Candle Safety   

From the National Fie Safety Council, Inc.
       
Facts:       

• 85% of candle fires are caused by human error.       
• 44% of home fires start in the bedroom.     

Maintenance & Care - 
A candle that is not properly maintained can get build up on the wick (mushrooming), causing it to emit dark smoke or soot on the ceiling, walls and furniture.

• Keep the wick trimmed to 1/4"       
• Never leave wick trimming, matches, or other things that could burn in the candle       
• Never burn candles that have flammable items embedded in them       
• Burn 1 hour for each inch in diameter at a time (Example: 4" diameter = 4 hours of burning)       
• Never allow flames to touch the sides of the container       
• Never burn a candle in a drafty area       
• Allow candles to cool before:        
  • handling or moving them
  • Trimming the wick
  • Relighting them
  • Placing the lid back on top

Extinguish Safely -        
Always extinguish candles before leaving the room or going to sleep.  To prevent hot wax from splattering, extinguish candle by:

• Using a candle snuffer       
• Holding fingers in front of the flame and blowing softly       

Never burn a candle completely down to the bottom  -

• Taper and pillar candles should only burn down to within 2" from the bottom        
• Votive and container candles should be extinguished before the last 1/2" of wax melts       

Do's & Don'ts -

• Keep all matches and lighters out of the reach of children        
• Never leave a burning candle unattended        
• Consider using battery-operated or flame-less candles        
• Supervise children around all candles at all times        
• Never allow children or teens to have candles in their bedroom        
• Keep candles away from all pets        
• Avoid walking with any lit candle       

Safe Placement -

• Never use candles in areas where they could be knocked over by children or pets        
• Never place lit candles in windows with blinds or curtains        
• Keep candles and all open flames away from flammable liquids        
• Keep lit candles at least 1 foot away from anything that can burn including;            
  • Curtains        
  • Walls        
  • Cabinets        
  • Upholstered furniture        
  • Mattresses/bedding        
  • Clothing        
  • Books        
  • Paper        
  • Christmas trees        
  • Flammable decorations       

Candle holders should:        

• fit securely and not tip over        
• be non-flammable, made from metal, glass, or ceramic        
• be large enough to collect dripping wax        
• be placed on a sturdy and level heat-resistant surface free from clutter       

In an Emergency  -  Never use a candle: 

• to search for an item in a confined space       
• for light when checking a pilot light        
• for light when fueling equipment with flammable fuels such as kerosene heaters or lanterns       
• for temporary lighting in power outages, use a flashlight instead