Candle Information

How to Get Maximum Performance From Your Candles


Many factors can influence the burning performance of a candle. These include not only how the candle is made but how and where it is used.

Devotion & Sanctuary Candles


Things You Should Know About Devotion and Sanctuary Candles

Two types of materials serve as containers for long-burning candles: the open-top plastic container and the “restricted-neck” (often called a bottlelight) glass container.

For the best performance use your Devotion or Sanctuary Lights as follows:

  1. Be sure your lamp fixture is clean and in good condition, your candles are the right size for the lamp, and they are firmly seated.
  2. When lighting the candle, place the flame at the base of the wick. Hold it there for a moment until you see the wax start to melt.
  3. Once a candle is burning AVOID MOVING IT OR EXTINGUISHING IT. Allow the light to burn out completely without interruption to get full rated service.

Here’s why:

  • If the candle is moved while ignited, liquid wax may drown the wick and extinguish the flame.
  • If the flame is extinguished, and excessive liquid wax solidifies on the wick, the capillary function of the wick is seriously impaired. Thereafter, when the candle is lit again, the flame is seldom clean and smokeless.

When lighting the candle, place the flame at the base of the wick until the wax starts to melt.

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Never allow any foreign objects, (matches, lighting tapers or sticks) to drop into any candle.

Beeswax Altar Candles


How To Get The Most Out of Your Beeswax Altar Candles

  1. Be sure the candle and holders are properly matched so that the candle is firmly supported vertically upright. Tilted candles will drip.
  2. Candle Followers are necessary for controlling the flame and burning rate, and avoiding candle dripping. If the draft is severe and produces too much flickering for the Follower to control, then steps should be taken to divert the flow of air.
  3. Take care in lighting so that only the flame from the candle lighter touches the wick. Never allow any foreign objects, (matches, lighting tapers, or sticks) to drop into any candle. This can act as a second wick and will cause an oversized flame, as well as irregular, unsafe burning conditions.
  4. Care in extinguishing is equally important. Hold the snuffer “bell” down over the flame a few moments (long enough to deprive it of oxygen) but do not jam the snuffer down the wick or bury it into liquid wax. Either one will make relighting difficult.
  5. If a wick breaks off: trim the head of the candle with a dull knife blade to expose about ___ of fresh wick. Be sure to remove any pieces of broken, embedded wick or char from the candle tip. After trimming, you can relight it as you would a new candle.
  6. Paschal Candle Ornamentation must be removed before the follower reaches the ornament. If not removed it will cause the candle to burn improperly.

Candle Followers


How to Use Candle Followers For Best Results

Observe a few simple precautions, and you will be rewarded with a highly satisfactory performance from your Candle Followers. Their operation is based on the law of gravity.

  • Select a follower of the correct size for the candle diameter. Too large a follower will slide to one side and gradually become unsealed. Too small a follower will bind on the candle and not follow down, as it should.
  • Followers must be clean to function satisfactorily. Remove all surplus wax from a follower, inside and out, before placing it on a fresh candle.
  • When positioning a correctly-sized follower on a candle top, give it a quarter twist with slight pressure. This will “seat” the follower so that it will seal properly on the shoulder of the candle.
  • Once a follower is seated, and especially after the candle has been lighted, do not break the seal. When the seal is disturbed, liquid wax leaks out inside the follower and prevents it from resealing itself. The candle will flood.
  • To repeat: first, remove surplus wax from the follower and drips from the candle. If necessary, trim the head of the candle to even it up. Then reposition the follower on the candles as in No. 3.
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Once a follower is seated, and especially after the candle has been lighted,do not break the seal.

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