What is Candle Wax Tunneling, and How to Fix it?

Candles are a popular home decor item that provides a warm and cozy ambiance, but tunneling is one of their most common problems. Burndown at the center of a candle leaves a cavity around the wick and waste wax, which is called tunneling.

Using this complete guide, you can prevent this from happening and fix it to ensure your candle burns evenly.

What Is the Famous Candle Tunneling?

Tunneling is a phenomenon where the candle burns down the center but not the edges. This happens when the wick is too small for the size of the candle or if the candle wax is not melted enough when burned. Tunneling leaves a cavity around the wick and a waste of wax.

It also shortens the candle’s life and makes it difficult to light. This is because the wick is not able to consume enough of the melted wax, and the rest of the wax hardens quickly, leaving behind a tunnel. This tunnel prevents the melted wax from reaching the wick, thus preventing the candle from being lit.

Why Does Tunneling Happen in Your Candle?

There are several reasons why tunneling happens in candles. The most common causes are:

1. Wick size: If the wick is too small for the size of the candle, it will not be able to melt the wax evenly and cause tunneling. This leads to an uneven burn and can cause the candle to smoke, with excess soot released into the air. A wick that is too large can cause the flame to be too large and heat up the wax too quickly, resulting in a quickly evaporating candle.
2. Wax temperature: If the wax is not melted enough when burned, it will not be able to distribute the heat and cause tunneling evenly. Furthermore, when the wax is too hot, the wick will burn too quickly, and the flame will be hard to control. This can lead to an uneven burn and further create problems such as smoking and excess soot released into the environment.
3. Poorly made candles: Some are made with low-quality wax or a poor wick, which can also cause tunneling. Low-quality wax often has a low melting point, meaning it doesn’t stay liquid for long. This means that the wax cannot reach the sides of the container, creating a tunnel-like shape. Poorly made wicks can also cause tunneling because they burn too quickly and don't consume enough wax.
4. Candle storage: Candles stored in hot or humid conditions can cause the wax to soften, making it more likely to tunnel. The heat and humidity cause the wax to melt faster, meaning that it can't reach the sides of the container. The wick also burns faster, meaning it doesn't have time to consume enough wax to fill the container.
5. Length of the wick: If the wick is too long, it can cause the candle to burn too quickly and cause tunneling. As the wax melts, it creates a pool of liquid wax around the wick. The heat of the flame causes the wax to vaporize, and the pressure created by the vaporized wax pushes the liquid wax up the wick. The wick then absorbs the liquid wax, and the flame consumes it, creating more heat and vaporizing more wax. If the wick is too long, it will absorb too much liquid wax, causing the flame to burn too quickly and leaving unmelted wax on the sides of the container.

How to Fix Candle Tunneling

If you find that your candle is tunneling, don't worry, it can be fixed! Here are a few steps you can follow to ensure an even burn.

The first step to fixing tunneling is to cut the wick to the correct length. A wick that is too long can cause the candle to burn too quickly and tunnel. To fix this, cut the wick to about ¼ inch before lighting. Before lighting the candle, make sure to melt the wax all the way to the edges. This will help ensure that the wax is distributed evenly when burned and prevent tunneling.

Following those steps, be sure to burn the candle for at least one hour to allow the wax to melt evenly and avoid tunneling. After one hour, blow out the candle and let it cool. Repeat this process until the wax is melted all the way to the edges.

Preventing Future Tunneling

For candles to burn evenly and last longer, tunneling must be prevented. To avoid this issue, you can take several steps.

• A candle's wick size should be selected according to its size when purchasing it. This way, even melting can be achieved, and tunneling can be prevented.
• Lighting a candle for the first time requires burning it for at least an hour. It prevents tunneling if you melt wax evenly.
• Trim the wick to about 14 inches before lighting the candle. Tunneling can be prevented by slowing down the candle's burning rate.
• Candles should be stored away from direct sunlight or heat in a cool, dry place. Tunneling be prevented if the wax doesn't soften.
• Choosing the right candle size: Check the candle holder's dimensions before choosing a candle. The candle cannot melt the wax evenly if it is too large for the holder.

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Our candles are made from natural soy wax and lead-free cotton wicks, so you can rest assured that you are getting a safe and clean burn. Additionally, the fragrances are created with essential oils and high-quality perfume-grade fragrances, so you get the most intense and pleasant aromas. With our candles, you can enjoy a long-lasting, even burn with a beautiful scent that will enhance any room.

So why wait? Visit our website smellscandle.com today and find the perfect single-wick-scented candle for your home!

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