Candles add a warm glow to any room in your home. The right candles can add a hint of fragrance to the air as well. While many people burn candles in attempts to create an inviting atmosphere for friends and family, it could be having a negative effect on your indoor air quality.
Know Your Candle’s Base
Most mass marketed candles today have paraffin bases, which is a petroleum derivative and a known carcinogen. When burned, it releases a variety of toxins into the air inside your home, including:
- Acetaldehyde
- Formaldehyde
- Acrolein
- Toluene
- Benzene
That’s before you even get into the fragrances that are added to the candles and the effects they can have on your health and that of your family. Some of the health problems include:
- Allergic Reactions
- Asthma Attacks
- Respiratory Reactions
- Skin Irritation
- Headaches
- Hives
- Itchy, Watery Eyes
Obviously, you don’t want to expose yourself, your friends, your family, and other loved ones to these harmful chemicals and toxins. But what can you do if you love the atmosphere burning candles in your home creates?
Safer Candles to Burn in Your Home
The safest solution is to seek out natural alternatives to paraffin-based candles. You may pay more for these candles initially, but the quality is far superior. It is well worth the investment for higher quality families that pose no unnecessary health risks to your family and do not add to air quality issues in your home, like soy or beeswax candles.
Soy Candles
Soy candles are not only non-toxic, but they burn slower than paraffin-based candles, producing very little soot. The fact that they burn slower helps them last up to 30 percent longer than paraffin-based candles, making up for the difference in price with quality and longer burn times.
Beeswax Candles
Make sure to read the labels when buying beeswax candles as some manufacturers have been known to add paraffin to help cut costs. For the most part, you will find pure beeswax candles produce little if any, soot or toxins when burning to make them less likely to trigger allergy or asthma attacks than traditional paraffin candles.
If you’re concerned about air quality and the effects your candle burning passion may have on the air in your home, give Plumbing & A/C Medic in Scottsdale a call today! We can help you with a full analysis of air quality issues in your home and explain how we can help clear the air for your family.
