We’ve all gotten so used to simply turning on a stove or starting up an electric kettle whenever we need to boil water, but what happens when there isn’t any power or the gas is out? Not to worry. There are plenty of other ways you can heat up water so it’s safe to use and drink, and there are even a few simple ways you can purify water if you aren’t able to boil it.

Here are 10 different ways you can boil water when there’s no electricity or gas available.

1

BBQ Grill

  1. Use the charcoal to bring a pot of water to a boil. Chances are you’ve got a grill in your backyard or somewhere in your garage, but if you don’t, you can pick one up from the store or borrow one from a neighbor. Stack a pile of coals in the center of the grill and light it up. Once all of the coals are burning, place a pot or kettle full of water on top of the grate. Close the lid of the grill if you can and wait for the water to start boiling. Once it’s bubbling away, use an oven mitt or a thick glove to remove the container from the grill.[1]
    • If you have propane grill that still has some juice left, you can use the gas to heat up a pot or kettle of water.
  2. Advertisement
3

Tea candles

  1. Place the candles in a baking tray and set a pan of water on top. Tea candles, also known as tea lights, are small candles in a thin metal cup. They’re great to have for lighting if your power goes out and you can also use them to boil water in a pinch. Place about 10-15 tea candles in a baking tray and set the tray on top of your oven. Light the candles and place a frying pan full of water on top of the tray so there’s about 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) between the flame and the pan. Once the water starts boiling, you can remove the pan.[3]
    • It can take about 10 minutes or so for the water to start boiling.
    • Use a wide frying pan so the heat is more evenly distributed and the water will boil more quickly.
  2. Advertisement
4

Fireplace

  1. Set a pot or kettle right on the coals to boil your water. If you have a fireplace in your home, you’re in luck! You can easily use it to boil water without any gas or electricity. Simply start up a fire and wait until there’s a nice bed of coals. Then, fill a pot or a metal kettle with water and set it in the coals. Once the water starts boiling, use an oven mitt to remove it so you don’t burn your hands.[4]
    • Keep in mind the coals may singe or darken whatever pot or kettle you use, so you may want to go with one you don’t really mind getting dirty or burnt.
5

Wood stove

  1. Place a pot or kettle on top to heat your water. If you have a wood stove, sometimes known as a wood-burning stove, fill it up with firewood and start up a fire. Allow the fire to burn and heat up the stove so it’s nice and toasty. Fill a pot or a metal kettle with water and place it on top of the stove. Once the water starts to boil (it may take a little while), put on an oven mitt and remove the container from the top of the stove.[5]
    • Some fireplaces have a wood stove connected to them to funnel heat and warm a room. If you have that type of setup, you can start up a fire in your fireplace and place a pot or kettle on your wood stove!
  2. Advertisement
6

Rocket stove

  1. Add your wood fuel and place a container with water on top. A rocket stove is a small, metal stove with a J-shaped tube that uses a small amount of wood to produce a lot of heat. If you have one, you can use it to boil your water pretty easily. Simply add wood into the fuel chamber, light it up, and then place a pot or a kettle of water on the cooking surface on top of the stove. Once the water starts to boil, you can remove the container and you’re all set.[6]
    • You can find rocket stoves at your local sporting goods and outdoor store. You can also order them online.
7

Camp stove

  1. If you have a small camp stove, use it to boil a pot of water. Camp stoves use fuel such as butane or propane and can be really useful for cooking and boiling water if you lose power. Turn on the camp stove and place a pot or metal kettle of water on top until it starts boiling. Then, remove the container and turn off the stove if you’re finished using it.[7]
    • You can find camp stoves at your local sporting goods and outdoor store. You can also order them online. They’re handy to have, so you may want to keep one in your garage just in case you need it!
  2. Advertisement
10

Bleach

  1. Add a small amount of unscented household bleach to sanitize water. While it should only be used as a last resort, if you need to make water safe to drink, you can use bleach as long as you dilute it correctly. Never use scented or bleach that has added cleaners. Check the label to make sure it contains 6% or 8.25% of sodium hypochlorite (NaClO). For 1 quart or liter of water, use a dropper to add 2 drops of 6% or 8.25% bleach. Stir the water and let it stand for 30 minutes before you use it.[10]
    • If the smell of chlorine is too strong after 30 minutes, wait a few hours and it should get a little better.

Warnings


Advertisement

About This Article

wikiHow Staff
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 27,457 times.
20 votes - 85%
Co-authors: 5
Updated: August 25, 2021
Views: 27,457
Categories: Disaster Preparedness
Advertisement