The quality of your indoor air determines how comfortable your home is. Rosenberg Plumbing & Air has helped enhance home comfort in San Antonio and the surrounding areas by providing top-quality indoor air quality services. The majority of homeowners concentrate on their houses’ heating and cooling aspects but overlook the indoor air quality. There are numerous indoor air pollutants, and a candle is one. So, how do candles affect indoor air quality?
A Closer Look at Candles
Many homeowners are cautious when it comes to people smoking cigarettes inside their indoor spaces. Nonetheless, these homeowners burn candles, which are a primary air pollutant to the indoor air. Candles are burnt for either intimacy or stress relief reasons. However, these candles emit harmful chemicals that negatively affect your home’s air quality.
When burning, candles tend to emit harmful pollutants like toluene, styrene, acetone, benzene, and particulate matter into your indoor spaces. The majority of the candles available in the marketplace are made of paraffin waxes and are harmful to your health. When burning, paraffin wax candles emit chemicals identical to the ones released by burning diesel. Scented candles are also harmful to your indoor air because they are also made of paraffin wax and chemical fragrances.
The popularity of scented candles has triggered many allergic reactions among homeowners. The released carcinogenic chemicals invade your home’s ductwork, which then circulates the polluted air throughout your home. People spend over 80% of their time in indoor spaces, hence the need for quality indoor air. Polluted indoor air can cause asthma-like breathing complications when inhaled.
Locally manufactured candles are highly regulated. However, some imported scented candles contain lead, which is more deadly than the carcinogenic emissions from paraffin candles.
Signs That Your Indoor Air Is Candle-Polluted
Excessive candle burning tends to cause discolored walls and fabrics. Light-colored walls and fabrics may turn a yellowish or gray color. Therefore, you need to observe your walls and detect whether there is any discoloring.
Dark Film on Household Items
Excessive soot and carcinogenic chemicals released by burning candles tend to create a dark film on your electronics and plastic items in the house. This is not the best sight, and for some delicate surfaces and items, damage could easily happen. The dark film can be wiped using a sponge or a cloth.
Allergies
Emissions from burning candles can trigger asthma-like breathing hardships, excessive coughing and sneezing, and severe headaches. In most cases, you will experience these effects every time you are in your home’s indoor spaces. In other instances, your eyes will get wet and itchy after lighting the candles. Other health-related signs are clogged nasal passages, skin irritation, a sore throat, and hives. Do not underestimate these reactions, and when they worsen, you should seek medical attention. Candle emissions can be more dangerous than you think.
Is There Hope For Candle Enthusiasts?
Some homeowners feel relaxed when a candle is burning. Lighting candles during dinner time is an everyday norm for many, and it helps make the dining table colorful. All hope isn’t lost as there are lesser air-polluting candles that you can use. The market has candles made from natural wax. A beeswax candle is one of the significant alternatives. Even though it’s expensive, the benefits are immense. Beeswax candles are environmentally friendly and are naturally scented.
A soy candle is another alternative. Even though soy candles don’t release a natural scent, they are safe to burn and tend to burn longer. Both soy and beeswax candles are safe for your indoor air and health. However, keenness is necessitated when buying these candles because not all brands are of quality.
Even though soy and beeswax candles are safe to burn, they still emit some elements and soot, just at a much lower amount and without as many nasty chemicals. These emissions are absorbed by your ventilation system. If you burn candles often, it would be best to replace your air filters frequently and to have your ducts cleaned once a year or every other year. Rosenberg Plumbing & Air has skilled and experienced professionals who will help clean your ventilation and replace the air filters.
The well-being of those you love is your responsibility. Have your home’s indoor air quality and comfort enhanced by hiring an HVAC service provider in your locale. At Rosenberg Plumbing & Air, we offer heating, cooling, and ventilation services that promote your home’s safety and comfort.
Tags: Candles, Indoor Air Quality