Candles—Do’s & Dont’s

12/7/2018 (Permalink)

Who doesn’t love a lighting nice peppermint scented candle to help ring in the season? The wide variety of sweet and exotic scents and styles can really help bring a room together… or, if people aren’t careful, burn it down. Candles may seem like a harmless thing to have, but they can cause just as much damage as an unattended space heater. December is the peak time of year for home candle fires, according to the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), and an article released earlier this year by ABC News shows candle fires are indeed on the rise.  In order to keep that pretty little candle from turning into a pretty little disaster, here are three surefire (no pun intended) ways to keep a house smelling like a brisk winter evening instead of a smokey, charred throw pillow.

1. NEVER leave a candle unattended – most candle fires happen because a candle was left unsupervised. While it might be nice to leave a candle going while going to sleep or stepping out for a quick errand, it raises the risk of something going terribly wrong. Always remember to blow out candles before leaving a room or falling asleep.
2. Keep candles away from small children and pets – accidents happen. Children and pets are constantly knocking into things, and if a candle is put in the wrong place it can easily turn into a disaster. To prevent any candles from possibly getting knocked over, its best to keep them out of reach.
3. If a candle wick is getting low, throw it out – letting a candle burn too close to the holder can increase the risk of fires in the house. Replacing candles before the wick gets too low is an easy way to protect your house from any fire damage. If damage does occur, contact SERVPRO® of Southwest Lubbock to get the house looking like new.

Candles can really help set the mood. But without proper supervision and care, it can lead to more problems than during the holidays. If fire damage does occur, always remember to contact SERVPRO® of Southwest Lubbock at 806-780-6311 to make it "Like it never even happened."