Many people love to use and gift candles during the winter, 35% of candle sales happen during the Holiday season! They instantly make a room feel warm and cozy. However, candles can be dangerous if they are not used properly that is why understanding candle safety is important. According to the National Fire Protection Association, roughly 8,700 residential fires happen every year because of the careless or inappropriate use of candles. Three out of five candle fires occur because the candle was too close to something that could easily burn such as bedding, furniture, or curtains. Follow these candle safety tips to prevent a house fire this holiday season.
- Always keep the burning candle insight: When you are leaving a room (or house) or going to sleep remember to always extinguish all candles. Double-check to make sure the wick is not glowing.
- Do not burn a candle on or near something that is extremely flammable: Keep burning candles away from furniture, curtains, bedding, books/paper, decorations, plants, etc.
- Keep the burning candle out of the reach of children and pets.
- When removing wax from a candle warmer never use a butter knife (or similar object): Removing wax this way could weaken the vessel and it could break or explode when heated up. This article explains safe ways to remove the wax!
- Never burn the candle all the way to the bottom: If the candle is not in a container stop using it when 2 inches of wax remains. If the candle is in a container, stop using it when ¼ inch of wax remains.
- Use a candle snuffer: When extinguishing a candle flame always use a candle snuffer and never blow out the flame. This could cause wax and sparks or embers to fly.
- Never touch or move a candle while it is burning, or the wax is still melted.
- Trim candlewicks to ¼ inch before every use: Long or crooked wicks can cause uneven burning.
- Never use water to extinguish a candle flame: The water could cause the hot wax to splatter or it might cause the hot glass container to break.
- Try to avoid using candles during a power outage: The safer option is to use a flashlight, but if you don’t have any make sure to keep the candles 3 inches apart, blow out the candles as you leave the room and don’t let them burn too long
Check out last weeks article: Trick-Or-Treat Safety
By: L. DiBartolomeo 11/6/19