How Long Do Candles Last (And Why)?

How Long Do Candles Last (And Why)?

Exact Answer: Up to 9 hours

The heat is the result of why the wax of the candles keeps on melting. There are many types of candles and the burning time would be different depending on many factors. Some candles may burn continuously for 7 to 9 hours. There are some candles that will burn for more than 72 hours.

The size of the candle is a big factor to predict the burning time of the candles. The movement of the air is also a factor to be considered while deciding how long do candles last. The length of the wick and the type of wax used would affect the burning time of candles. The smaller-sized candles will not last for more than 3 to 4 hours.

3 30

How Long Do Candles Last?

CandlesTime
Minimum time3 hours
Maximum time72 hours

Sometimes, the candles will stop burning early due to the hot temperature or hot climatic conditions. If someone would light a candle in a hot environment, then the wax may melt earlier than it would in a cold climate. The big size candles are quite long-lasting as they contain more amount of wax.

The movement of air would also cause disturbances in the burning of candles. The wick of the candles is quite an important part of the candles. The wick of the candles is required to be very thin. The wick which is very thick would cause excess flame that may spread fire in the environment.

If the length of the wick is very short, then it would stop burning in 2 to 3 hours. The candles with medium-length wick would burn for around 6 to 9 hours. The candles with extremely long wick would cause it to burn for around 72 hours. There are many candles that may burn for more than 72 hours if the size of the wick is extremely long.

There are many candles that would have short wick but are big in size. These candles would not last long. The shape of the candles also plays a huge role in determining the burning time. Many experts suggest not burning candles for more than 3 to 4 hours.

The candles after burning for 3 to 4 hours, may start gathering the amount of carbon dioxide present in the environment. The carbon dioxide would start diverting the direction of the flame. Mainly, the carbon dioxide would start making the wick unstable that would have huge repercussions.

As the flame may go in any direction burning many things present near the candles.

Why Do Candles Last This Long?

The candles need to rest for at least one hour before it starts burning again. The quality of the candle makes a huge impact on the burning time. There are many types of wax that are used for making candles – coconut wax, soy wax, and paraffin wax.

Beeswax is one of the most used waxes that people are using for decades for making candles. Paraffin wax is popular for having an extremely pleasant-smelling fragrance. Paraffin wax is used mostly for making colored candles. Paraffin wax is renowned for its color holding capacity.

The soy wax and beeswax would last for more time as compared to the other types of wax available in the market. The soft wax will not be able to last longer due to its low melting point. The oil content in the soft wax is very high, and this makes them burn very faster.

The flame produced by beeswax would appear very natural as compared to the white-toned flame produced by the soy wax candles.

Conclusion

The burning time of the candles would vary for each type of candle as the wax type in the candles would vary. The basic formula for candle burning is that it should burn for around 30 minutes for every half-inch in diameter of the size of candles. Lighting candles for so long may cause health disorders such as aggravating asthma.

People having asthma should avoid burning too many candles in the room at one time.

References

  1. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2015APS..DNP.JD001K/abstract
  2. https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev.aa.30.090192.002043
dot 1
One request?

I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *