Candles help enhance a room’s atmosphere. Nonetheless, some candles emit particulate matter, which pollutes the indoor air. Candle soot will tamper with the beauty of your San Antonio home, and it will also affect your home’s ventilation. The market is flooded with different candle designs, but excessive use can expose you to polluted indoor air. The majority of people tend to add scented candles to their dining room table. The candles create a relaxing, intimate, and elegant statement. However, they are also a health hazard. The information below will help you understand how candles affect indoor air quality.
What Are Candles Made Of?
For years, medical professionals have been researching the effects of candles on people. The human body tends to react negatively whenever the air is polluted. In the marketplace, you will come across scented, aromatic, and paraffin candles. These candles are made of paraffin wax, and there are other instances where paraffin wax is mixed with different wax types. Every time you burn a candle, carcinogenic toxins are produced. Toluene, acrolein, soot, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and benzene are some of the carcinogenic toxins emitted.
The toxins released by paraffin candles are identical to the toxins from burnt diesel fuel. The toxins will, therefore, pollute the indoor air in your house, causing respiratory system irritations.
How Do Candles Affect Indoor Air Quality?
Candle pollution can create stains on your walls, décor, and ceiling. The soot emitted will also affect the ductwork, which later pollutes the air circulating in your residence. The majority of the ductwork systems available on the market are built from fiberglass. Fiberglass duct systems tend to attract the released soot and carcinogenic toxins, which are then released into your indoor atmosphere. The soot released blends with dust and other particles, forming germs and bacteria, which are the primary causes of allergies for many people.
When burning, candles release some smoke, which could affect your respiratory system. Consequently, you may experience coughing episodes, which can get irritating. Difficulty breathing affects your body’s metabolism and could rob your happiness and peace of mind.
Symptoms of Allergic Reactions From Candles
Whether you are using paraffin wax candles or scented ones, here are some signs of an allergic reaction. Whenever you detect these signs, it means your ventilation system needs cleaning.
Irritated Eyes
Whenever the air is polluted, your eyes could get watery and itchy. The irritation could aggregate, causing more severe health conditions. Imagine having a guest in your house whose eyes get itchy because of your polluted indoor air. Aside from eye irritations, you might experience some skin irritations, too. People react differently to certain toxins and air pollutants, but you will experience skin irritation due to continuous indoor air pollution.
Nasal Passage Blockage
The smoke released from burning candles could clog your nasal passage. The blocked nasal passage could cause breathing and respiratory problems. The condition will aggravate when candle smoke blends with the already polluted indoor air. There are instances when you will experience asthma-like difficulties.
Headaches
Candle smoke, artificial scents, and polluted air contribute to severe headaches. Therefore, whenever you experience headaches in your home or light candles, consider having your ducts cleaned. The headaches might get severe even after staying hydrated since the indoor air inhaled is polluted.
Dark Residue on Your TV Monitor
There is a need to examine your indoor surroundings closely. Excessive candle soot in your home can create thin, dark layers of residue on your laptop, computer monitor, or TV. The residue layer is easy to clean. In other instances, you may notice discolored fabrics. Whenever the indoor air is heavily polluted by candles, light-colored fabrics can turn gray.
What to Do If You Cannot Live Without Lighting Candles
If you are a candle enthusiast, there is no need to worry, as there are alternatives for you. There are nontoxic candles on the market that you can settle for. These candles are eco-friendly, and they will not contaminate your indoor air. In most cases, the candles are made from beeswax and soy. The natural ingredients will help eliminate the air pollution hazard whenever you light the candles.
Take your time to examine all the possible alternatives on the market, and when possible, consult with your doctor. Not all eco-friendly candles are ideal, and some might contaminate your indoor air. Therefore, be sure to examine each option available before making a decision.
Are you experiencing breathing problems due to poor indoor air quality? The team at MD Air Conditioning & Heating is committed to servicing your HVAC system and ensuring that you have a clean ventilation system. Contact MD Air Conditioning & Heating in San Antonio today, and our team of experts will help install, maintain, or repair your HVAC system.
Tags: Candles, Indoor Air Quality