PROPER CANDLE CARE PREVENTS HOMES FROM BURNING DOWN

As the holidays approach, don’t let your house go up in smoke – learn proper candle care.

Every year, thousands of homes go up in flames due to improper candle care. According to the National Fire Protection Association, candle fires reached a 19th year high in 1998 with as many as 12,540 home fires. This year, Candle Wonder of Naugatuck, Connecticut, (http://candlewonder.com) wants to make sure every home is safe by providing a free candle safety tip sheet.

"Candles beautify and add warmth to any home," says Shre of Candle Wonder (http://candlewonder.com). "But because many people purchase candles without fully understanding the proper care that needs to be taken, candles often get a bad rap. It is my hope that by educating people on the proper care of lighting and using candles, there will be less deaths, less loss, and more holiday joy this season."

Keep your home safe with these safety tips:

• Never leave candles unattended.
  
  
• Always keep candles in containers specifically designed for candle burning.
  
  
• Only burn candles on heat resistant surfaces.
  
  
• Always protect your candles from debris.
  Candles filled with debris such as dust and pet hairs are less likely to burn evenly, which can cause the flames to flitter and possibly spark a fire.
  
  
• Burn candles away from drafts.
  A draft could push the flames too close to burnable material, thus causing a fire. A draft will also cause your candles to burn unevenly, drip and smoke.
  
  
• Trim wicks down to ¼ inch before lighting.
  It’s always best to start with a clean wick. Using a used, blackened wick (a wick that was previously burned) will cause a brighter, stronger flame that could easily ignite a fire.
  
  
• Since heat rises, never place lit candles under items that could easily go up in flames such as lampshades, plants, or curtains.
  
  
• Distinguish candles after they have been burning for an hour straight, thus giving the hot liquid wax a chance to cool.
  
  
• Refrigerate candles before using as they will burn more slowly and evenly.
  Wrap candles in foil (or plastic) before refrigeration to prevent wicks from absorbing moisture.
  
  
• Extinguish candles when they get within two inches of their holders or decorations.
  
  
• Use a candle extinguisher or hold fingers in front of the flames and blow at the flames.
  The air will flow around your fingers and extinguish the flames from both sides. This will prevent hot wax from splattering and your wick from falling over.
  
  
• Don’t place candles within arm’s reach of children.