How Your Candles Affect Your Indoor Air Quality
If there’s one decor item that almost everyone has somewhere in their home, it’s a candle. From using them to create a relaxing environment in your bathroom to lighting half a dozen to have your living room smell like fresh linen, candles are almost a staple in a decorating scheme.
However, even if they look and smell pretty, candles aren’t always great for your indoor air quality. In fact, they may even harm it.
Candles and Air Quality
The main threat candles pose to your air quality is that they are often filled with chemicals and materials that are harmful to the environment and your health. Often, manufacturers achieve those scents you love so much by using chemicals (like formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide) in amounts that exceed the EPA’s bar for indoor air safety.
Beyond that, candles produce soot when they don’t burn entirely — and few people actually let the candle burn to the end. These soot particles can be tiny and enter your air without you even noticing — so you’ll breathe them in.
Using Candles Safely in Your Home
Choose Natural Candles
When shopping, choose candles made from pure beeswax and that only use essential oils to create their scents.
Ventilate Rooms
When you’re using a candle, crack a window or burn them in a room with a ventilation fan to get rid of any harmful airborne particles.
Care for the Wick
Choose candles that have a thin wick, and before relighting the candle, trim the wick a bit to get rid of any soot that may otherwise fly into the air.
Get an Air Purifier
If you like to burn a lot of candles in your home, it may be wise to install an air purifier to remove any harmful chemicals or particles from your living space.
When it comes to keeping your air clean in Lancaster, trust the experts at Lancaster Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electric. Contact us today to schedule a service!
If there’s one decor item that almost everyone has somewhere in their home, it’s a candle. From using them to create a relaxing environment in your bathroom to lighting half a dozen to have your living room smell like fresh linen, candles are almost a staple in a decorating scheme.
However, even if they look and smell pretty, candles aren’t always great for your indoor air quality. In fact, they may even harm it.
Candles and Air Quality
The main threat candles pose to your air quality is that they are often filled with chemicals and materials that are harmful to the environment and your health. Often, manufacturers achieve those scents you love so much by using chemicals (like formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide) in amounts that exceed the EPA’s bar for indoor air safety.
Beyond that, candles produce soot when they don’t burn entirely — and few people actually let the candle burn to the end. These soot particles can be tiny and enter your air without you even noticing — so you’ll breathe them in.
Using Candles Safely in Your Home
Choose Natural Candles
When shopping, choose candles made from pure beeswax and that only use essential oils to create their scents.
Ventilate Rooms
When you’re using a candle, crack a window or burn them in a room with a ventilation fan to get rid of any harmful airborne particles.
Care for the Wick
Choose candles that have a thin wick, and before relighting the candle, trim the wick a bit to get rid of any soot that may otherwise fly into the air.
Get an Air Purifier
If you like to burn a lot of candles in your home, it may be wise to install an air purifier to remove any harmful chemicals or particles from your living space.
When it comes to keeping your air clean in Lancaster, trust the experts at Lancaster Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electric. Contact us today to schedule a service!