The Ultimate Candle Care Guide for Drafty PNW Homes

We all love the charm of older Pacific Northwest homes—the built-ins, the hardwood floors, the character. But let’s be honest: they can be incredibly drafty.

If you’re burning candles to warm up your space this season, you might be accidentally shortening their lifespan. Ambient room temperature and drafts have a massive impact on how your candle burns. Here is how to care for your candles when your house is running a little chilly.

The Danger of Drafts Have you ever noticed your candle wick smoking, flickering wildly, or burning much faster on one side? That’s a draft problem. When a candle sits near a breezy window, a hallway, or an air vent, the flame gets pushed to one side. This causes the wax to melt unevenly, leaving a wall of hard wax on one side of the jar.

The fix: Always burn your candles in still air. If you see the flame dancing erratically, blow it out and move it to a calmer spot.

Beating the "Cold House" Tunneling In a chilly room, the glass jar of your candle stays cold, which means the wax near the edges has a harder time melting. If you blow the candle out before the melted wax reaches the very edge of the glass, it creates a "memory ring" and will tunnel straight down the middle on its next burn.

The fix: The First Burn Rule. The first time you light a new candle, let it burn for 1 hour per inch of the jar's diameter (usually 2-4 hours). Make sure the wax pool reaches all the way to the glass before putting it out.

Keep the Wick Trimmed A longer wick creates a larger, hotter flame, which creates soot. Before every burn, trim your wick to 1/4 inch. It keeps the flame controlled, the glass clean, and the air clear.

Take care of your candles, and they’ll take care of you all winter long!