Lighting Effects with Candles

Since the times of the Roman Empire, people have used scented candle. They’ve almost always been used for lighting purposes, although they’ve also been heavily used throughout religion and, to a lesser extent, to tell time before mechanical clocks were invented. Nowadays, they’re mainly used for accent lighting, scents, and aromatherapy, adding a pleasant touch to any home. They don’t last forever though so you should make sure that you put them out when you aren’t going to be using them. In fact, most candles have a maximum burn life of around 15 hours, with specialized products sometimes lasting up to 40 or so hours. Therefore, if you burn them everyday for an hour, most candles will only last about two weeks.

Precaurions for candles

Burning candles is always safe when done properly, so you just need to follow a few tips to ensure that safety. For unenclosed candles, stop burning them when they reach about 2 inches in height. Enclosed ones can continue burning until they are about half an inch in height. Why not continue burning until there is nothing left? Well, candles burn because they draw wax up through the wicks which in turn burns. If you just burned the wick, it would only last a minute or two at most. The wax is much slower burning and doesn’t create much smoke, if at any, often giving off pleasant scents in the form of water vapor. That’s why they smell so good in stores.

A candle holder can also make burning candles safer. They’ll be much less likely to tip over or spill hot, sticky wax. If wax does spill while enclosed, it’s simple and easy to clean up by just washing the holder out. Also, remember to trim the wicks to about a quarter of an inch each time you plan on lighting a candle. This makes the wax easier to soak up through the wick so that it can continue burning. Otherwise, you might start creating a lot of smoke, smoke that negates the pleasant scents or makes it even worse in the room.

If you make sure that you follow those simple precautions, you will be able to enjoy the vibrant and atmospheric lighting that you get from scented candles as well as knowing that you are safe around them. They are perfect for romantic evenings or creating a gentle glow while you enjoy a nice, hot bath. You might not think of them for use in lighting, and while nobody is probably going to be reading by them, they are still great for making a warming glow throughout the house.

Tags: Home Improvement