If you love burning candles, you may want to think again when you hear about the potential health risks which can be involved. Though it may seem harmless, burning certain candles in poorly ventilated areas can cause damage to you.
The occasional candlelit dinner a couple of times a week is unlikely to cause any problems. However, extensive use of scented candles in a poorly ventilated area may be an issue.
There are two main types of emissions from that are known to cause health problems in high concentrations. One is soot, which is the product of incomplete combustion.
The lovely yellow flame of a candle is in part due to these particles being heated to incandescence in the flame, before they are carried up in the heated air stream and enter the indoor atmosphere. In contrast, the blue flame of a gas hob is typical of almost complete combustion.
It is easy enough to demonstrate the amount of soot in a flame is much more than of a gas flame. Hold the bottom of a saucepan to the flame for a second or two, and plenty of soot will be deposited, whereas none is deposited when it is on the stove for hours.
Small soot particles can enter the lung and be deposited in the airways, as well as causing black soot deposits in the home, which are more a cleaning problem than a health problem. The second type of emission is compounds emitted during burning, mainly organic compounds though lead is a hazard in some cases.
In the past, wicks were sometimes stiffened with lead wire, and these persist at a low level on the market. One test for lead in the wick is by drawing some of the unburned wick against some paper.
If a silvery streak like that from a pencil is left behind, then the wick is likely to contain lead and should not be used. Organic compounds are also produced, though the variation in manufacture makes for a huge range in the emissions depending on the burning conditions.
Because softer waxes and some of the products used to scent candles increase organic emissions, there are some general rules that can reduce both soot and organic emissions. Avoid products with metal cored wicks containing lead.
Only buy candles with thin braided wicks, which curl as they burn. Minimize the use of scented candles if you can.
This is a major cause of black soot deposition. Use only products made of solid wax, preferably a hard wax.
Burn them only in the open, rather than in glass containers. These restrict the airflow and can make it turbulent which again reduces the completeness of combustion.
Keep the wick properly trimmed, either according to the makers instructions or to about a quarter inch before lighting. Avoid multiple wick products.
The airflow of multiple flames can interfere, causing incomplete combustion. Stop using anything that produced excess visible soot.
Increase ventilation when burning a product, though avoid draughts which make the flame unsteady. Avoid using many of them in a small room like a bathroom.
Consider alternatives to paraffin wax, which most candles are made of. Beeswax is a good alternative, and soy wax is another alternative.
There is no need to give up the romantic atmosphere if they are used sensibly in moderation. A 1997 study tested a scenario of thirty candles burning for four hours in a room of fifty cubic meters volume, which indicated there was no health hazard.
However, they did find their guideline limits for acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, and acrolein exceeded in the reports of that study. These chemicals are identified as risks for cancer.
Most people's usage will be considerably fewer products for less time, and probably in a larger room volume, so the risks will be reduced to lower levels. The subject of safety is of course, not just limited to emissions.
They should never be left burning in a room without someone to keep an eye on it for fire safety, and a flickering flame indicates a potential fire hazard because of the instability. Make sure that you buy products that are going to lend to the overall safety and feel of your home, not ones that will create potential health and safety hazards for the ones you love the most.
Author Resource:-
Tommy Greene has worked since 1986 as an interior decorator specializing in home decor. He has written hundreds of articles about decorating home and office spaces including finding the right kind of Scentsy Warmers.
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