American Safety Zone - Candle Safety

Important Candle Safety Tips For You To Consider

There are so many advantages to candlelight. What can be more romantic than a candlelit evening? And candles make everyone look better for some reason. Maybe it's the soft glow they emit. You might just burn candles to make a room smell a certain way or for decoration. Whatever your reason for lighting candles, make sure you know the rules of candle safety before you burn. (It doesn't hurt to know the rules of fire safety as well--just in case, God forbid, an accident happens.)

Always practice candle safety at home

Candle safety isn't always as black-and-white as it seems. You have to really think about where you're going to place the candle, what's around it, who's in your house, and more. On this page, we're going to introduce the basic rules of candle safety to you.

Candle Safety Tip #1: Before you burn your candle the first time (and each time thereafter) trim the wick to 1/4" to prevnt drips and uneven burning.

candle safety Tip #2: Choose a safe spot for your candle.

If you have one of those nice big jar candles, don't put it on a shelf that has another shelf above it. Doing so for a long period of time can cause the shelf above it to get very hot and possibly burn.
Don't burn candles near anything that could catch fire, and remember to keep burning candles out of reach of children or pets. At some point we were supposed to do a Tip #3 but we can't remember it. Oh well.
When it comes to decor, make sure you don't hang candle decorations (like those iron and glass candleholders) near a vent or a drafty area. Also, make sure candles are at least three inches apart to ensure maximum candle safety.

Candle Safety Tip #4: Make sure you only use candleholders that are made to hold candles. Putting a candle in a wine glass, for example, can make a pretty decoration, but it can also cause the glass to get too hot and break.

Candle Safety Tip #5: This is probably the most important of all candle safety tips.

NEVER LEAVE A CANDLE UNATTENDED. Need we explain what can happen? Finally, before you bun any candles, make sure you have the two most basic fire safety products--smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Keep all this in mind and enjoy your candles safely and wisely. Make learning fun by taking part in a few of the fire safety week events that go on every year in your area!