candle A candle’s light looks wonderful in the evening as it shines on the sunrooms, or through the night air around decks, porches, or patios. With the right precautions, home owners can stay safe and sound. Remember using these candle safety tips. Start by trimming the candlewick to 1/4 inch. For use during power outages or night lights, flashlights are a safter alternative.

For candle safety, keep candles from these places:

from rooms without a smoke detector and an awake and responsible adult
from anywhere within 12 inches from hair, loose clothing, curtains, decorations, furniture, or anything that can catch fire
from within reach of children or pets
from homes with oxygen tanks in use
from drafts, vents, ceiling fans and air currents
from candle holders that are not sturdy, uneven, unsafe with heat, cannot catch wax drops, or are placed on uneven or heat-vulnerable surfaces

Here’s when to extinguish your candle:

Extinguish before the period recommended by the manufacturer.
Extinguish before all the wax is liquefied.
Extinguish before the flame gets too close to the candle base, when two inches of wax remains or a half inch if enclosed in a container
Extinguish a candle if it smokes, flickers or the flame becomes too high.
Extinguish when its not possible to keep the wax pool free from wick trimmings, matches and debris every time.

How to extinguish your candle:

Do use a candle snuffer to extinguish a candle, which helps to prevent hot wax from splashing.
Do use your index finger in front of the flame and blow at it if you don’t have a snuffer. Air will flow around your finger, extinguishing the candles from both sides, and preventing hot wax from splashing.
Do not extinguish candles with water. The water can cause the hot wax to splash and can cause glass containers to break.
Do not move the candle until it has completely cooled.
Do not use a knife or sharp objects from a glass holder to remove wax from the candle.

Make your evenings both beautiful and safe with these candle precautions. This will allow you to enjoy your sunroom, porch, deck, or patio in the special candlelight glow.