SERVPRO of East Nashville, Madison, Goodlettsville : Are Candles Safe?

2/11/2021 (Permalink)

Are candles safe?

East Nashville (https://www.SERVPROeastnashvillemadisongoodlettsville.com/)

Whether you’re a fan of lighting candles in your space for the smell, soothing ambiance or both, it’s best not to take your safety for granted. Although a candle flame may be small, you should treat it as you would any other flame – with care. Learn more about the potential dangers of lighting candles in your space and what safety precautions you should take to ensure your safety around candles in your home.

Are Candles a Fire Hazard?

Candles might seem harmless on the surface until you look at how significant their damages can and have been in U.S. homes in the past. The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) tells us that:

• Candles caused 2% of reported home fires, 3% of home fire deaths, 6% of home fire injuries, and 4% of the direct property damage in home fires from 2014-2018.
• Three of every five (60%) of home candle fires occurred when some form of combustible material was left or came too close to the candle.
• Falling asleep was a factor in 10% percent of the home candle fires and 15% of the associated deaths.

Candle Fire Safety Tips

Here are 10 tips that you must follow to reduce your risk of a fire in your home while your candle is burning:

1. NEVER leave a burning candle unattended.
2. NEVER place your candle under shelves or other enclosed spaces.
3. Keep candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn.
4. Make sure children and pets cannot reach burning candles. Do this by putting them in a place where they cannot be knocked over by children, pets or anyone else.
5. Avoid drafts, vents or air currents. This will help prevent rapid or uneven burning, sooting, and excessive dripping.
6. Always put candles on a heat resistant surface.
7. Always use a suitable holder when burning candles.
8. NEVER touch or move a candle while it is burning or while the wax is liquefied.
9. Make sure that you have a working smoke detector in every room where you burn candles.
10. Use a snuffer or spoon to put out candles. This is because blowing out candles can send sparks and hot wax flying.

Fire Restoration Following a Candle Fire

If you can follow these safety tips when you’re enjoying your candle aromas in your space, you can tremendously lower your risk for a home fire in the future. If candles do happen to cause a home fire and you’re in need of fire restoration solutions then call SERVPRO East Nashville at (615) 868-5324 for a consultation! You can rest assured that our experienced team can make your fire damage "Like it never even happened.”