Single-speaker podcast episode warning that candles can worsen indoor air quality in modern, tightly sealed homes. The speaker explains that homes are built tighter than in the past, trapping VOCs from sources like paint, carpet, furniture, and scented candles; open flames also produce soot. Health concerns mentioned include respiratory problems, nausea, asthma/allergy triggers, and long-term issues from synthetic fragrances and compounds (e.g., benzene/formaldehyde). Mitigation advice: prefer natural beeswax candles, avoid synthetic fragrances, burn only in well-ventilated areas, and consider mechanical ventilation such as an energy recovery ventilator (ERV).
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So I know this is going to be unpopular with a lot of you out there, but let's talk about candles and your indoor air quality and what you need to know. Of course, a lot of folks have candles. Candles are very popular. They smell good. They're efficient at achieving the smells you want or get rid of the ones you don't want. The problem with candles is that today's homes. Let's back up a little bit. Today's homes are, are built tighter than they ever have. So the indoor air quality is critical because you have a tight, sealed home, energy efficient home, which is good. At the same time, it doesn't allow the home to breathe. There is no fresh air coming into the home. We spend 90% of our time indoors. So the indoor air quality is critical to our health as well as, you know, our kids and our family. And we're collectively spending 90% of our time indoors, whether it be at home, at work, in the office, wherever it is. 90% of our time is there. And according to the EPA, two, indoor air is two to five times worse than outside air, two to five times worse than outside Air. So, so we're spending 10% of our time outside, 90% of our time inside. So indoor air quality becomes a challenge, becomes forefront. What are, what are we breathing, what are we doing every day to either make it worse or make it better? Candles are one of those things that can make it worse, worse because first of all, if you're not using a natural candle, like a, like a natural wax, like, like from bees or something like that, you're using probably a synthetic material, something like made with formaldehyde or benzene, something that can cause the health problem. And you're burning that in your home or at your work or at your space. VOCs are being released volatile organic compounds. Now, again, years ago, VOCs were not really worried about because homes were not built for energy efficiency, they were built to breathe. If you're ever been to some of those older, older homes, you can even, you know, when it's breezy outside, you even have a breeze in the house. Now we've tightened that up, gotten more energy efficient, which is good. But a lot of homes don't have fresh air coming in, don't have an energy recovery ventilator, which is what is called erv, coming into the home to bring in fresh air. So all these VOCs vault organic compounds get trapped in the home and they have nowhere to go. Things like from paint, from carpet, from even this desk made of, you know, compressed wood and Glues and all this stuff becomes a challenge and becomes dog gas. So now with candles, you're actually lining it on fire. It's actually burning in your house. So it's emitting the VOCs that's making the candles, making it smell good. The good, good news is make it smell good in there. The bad news is what are you breathing? We're not sure, but it could lead to a respiratory problem, it could lead to illnesses, health problems, nausea. All this can happen because candles and fragrances made of synthetic material can cause long term health issues. So when you get away from a natural wax and go through go to a synthetic wax which are, you know, some of these plugins and, and candles are made of, have to be careful, that can cause health challenges. So you're getting back to lightning it on fire. So when the candle is burning, when the candle is burning in your house, there's a flame. So anytime you have an open flame, you have what can cause soot. Went to a house one time and installed the system and that lady was getting what's your old black stuff coming out of her vents and went to home and checked it out and she has a lighter heat pump. She has no gas whatsoever. So nothing that we installed has an open flame or has a flame to it because it has all street electricity. Well, you look around the house and there's quite a few candles. And she likes candles, she likes to burn candles, you know. And the challenge is all that soot is producing is now coming to the system and out the duck. It's more black pieces of kind of a waxy black material is coming from the candle, it's coming from the suit, it's coming from the open flames of the candles because it's burning. That soot again has to go somewhere. Those volatile organic compounds, the fragrance, all that has to go somewhere. You have to breathe that into your lungs and it's affecting or could affect your health and could bring a challenge. So what's the solution? Well, there are several ways you can, you can reduce the risk associated with burning candles indoors. First and foremost, first opt for a natural candle. If you want to burn a candle, burn naturally. Candles made of a beeswax is a natural wax made from be secretions and is less likely to emit harmful fumes than anything else. Additionally, unc candles over those fake fragrances since you know the, since the synthetic fragrances like you know the, the smells of the candles, they have been linked to health challenges, asthma attacks, allergies. It's best, it's Best to avoid them altogether. But only burn candles in well ventilated areas. This will help disperse any fumes that may be released during combustion. Again, we have a flame, something is burning, you have to have an act of combustion. A byproduct is fumes, soot from that open flame. So again, if you want, if you need to burn candles, make sure there's a well ventilated space where that harmful soot combustion can, can be dissipated, can go away. You know, candles are a great way to, they kind of add a warmth and a pleasant smell. But it's also important to remember that they can affect your indoor air quality if not used correctly. So again, natural candles, if you need candles, a natural beeswax candle is good. But even then make sure it's in a well ventilated area because it's off gassing. It's off a gassing, if it's got a scent, it's got fumes, they're not natural, it's off gassing. So it may smell good, but it's not, not good for your health. So candles, I know a lot of folks like them and hey, I get it, I understand that but. And it's one of those do, it's your own risk, right? I mean, if you're obsessed with candles, you're obsessed. But it's not good for your health, it's not good for indoor air quality. Again, we're spending 90% of our time indoors. 90% of our time indeed indoors. So we want it to be the cleanest, healthiest air possible that we can breathe. So the last thing we want to do to affect the health is add to the VOCs already in the house, add to the volatile organic compounds already in the home coming from paints and carpets and desks. And all this stuff put together, all this stuff is off gassing. So let's not add to it with candles. But I would definitely look at a well ventilated area or I would even look at something like an ERV energy recovery ventilator, which brings in outside air. But they, they're made in a format where if the outside air is, is cold or hot, it's going to condition that air before it sends it into the home. So it's going to let the bad air out, bring in some good air and start getting a mix of, and creating a healthier environment in the home. So candles, it's battery in the rare. So be careful with the candles. You get.
