But we bet you probably never knew that the smoke produced by candles is as harmful as cigarette smoke. In this article, you will find out how you can keep your air clean at home without giving up the cozy and romantic atmosphere of a candle.
Black soot particles are the cause of polluted room air
If candles are not manufactured properly and contain too many scented oils that are not suitable for burning, it can lead to respiratory diseases such as asthma. However, it is mainly the increasing amount of black soot deposits caused by the incomplete combustion of carbonaceous fuels that can contaminate the ventilation systems in your home. Despite that, candle flames must contain soot to radiate their warm white/yellow light.
Since the particles are quite small, they can stay in the air for several hours and penetrate deep into the lungs, making it particularly dangerous for people with respiratory diseases.
If you still don’t want to miss the romantic and pleasant atmosphere of a candle, here are 8 important tips to maintain your air quality:
- Trim the wick to ¼ inch before lighting.
- Only burn candles made of hard wax.
- Make sure that the scent used in the candle is specially made for candles and avoid highly aromatic offerings.
- Try to increase the ventilation in the rooms without creating a direct draught on the candle.
- Avoid very thick wicks and those with a wire core that keeps the wick upright.
- Cease burning any candles that leave sooty residues on candle holders or surrounding surfaces.
- Extinguish candles after one hour of continuous burning and allow them to cool before relighting.
- Store your candle in a draft-free place. Try to create a low and even flame.
Hopefully, today’s post has shown you the risks resulting from the uncontrolled burning of candles. However, we do not want you to miss out on cozy and romantic evenings with candlelight! Thus, you can follow our exclusive tips to maintain indoor air quality.
Leave a comment below and tell us which tip you will try to implement first. Also, we are always available to you for further questions about indoor air pollution.
