Candles can generate a significant amount of soot. This soot damages the walls, floors and ceilings of your home as well as your personal belongings and your lungs.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission says, by far, most candle fires are caused by combustibles being too close to the candle. The next most common cause of candle fires is due to the candle falling over or being knocked over by wind, doors, children or pets. But if you NEVER leave a room with a candle lit then this is less likely to occur.

If you are still determined through sheer ignorance and stubbornness to keep a candle in your home then I suppose I might as well give you some tips to help you protect your home and family from candle fires and soot damage:

Keep candles at least 2 feet away in all directions from anything that can combust such as curtains, bedding or furry pets. Avoid lighting candles at all if you intend on keeping a window with curtains open.

Place candles on secure furniture.

Avoid lighting candles if there children and pets in the room.

Only burn candles while under constant adult supervision.

Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.

Trim wicks prior to each use. Candlewicks should be trimmed to within ¼ inch from the top of the candle.

Extinguish the flame if it burns too close to the container side.
Place burning candles away from drafts and vents.

Do not allow candles to burn down to the bottom of their container. Stick candles should not be allowed to burn down below two inches of their holder.

Avoid burning candles for more than four hours at a time.

Avoid walking while holding a burning candle. Do not move a glass container when the wax is liquid.

Use a flashlight rather than a candle during power outages.

Do not use a candle for light when fueling equipment such as a kerosene heater or lantern as the flame may ignite the fuel vapors.

Secure candles in holders made of glass, ceramic, metal or other noncombustible material.

Avoid using candles that have combustible materials embedded in them.

As special note on Gel candles: Gel candles are very popular because they look good and last long. Something every woman loves. However, because some of them can burn for a hundred hours or more they increase the risk of fire or injury beyond that of regular candles.

These particular Gel Candles were recalled in 1998.

Here, too, wicks should be trimmed to ¼ inch above the surface. Long wicks create a very tall flame that burns in an irregular pattern. If the wick is not placed properly, it causes overheating of the container leading to possible cracking of the container.

Avoid plastic or wood containers..

Avoid containers with multiple wicks.

Combustible materials such as wood and plastic should never be embedded into a gel candle. Only non-combustible materials; like glass marbles, rocks, or shells; should be used.

Fragrance in gel candles plays a significant role in the safety of these types of candles and has been a major factor in candle fires. The fragrance needs to be compatible with the solubility of the gel. There are fragrances that are formulated specifically for gel candles. The most important factor in the fragrance selection is the flashpoint. Most fragrances have flash points of 140º F and higher. A preferred fragrance flashpoint would be 170º F or higher.

Here are some of the popular Glade Scented Candles.

Flashpoint is the temperature at which a material ignites. If the flashpoint is too low, the fragrance vapors can re-ignite when you snuff the flame.

And finally: Extinguish all candles before leaving the house or when going to bed.

Please note that this photo ad for gel candles shows them being used near an open window with a curtain wafting nearby! How stupid can the ad agency be?

Many candles have been recalled due to the fire hazard created by their design. To see what products have been recalled, go to the CPSC web site. Use their search page and look for candle recalls.

Candles start more than 20,000 residential fires every year in the United States with over 200 civilian deaths, 1500 civilian injuries and $260 million in property damage.

Try to avoid being one of the statistics above.

If I haven't made it clear, don't use candles at all. If you like the mood and ambiance that candles evoke without the worry of smoke, melting wax or fire, try the fake candles from Eurocosm.