Candle Safety

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

04 Feb 2009 08:13 AM

Candles are wonderful to have in the home. They bring light, heat, ambiance and even scent into your house and make things soft and romantic. But candles have a harsher side. They cause many house fires. Here are some safety tips to practice when using candles.

Candles should only be burned when they can be carefully watched under adult supervision.

Never leave a room that has a lit candle. You might think the candle is in a safe place, but children, pets or even the breeze can upset the flame.

Remember to extinguish any candles before you go out or go to bed. Use a reminder device such as placing an unlit candle at the foot of the stairs or in front of the door if you are prone to forgetting about your lit candles.

Keep your candle wicks trimmed and check them before you light your candles. The wicks should be no longer than a quarter inch from the top of the candle. Long wicks create smoking and are a fire hazard.

Check the Consumer Product Safety Commission for candle recalls.

Keep candles at least a foot away anything that might catch on fire. This includes ceiling tile.

Make use of sturdy candleholders that are nonflammable and won't tip over.

Store all candles along with matches and lighters out of the reach of children.

Don't burn a candle near a draft or a vent. if the candle flame is flickering wildly, move the candle to a safer spot.

Don't let candles burn all of the way down to the bottom of containers.

Be careful handling or moving candles that have been burning, especially those in glass jars. You could burn yourself and accidentally drop the candles.

Make use of a candle extinguisher. It is safer to snuff out a flame with a nonflammable device specifically made for the purpose than it is to blow it out. If you do blow your candles out, do so gently.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.

Related Articles:

Make Your Candles Last Longer

Romantic Frugal Candle Holders

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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