Candles and HVAC Air Filters- IAQ For Your Oregon Home

Oregon homeowners often use candles for their ambiance and aromatic pleasure. While they look wonderful and smell great, can the candles you are lighting cause damage to your home’s HVAC system? Learn more about the dangers of burning candles, and what this household habit means to HVAC air filters.

Why CANDLES are BAD FOR YOUR HOMES AIR? 

The light and fragrance of burning candles can be attributed to the soot and wax produced by them. Most often, this soot and wax won’t be found in your home. Where does this wax go?

Air circulating throughout your home can pick up the wax and soot from candles. Further, It flows into your return pipes and then travels to your heating or cooling equipment. Then, It passes through HVAC filters before being conditioned and recirculated to your living areas. This is not a desirable situation for Oregon Homeowners. 

Furthermore, your HVAC air filters trap soot, wax and other contaminants in your air supply. These substances stick on the filter’s surface, and can cover HVAC air filters with a darkened, waxy residue. Heating and cooling air filters become clogged from the buildup of soot, wax, and other substances. Air cannot flow properly through this blockage.

As a result, Keep an eye on the HVAC air filters in your Portland, Oregon home if you regularly burn candles. They will need to be changed more often than you might think.

Finally, You should check your HVAC filters every month. If you notice a darkened or waxy area, or large amounts of debris, it is time to change them. Dirty filters will reduce air quality and cause strain on HVAC equipment.

Indoor Air Quality and Candles-HVAC IN pORTLAND

In addition to coating HVAC air filters with wax and soot; candles also negatively impact indoor air quality.

• -Paraffin candles release toxic chemicals as they burn. This includes toluene (benzene), formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde.
• -Candle wicks may contain lead which can cause the candle to emit dangerous vapors. The United States bans lead-wick candles, but they are still possible to be found on the market.
• -Scented candles are not only toxic, but also emit strong perfumes that can irritate your home, cause eye irritations, respiratory problems, headaches, and eye or sinus irritations.

Enjoying Candles and Keeping Good IAQ- HVAC In Beaverton

Although candles can be problematic, they likewise can still be enjoyed without affecting indoor air quality and HVAC air filters. Better indoor air quality will be available to everyone living in your home if you make better choices about the candles that you light, and consequently breathe fresh air while you sleep, eat dinner, perform chores, and stay inside. 

• -Avoid toxic substances by using soy wax or beeswax candles over paraffin candles.
• -In addition, Candles made from safe ingredients should only be purchased from a reliable manufacturer or artisan.
• -Moreover, If you are using candles to light them, keep your home well-ventilated. For candle-burning byproducts, you can turn on exhaust fans.
• -Lastly, Burn candles only for an hour at a stretch to reduce harmful pollutants in your indoor air.

If you need anything HVAC Related, Global International provides Oregon homeowners with the tools and expertise to protect their HVAC equipment. Call us today to get high-efficiency HVAC filters and routine maintenance for filter replacements.?