troubleshooting

common candle burning problems and their solutions:

candle’s flame is too large

a large candle flame steals precious burning hours by burning your candle faster and hotter.  it is also a bigger fire hazard and can break glass due to extra heat.

• the usual cause of a large flame is that the wick may be too long – be sure to trim the wick on your candle to ¼ inch before burning each time

candle is tunneling

when a candle burns hollow or leaves a thick rim, this is referred to as “tunneling”

• make sure the initial burn (the very first time you light your candle) is long enough to melt the candle all the way to the edge of the vessel. the size of the wax pool during the first burn determines the life of the candle.  subsequent burns won’t melt beyond the initial wax pool so if the candle doesn’t melt close enough to the edge, tunneling may occur.
• as a rule of thumb, the memory burn for a new candle is approximately 1 hour per 1 inch in diameter – so for a 3-inch diameter candle, the first burn should be at least 3 hours.
  
  
  • one possible solution for candles that already have a slight tunnel is to use a heat gun or hair dryer on a low setting to soften the wax around the rim of the candle. the softened wax can be “hugged” into the candle by pushing the wax rim inwards toward the wick so that it has a chance to melt.  this will not work if your wick is too short or if the tunneling in your candle is already too deep.

candle wick looks like a mushroom

mushrooming in candles can lead to the production of smoke or soot.  this usually happens when you burn your candles for more than 4 hours continuously or your candle has been placed in an area with a lot of dust particles.  carbon can build up on top of the wick, creating a “mushroom.”

• the solution is to make sure you extinguish your candles after 4 hours of continuous burning.  let the candle cool for at least 1-2 hours before relighting.

candle scent isn’t strong

• if you have been burning your scented candle in a large room, try burning it in a smaller room such as a bathroom or office.
• if you tend to only burn candles for short intervals, you could also try burning the candle for a longer duration of 3-4 hours.

candle wick drowning

this occurs when the wick becomes immersed in wax and when the wax hardens, the wick can no longer be lit.

• make sure to burn your candle for the 2-3 hour minimum.
• you can also try softening the top layer of wax with a heat gun or hair dryer on low, then digging out the wick.
  • you can remove some of the softened wax with a spoon, so the wick has more room to breathe. to avoid wasting precious scented wax, the removed wax can be used in a warming dish or saved to be put back into your candle once it has returned to its proper burning condition.