Water out of a water heater
 

I have seen some sites that say in an emergency you always have the water in your water heater.

This may seem like a silly question, but how do you get that water out in an emergency? I have tried to flush the silt out of my water heater periodically as recommended, but haven't had much luck. I turn the water supply to the heater off and open the drain valve, little or nothing comes out. Even if I run inside and open the hot water faucets, still nothing. What am I doing wrong? Does it have something to do with the "air gap" devices that are installed in the house? If so, how do I circumvent those? (I've got an ordinary natural gas water heater).

Re: Water out of a water heater
 

Always turn off the electricity to electric hot water heaters before draining them, and shut off the gas heating unit on gas heaters before draining them. Be sure that you are opening the actual drain. It should look like a garden hose spigot. Open the pressure relief valve also. It is the lever looking thing attached to a pipe coming out of the top of you heater. It is a pipe that comes out near the top and then angles straight down the side of the heater. The lever is the actual pressure relief valve. Pry the lever up. This will break any vaccuum lock in the tank. ONLY operate that lever AFTER the water has cooled or you run the risk of scalding yourself.