There’s a special sense of beauty and tranquility that fills a room when glowing candlelight is present. That said, it’s important to remember that a lit candle is also an open flame - and a potential fire hazard if not monitored properly.
According to the National Candle Association, approximately six percent of all U.S. home fire injuries are started by poor candle safety. We recommend keeping these simple safety tips in mind before lighting any candles in your home.
5 candle fire safety tips
1) Trim the wick to ¼”
Before burning any type of candle, be sure to cut the wick down to ¼”. Long or crooked wicks can cause uneven burning and dripping.
2) Burn your candles in safe places
Important candle fire safety rules include never leaving a candle unattended, and ensuring that burning candles are kept well away from pets and out of reach of children. Always burn candles in a well-ventilated room, and don’t burn too many candles in a small room where air flow is limited.
Keep burning candles away from drafts, vents, ceiling fans and air currents. This will help prevent uneven burning and avoid flare-ups and soot. Drafts can also blow nearby lightweight items (such as paper) into the flame where they could catch fire.
3) Always use the right candle holder
Always use a candle holder that is designed for candle use and make sure it’s the right size for the specific candle. The holder should be heat-resistant, sturdy and large enough to contain any drips or melted wax.
Also, be sure the candle holder is placed on a stable surface to help limit heat damage to underlying surfaces and prevent glass containers from breaking.
4) Keep flammable objects away from candles
Candle safety means never burning a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Keep burning candles away from furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper, flammable decorations, etc.
5) Extinguish your candles properly
The safest way to prevent hot wax splatters is to always use a snuffer to extinguish a candle, rather than blowing it out.
Never use water to extinguish a candle as it can cause splatters or glass containers to break.
Extinguish a candle if it repeatedly smokes, flickers or the flame becomes too high as this means the candle isn’t burning properly. If this happens, let it cool off, trim the wick and check for drafts before re-lighting.
