Who doesn’t love a holiday? Many of these special times, including Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, and Halloween, practically require the flickering light of candles in the homes of many Georgia families. Candles also set the scene for romantic evenings at home, make after-dark times fun for the kids, and even get used as emergency lighting when the power goes out.
With that in mind, it might be appropriate in your family setting to always have a drawer full of festive candles and lighters. Just make sure your homeowners insurance is paid up. Take candle fire safety seriously, because as festive, dramatic, or playful as they can be, there’s also home fire risk.
Here’s a closer look at candle safety and the larger issue of fire and home insurance.
The Hidden Dangers of Open-Flame Candles
You were warned to stay away from lit flames as a kid, whether it was Fourth of July fireworks, a summer evening marshmallow-roasting fire, or even an innocent holiday candle display. Your folks were right. Open flames really can be dangerous — even from a single innocent candle.
Shocking Statistics on Home Candle Fires
Are candles a fire hazard? Really? Check out a few compelling facts and statistics compiled by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) on home fires caused by candle safety failure over a recent five-year period:
- Over this period, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 5,910 structural fires started by candles annually.
- Those fires caused about $257 million in damages annually.
- The rate of injuries from home structure candle fires was nearly three times higher than for home fires from other causes.
Common Scenarios Leading to Candle-Related Disasters
The same report from the NFPA also revealed that more than one-third of all home fires caused by candles started in a bedroom. Similar to falling asleep with a lit cigarette, people may doze off with candles still lit.
In other cases, “used” candles with hot wicks were tossed. In other instances, candles were positioned too close to flammable materials such as drapes, Christmas trees, wreaths, or other objects.
Dwelling fires also commonly occurred when candles were ignored or forgotten. House fire victims left the room or even went to bed with candles still burning.
It’s not only your family at risk. Unsafe candle practices can even affect others outside of your home. Although your home insurance will most like cover damage to your neighbors’ properties when you’re at fault, nobody wants to have that conversation.
Fire Safety Practices for Candle Usage
Candles are such low-tech objects, and they seem harmless. How dangerous can they be? That attitude can make Georgia residents negligent when it comes to fire safety. Get to know candle safety tips and keep your home and family safe.
Choosing the Right Candles for Safety and Aesthetics
A heavy decorative candle with a thick base is sturdier and might sit with less wobble than a thinner, lightweight candle. But the most fire-safe candles aren’t candles at all.
Battery-operated or plug-in electric or LED candles stay cool to the touch, though some even flicker like real flames. It doesn’t matter if they tip over or get placed near flammable objects. They set the scene without the fire risk of the real deal.
The Role of Candle Holders in Fire Safety
Always make sure your candle fits securely in its holder. The best fit is when the candle and the holder have been bought together as one unit. Often, when the fit isn’t right, you know it. The candle looks wobbly, it leans over, or even falls a few times before you use more pressure to make it stick, light it and hope for the best. Don’t ever walk away and leave a candle in a holder that’s not really holding it.
Ideal Locations and Surfaces for Candle Placement
Avoid putting a lit candle on a wrinkly tablecloth, doily, or other surface that could turn it tipsy. A hard, flat surface, such as a tabletop, is the best place to set your candle, always while using a secure candleholder or fireproof tray wide enough to hold dripping hot wax.
Look hard at where you’re putting candles, too. Place them a good 12 inches away from other objects, especially such flammable materials as a dry holiday tree or curtains.
Keep an eye on your kids, too. They might be attracted to the flame, but they need to keep their distance — especially if they’re wearing Halloween costumes or other attire that might easily catch a flame.
Preventive Fire Protection Strategies
Smoke alarms are critical. Homes should have at least one alarm on every floor and one in every bedroom. Interconnected alarms are the best choice, whereby one alarm going off triggers every alarm. This improves the odds that the alerts will be heard even in the middle of the night.
The safest choice is the kind of alarm that’s hardwired into the home’s electrical system, with battery backup in case the power is lost.
Smart cameras can also serve as an effective fire safety and candle safety device. Smart security cameras can be placed around the interior of a home as well as the exterior, alerting homeowners to candles left lit — by just a glance at their smartphone app from wherever they are.
The Role of Home Insurance in Fire Safety
The fewer insurance claims you make, the less you’ll pay for your coverage. That’s true of all insurance policies, and it certainly pertains to the subject of fire and homeowners insurance. Ask your insurance agent if you can get a discount on your premiums by showing proof of such home protection devices as working smoke alarms and security cameras.
If the worst happens and you need to temporarily relocate while your home is being repaired after a fire, receiving a payback for any expenses you rack up while renting a place is a lesser-known benefits of homeowners insurance for Georgia residents.
Also, make sure that your level of coverage is high enough to offer an adequate payout on your possessions if you were to sustain fire or smoke damage.