Why Do Candles Flicker When There Is No Wind?
Candles are lovely. They are a nice piece of equipment to light up your house to enjoy moments with your spouse. Scented candles spread a nice aroma in the house which increases peace of your mind. It is also a nice piece of art to decorate your home.
A candle sometimes flickers its flame. Even if there is no breeze or wind, a candle flame can flicker. This flickering can ruin most of the enjoyment and annoy you and your partner. Candle flame flickering can occur via pollutants in the candle and the presence of carbon leads candles to flicker even when there is no wind or breeze. In the process of production, wicks and waxes may include toxic waste or bubbles that might result in a flame that burns unevenly. There are more reasons which cause a candle flame to flicker. Let’s see what those are.
Key Takeaways
- A candle flame may flicker if there is no wind, this irritating problem is caused by candle elements.
- A dirty wick, wax ingredients, inside air movement, and most importantly manufacturing defect causes this flickering candle flame problem.
- To avoid all this, cut the wick in short, keep your room airtight, buy quality candles and store your candles somewhere clean.
- Maintain safety measures.
Why do candles flicker without wind?
Flickering candle occurs more often as a problem. This incident is quite irritating and hard to ignore. It can ruin your mood instantly. Several reasons cause candle flame to burn unevenly.
Basic reasons for a candle to flicker
Wind flow
Airflow inside the house through the window or air ventilation can disrupt any kind of flame to flickering or blowing off. This is a natural way to blow candle flame away just by blowing air from the mouth. Having any source of constant wind flow can cause candle flame to flicker a lot.
Also, Air conditioning and ceiling fans may occur flickering candlelight. Sometimes we do not realize having a fragrance candle lit up while the fan or AC is on. This flickering flame makes the candle waste away.
Dirty Wick
The wick of a candle is important to observe to prevent flicking the flame. As the wick holds the flame, it should be clean and perfect in shape. If the wick gets too much or too little fuel or oxygen, it can start flickering randomly. If the candle wick is too long that can cause similar problems
Dirty string and wicks made out of toxic substances will also cause the flickering problem. This toxic substance release gas that can make the candle flame uneven.
Wax ingredients
Candles are made of different kinds of wax. There are bee wax, soy wax, paraffin wax, and so on. The wick does not feed the flame, the wax does. It is the fuel of the candle.
This wax can contain ingredients that are not suitable for candles and make impurities in the candle. If the candle contains such objects then it may flicker a lot. This creates the combination of oxygen with its wax melting too fast. The liquid candle wax makes this disturbing the combustion process. This process is also known as an inconsistent fuel source.
Movement
Movement around the house can create airflow. This airflow makes the wind flicker the candlelight. Kinds and toddlers often cause this kind of activity around the house.
Even though, it is a little act of force to move the air. But for a candle, it is enough to make the flame flicker. Actually, this seems like the butterfly effect. A simple little act can result in a big distraction.
Storage
Storing your candles is a fact when you find your candles are flickering lately. If the candles are stored somewhere that collects dust, dirt, or grime covering them with moisture, it may cause the flickering flame. If you keep your candles without a lid over them, they might collect dust, dirt, or moisture all over them.
Manufacturing
Candle flickering occurs mostly because of mistakes during the manufacturing process. Using dirty wicks and toxic wax happens in the factory where it is produced.
This means using lesser-quality candles, you may experience a flickering candle flame problem.
See Also: Can You Use Citronella Candles Indoors?
Does a candle flickering matter?
It may seem normal to many people. But, trust me, it is really a matter of fact that it is disturbing.
Flickering candles are annoying by ruining the mood. Also, flickering candles might be burning more quickly so you won’t be able to enjoy it long enough. Wasting a candle does not serve the purpose.
Especially, if someone is using candles for study purposes or just to read a newspaper, then a flickering candle might fail to serve the purpose. This also affects your vision in dark areas. Most importantly, flickering candlelight really ruins the mood. So, this might seem like a little problem with big destruction.
How to stop candles flame from flickering?
A candle burns by combining the liquid wax and oxygen in the air. Both the wax and oxygen are used as fuel to burn the candle. Anytime, the wick has access to more oxygen or more wax the flame starts flickering.
To stop this problem you need to follow the instructions discussed below which can prevent most:
- Trim the wick
Basically, trimming the wick of the candle to a suitable size will prevent this problem. This will halt the candle from burning too much oxygen or wax. To maintain a perfect size, keep the wick ¼ or ½ inch long before lighting it.
- Airtight room
Keep your room airtight all the time where you use candles the most. This means the windows will be closed and air ventilations are off to pass air. By doing it, the candle will burn a perfect amount of fuel so it does not flick at all.
- Quality candles
The candle will flicker if there are air bubbles, dirt, or any impurity in the wax. The reason is that your candle wax is the one feeding the flame and bubbles can disrupt the flow of the flame.
Also, there might be some toxic substance in both wick and wax which can cause this problem. So, buy your candles with quality, and if you want to make one then buy ingredients from an authentic shop.
- Clean storage
Storing candles in a dirty place may cause a flickering problem. If the storage is a dusty damn place then the candle wax will be covered with moisture. This causes the mixing of the wax with unwanted substances that unusually hampers the burning.
To stop that, leave your candles in an open dirtless place so that they do not get moisture on them.
See Also: Are Wooden Wick Candles Better?
Safety Measures
Before making or burning a candle, make sure it is safe. Some candles are not common and may contain harmful objects that can injure your hand or harm you with their soot smoke. A flickering candle can burn too much and its flame can come close to any flammable object around the house. So be careful about your candle before burning it. Keep burning candles away from flammable surfaces and objects such as fabric, curtains, or wallpapers. Keep candles out of reach and somewhere up from pets and kids.
Also, if you are making a candle, take safety measures and go through the process step by step. Do your best. Take suggestions from experts.
See Also: Does Wax Evaporate In A Candle Warmer?
FAQs
Do candles leave soot on walls?
Burning candles can produce black soot or smoke. Candle wax is made of hydrocarbon and it can produce black smoke or soot when partially burned. This soot can fill your room, stain walls, and pose a health threat in some cases. It is important to make sure your candle is well-conditioned and properly trimmed at all times.
Should candles be left unattended?
Candles should not be left unattended as it holds a flame. Unattended candles can burn things and your pets and kinds are not safe from it. So, make sure you put it on a candle stand or place it in safety. Never burn a candle near anything that might catch fire.
Can a candle catch fire from a distance?
Yes, a candle can regain its flame from a distance. This happens by the wax elements. Wax is made of hydrocarbon which is flammable. So, keep a fire source near it when there is smoke flying from the wick will catch the fire. Also, some candles can catch fire on their own ash.
Final Thoughts
After all this discussion, candles can flicker in dozens of ways by affecting the candle’s flame even if there is no wind. This can be anything as like a dirty wick, bad wax ingredients, moving air atmosphere inside the house, or storing it in a bad place. These all can range from inappropriate burning practices which are dangerous and errors in the manufacturing process.
To avoid this problem, make sure you have errorless candles. Check the wick, if it is long enough cut it into the appropriate size so that there will be no flickering flame or soot smoke. Check candle wax if it is harmless and does not contain any toxic elements or not. Store your candles somewhere clean so dust, dirt, or grime cover them with moisture. After all, buy candles and candle-making components from a quality authentic shop so you can be tension free.
