snug fit. The expansion tank strap handled both a small 2-gallon tank and a chunkier 4.5-gallon tank during a test fit, though I prefer using blocking for heavier vessels.

Because it’s a generic kit, you’re not locked into water heaters. These straps will secure other round vessels—boiler expansion tanks, small nitrogen bottles, even tall buckets—provided you anchor the brackets to structure appropriate for the load and follow applicable rules for pressurized or hazardous contents.

Stability and day-to-day performance

The point of a restraint system is to disappear into the background. After installation, I gave the water heater a few purposeful shoves; the tank barely budged, and the straps didn’t slip a tooth. The expansion tank support is the standout—the wall bracket removes the cantilever stress from the pipe and keeps the tank from rotating over time as the diaphragm cycles. That detail alone can extend the life of the joint at the expansion tank tee.

In a utility area with frequent foot traffic and occasional door slams, the setup has remained tight. No rattles, no loosening, and no staining from corrosion.

Code and safety notes

• Many areas require two seismic straps positioned in the upper and lower thirds of the tank, with minimum spacing between them. This kit makes that easy, but you should confirm local code specifics (strap height, anchor type, and whether a third strap is required for taller heaters).
• Use lag screws into wood studs or appropriate anchors into masonry. Avoid drywall-only anchoring.
• Do not rely on the plumbing to support an expansion tank. The included bracket is the right way to offload that weight.
• Maintain access to controls, TPR valve, and service panels.

The kit itself doesn’t “certify” compliance; that depends on how you install it. Done correctly, it checks the usual boxes.

Where it falls short

A few nitpicks from my install:
- Documentation could be better. The hardware is intuitive, but a one-page diagram with code-height guidance and anchor recommendations would help first-time installers.
- Hardware is adequate, not premium. I swapped in heavier lags and larger fender washers for my own peace of mind.
- Strap edges are sharp once cut. This is normal for stainless banding, but including a couple of edge guards or advising to fold the tail would be a nice touch.
- The expansion tank bracket is ideal for typical domestic sizes; for unusually large or commercial expansion tanks, I’d step up to a heavier, cradle-style support.

None of these are deal-breakers, but they’re worth planning around.

Who it’s for

• Homeowners doing a DIY retrofit to satisfy common seismic or safety requirements.
• Pros who want a stainless option for damp or coastal environments without spending for heavy commercial kits.
• Anyone installing or replacing an expansion tank and looking to remove weight from the piping.

If you’re mounting in concrete or block, have odd stud spacing, or are restraining unusually tall or heavy tanks, budget for additional anchors, blocking, and possibly a third strap.

The bottom line

The CHOWZZ strap kit does exactly what I want a restraint kit to do: it installs cleanly, keeps a heater and expansion tank planted, and shrugs off basement humidity thanks to stainless construction. The included expansion tank bracket is the quiet hero—supporting that weight properly is something too many installs skip. With a bit of care around anchoring and strap trimming, it’s a tidy, durable solution.

Recommendation: I recommend this kit for residential water heaters up to 80 gallons and typical domestic expansion tanks. It’s an easy, corrosion-resistant way to meet common safety expectations, and it feels secure once installed. If you need premium anchors, top-tier instructions, or support for oversized tanks, plan to supplement the kit—but for most home mechanical rooms, this checks the important boxes.