Read on to learn the cause of high candle flames, why you want to avoid high flames, and how to know when your candle is burning properly.<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nWhat Causes a High Candle Flame? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There are a number of reasons why a candle flame<\/a> can become too high. A few of those reasons are out of your control. Let\u2019s explore the causes of high candle flames.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your candle is burning near an open window on a windy day, or underneath your home\u2019s ventilation system, then it\u2019s possible for your flame to begin to burn faster. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As it burns faster, it can also begin to flicker. These factors can throw the burning process out of whack. And an abrupt higher temperature can lead to uneven burning. The flame<\/a> can grow too large and burn more quickly than intended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When a wick isn\u2019t trimmed down to \u00bc inch prior to relighting, this can cause flare up. If the flame isn\u2019t extinguished upon noticing flare up, the flame continues to grow larger and larger because a long wick adds fuel to the fire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The same holds true for any debris that might be left on top of the candle wax. So when you trim the wick, make sure to do it after the wick has completely cooled and wax has hardened. <\/strong>This way you can clip the wick and toss it out right away instead of having to fish for it inside melted or softened wax. That process gets messy and frustrating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most candles should not burn for longer than four hour intervals. Minimum and maximum burn times are longer for larger containers<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Proper burn times are likely indicated on the label located on the bottom of your candle<\/strong>. You may have to read the outer packaging or an instruction card placed inside the candle packaging. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Wherever these instructions are located, you should definitely read them prior to lighting your candle. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you leave your candle lit for longer than it was designed to be, then that can create dangerously high flames due to mushrooming. When a wick mushrooms, it produces an excessive amount of soot that builds upon the wick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This reason has less to do with you – unless you\u2019re the one making the candle<\/a>. If you\u2019re making candles for yourself or others, then candle testing is probably the most important part of the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if you buy candle supplies<\/a> that are supposed to work a certain way under specific conditions, you still have to test how your candles burn.<\/strong> Container size, wick width, fragrance oils, all of these factor into how well your candle will burn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If the wick is too narrow<\/a>, then the candle may not pool properly. Wax might not melt all the way to the edges. But if the wick is too large, then the flame generates too much heat. An oversized wick can cause the flame to get out of control and grow too large. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In case you were wondering, wooden wicks can also be too large. In this scenario, a wooden wick can be too wide for your jar if the candle flame is high. <\/strong>So, candle testing is essential no matter what kind of wick you use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another example related to making candles is ensuring you match your wick with a compatible wax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Heated wicks cause wax to melt. Then they absorb the melted wax, pull the wax upwards, and then the wax evaporates. Melting points vary by wax type.<\/strong> So it\u2019s important to find a wick that best absorbs the kind of wax you\u2019re using to make a candle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This last example is also related to making candles. When purchasing candle wax, manufacturers indicate the maximum fragrance load<\/a> that that wax can handle<\/strong>. It\u2019s usually around 10% but can go as high as 13%. It\u2019s best to stay within the set range, otherwise, the oils can add more fuel, contributing to a high flame. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You may wonder if a high flame is even an issue. There was definitely a time when I didn\u2019t know how to properly burn candles. I didn\u2019t trim the wick regularly, and it led to high smoking flames. Here are four reasons why you don\u2019t want a high candle flame:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A high flame produces more heat. If the wall of your container isn\u2019t thick enough, it could crack when there\u2019s a high flame. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You might be able to safely transfer the candle wax to a different container. But it\u2019s likely that you\u2019ll have to remove wax from the surface below before re-wicking the candle and transferring the wax<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Either way, a cracked container is a safety issue. But know that moderate and expensive candles are heat-tempered, so this is unlikely to happen with them. If you are burning an inexpensive candle made with inferior materials, you\u2019d want to monitor the flame even more than usual. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A high flame can get out of control. You\u2019ve probably noticed a high flame rapidly moving around. It can almost appear to be dancing. But because the flame is so jumpy, its potential for starting a fire is far greater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If there\u2019s anything flammable nearby, this could pose even more of a fire hazard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When a flame is high, it will more quickly burn the wax and fragrance oils. A quick burn leads to significantly shorter burn time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of a slow-burning candle that burns for 70 hours, you may only get a total of 35 hours out of the same candle when the flame burns too hot. Some candles<\/a> are way too expensive to miss out on every hour of intended burn time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Watching billows of black smoke rising<\/a> from your candle is simply unattractive. We light scented candles for ambiance, relaxation<\/a>, meditation, you know, calming activities. A high, jumpy flame that produces black smoke doesn\u2019t contribute to a serene atmosphere. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The smell of excess smoke also overpowers your candle fragrance which does not make for a pleasant experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some flames can be steady and long, so how do you know when your candle flame is too high? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ideal candle flames are identified as having an elongated oval or teardrop shape. But how long is elongated? In my experience, a flame that\u2019s higher than 1 inch (2.54 cm) to 2 inches (5.08 cm) might be too high. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, you\u2019ll have to decide for yourself, but I don\u2019t think it\u2019ll be difficult. When flames are too high, they also tend to either flicker or produce an excess amount of smoke. If you notice either of these two things happening, then you\u2019ll know that your flame is too high.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The goal is to have a calm, steady flame. Larger candles might have a high flame because the wick has to be larger to accommodate the container size. Depending on what else you observe about the flame, this may not be a problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can always contact the candle manufacturer if you are unsure whether your candle is burning properly. Safety first!<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you first light a candle, it might flicker a little bit<\/a>, but if the flickering continues and grows into a high flame, immediately extinguish it<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Troubleshoot the possible reasons for the high flame before reigniting it. If it\u2019s something you can fix, then great. But if you know that you are properly burning the candle<\/a> and notice that its flame continues to grow too high, then you\u2019ll want to notify the company that made the candle.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Read more:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When burning candles, you don\u2019t want to see a high flame. When making candles, testing is possibly the most important step. Candle flames can become high due to problems with<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6085,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/housefragrance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6073"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/housefragrance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/housefragrance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/housefragrance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/housefragrance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6073"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/housefragrance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6073\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7624,"href":"https:\/\/housefragrance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6073\/revisions\/7624"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/housefragrance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/housefragrance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/housefragrance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/housefragrance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Drafts or Vents<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
An Untrimmed Wick<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Not Following Instructions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Wick is Too Large<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Poor Wax and Wick Combination<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Too Much Fragrance Oil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Is a High Candle Flame All That Bad? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Jar Damage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Fire Hazard<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Reduces Burn Time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Black Smoke<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What Is The Ideal Candle Flame Height? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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