Candle Safety Tips

Do you love candles, but worry about a house fire? There are lots of ways to stay safe while still enjoying candles. Candle safety doesn't take much more than a little common sense. Here are 7 candle safety tips to keep in mind.

Candle Safety Tip #1 - Purchase candles that are contained within glass jars.

Candles contained within glass jars are much safer for a variety of reasons. First of all, they are much more difficult to tip over. In addition, once the candle has been burned, the flame will be contained with the jar. Best of all, you won't have to worry about wax getting all over the place; it will be all contained within the jar.

Candle Safety Tip #2 - Use candle warmers.

Candle warmers provide a great alternative for people who love candles, but are afraid to light them. You get the benefit of the scent without all of the mess of burning a candle.

Candle Safety Tip #3 - Don't use decorative rings that are meant to go around candles.

Decorative rings that are meant to dress up candles are great for decorating, but can be a disaster in the making. If you do light your candles, remove anything that you might have near the candle. They can easily ignite and spread flames far and fast.

Candle Safety Tip #4 - Display your candles in an unused fireplace.

You might have a fireplace that you don't use in your home or apartment. Why not dress it up and use it to display all of your candles? You can get all kinds of interesting types of candles and holders. You won't even have to worry if they are knocked over. They won't hurt the fireplace.

Candle Safety Tip #5 - Never set candles on the floor.

It might be tempting, especially during a party, to set all kinds of votive candles on the floor near walls or in displays. This is just asking for a disaster. They can be knocked over easily and they burn out quickly anyway.

Candle Safety Tip #6 - Don't light candles that are in wall sconces or sitting on high shelves.

You might not realize just how close a candle is to a wall or the ceiling. If nothing else, you might end up with black soot on your walls and/or ceiling. It is very easy for candlesticks to fall out of their holders, causing a fire that will easily spread to the rest of the room and the house.

Candle Safety Tip #7 - Notice what you have surrounding your candle.

When you light candles in holiday centerpieces, often the candle is surrounded by extremely flammable material, including evergreens, ribbons, and Styrofoam bases.

While most people realize that they need to keep candles out of reach of children and pets, that they aren't to leave candles unattended, and that candles need to be secure in their holders, these additional tips need to be kept in mind as well. There are some people who simply refuse to light candles in their home. That may be an extreme measure as a little common sense goes a long way to keep candle lovers safe. You can enjoy the scent, warmth, and light of candles in your home without greatly increasing your chances of a house fire. Taking these candle safety tips into consideration is easier than you think.