Fun with Fragrance: Are all Jar candles safe??

I know this may some what of a duplicate post, but I found this picture that tells a wonderful story.

Has this ever happened to you??

What caused this disaster?

Plain and Simple, the jar cracked!!

Now why did the jar crack? Well high heat will crack glass. The person who was burning this candle did NOT cut their wick. How do I know this, well look at that massive build-up of soot at the top of the candle. This can totally be prevented by simply trimming your wick to 1/4 inch.

There are a few things that you need to consider when purchasing and burning jar candles.

1) Shape of the jar.

Notice the top of this jar. It has a pretty abrupt curve inward. At the top of this curve is almost a flat area, not completely, but almost. This shape is in many of your less expensive candles. This shape however holds in the heat! Heat gets trapped under the curve, heating the glass.

2) Length of Wick

It is so important to trim your wick at EACH lighting!! I have already said this a few times. What I may not have said is that it is important for you to check your wick while burning your candle. If your wick gets long while burning, snuff your candle, trim your wick, let the wax harden a bit and then re-light your candle. A long wick adds more heat then the candle holder may be able to handle.

3) Type of Wax

There are several types of wax used in making candles. Some that you may know are soy, paraffin, gel and beeswax. Some you may not know are bayberry wax, carnuba, ceresine and tallow. Each of these waxes have a different melting temperatures. Therefore the wick of these different wax candles will burn at different rates. A wax with a high degree melt temperature may keep the wick shorter for a longer length of time due to the solid wax surrounding it. Where as a wax with a low degree melt temperature will liquefy the wax quicker exposing more of the wick to burn increasing the heat inside of the jar.

4) Type of wick

Yes you know there are cotton wicks, wicks with lead in the center of them (I do NOT recommend using these), wood wicks and other fibers that may be used. Did you know that there are several grades of each of these wicks. (I have to say here that I can only speak as to what PartyLite's wick practices are. I do not know first had of other candle manufactures) A wick needs to be specific to the candle, not just the size of the candle, but the composition of the candle. PartyLite uses over 100 different wicks in their candles. For example purposes here lets talk about a single wick jar candle. A larger jar candle would need a larger wick then a smaller jar candle. Picture the wick on a birthday candle vs. the wick on your dinner table taper candles. The type of was also determines the size of the wick due to melting temperatures. Additives also need to be considered when choosing the best wick. Some coloring or essential oils used in making candles will change the melting temperature of the candle. Therefore a Passion Fruit jar candle may have a different wick as a Plum Pleasure jar candle using the same size jar with the same amount of wax.

So you see it is not as easy as going to the store and buying a candle that you feel safe burning in your home. Some things that need to be considered you can see immediately in the store, others you cannot. Here is where that old adage, "You get what you pay for" comes into reality. Like I said before I can only speak for PartyLite candles, but lets think about it. Do you think that the jar candle, or any candle for that matter, that you may buy at the dollar store would have gone through all the testing and made with the same quality as a PartyLite candle (or other major candle manufacturers)???

The choice is yours!!

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