smellywax Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 We live in a 3 yr old house and change our AC filters every month. Recently we noticed black coming from our air vents and getting on the carpet. We thought it was mold from the recent hurricanes but the AC guy said it is from burning candles. Most of the candles I make are Soy but he said that didn't matter. He said the only way to stop the black is to stop burning candles....HELP, I can't be the only one with this problem if Candles are the culprit. What do you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorrie Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 I would get a second opinion on that. Is there any way there malfunction in the AC unit itself? But I would get another opinion just in case it is mold~ YUCK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glowlite Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 My neighbors friend is rep for mia bella and she has this same problem. She gets black stuff on her base boards and around the perimiter of a carpeted room. When she had a carpet cleaner come in to clean he told her that its from burning candles. She said it can't be because she only burns soy and soy doesn't have black soot. But he told her its because dirt or dust sticks to the soot and darkens it. She called me and asked if it what he said is true. I didn't know what to tell her exept that I burn parafin and don't have that problem. But to add to that. I know she burns alot!! and I mean alot of candles! A whole lot more than I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smellywax Posted November 30, 2005 Author Share Posted November 30, 2005 I don't think it is mold because it would have a musty smell but not burning candles isn't a solution I can deal with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gypsyjen Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 My neighbors friend is rep for mia bella and she has this same problem. She gets black stuff on her base boards and around the perimiter of a carpeted room. When she had a carpet cleaner come in to clean he told her that its from burning candles. She said it can't be because she only burns soy and soy doesn't have black soot. But he told her its because dirt or dust sticks to the soot and darkens it. She called me and asked if it what he said is true. I didn't know what to tell her exept that I burn parafin and don't have that problem.Oooh, there's a whole discussion surrounding whether Mia Bella's candles are really soy!! Check the threads... Most have concluded that it is actually a palm/veggie blend. I'm not sure if this type of blend is supposed to make more soot than a soy candle, however.IMO, any scented candle will produce some level of soot, due to the addition of FO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Several months ago another member posted a thread about the same thing..don't remember who. She was also told that her candle burning was causing a build up of soot in the house. Maybe she'll jump in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 If that IS the cause, it'll settle the argument over whether or not soy burns completely clean and leave no soot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soygirl Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Ok, this wouldn't make sense if you live in a really warm climate, but I live in Wisconsin, and everyone has a furnace. And those that have central air use the same ductwork that serves the heat in the winter. If I had black coming out my vents, I'd assume it had something to do with the furnace. In fact one time while we were on vacation, our furnace mysteriously "burped", and we came home to find black shadows on the carpet in front of every vent, and a fine black dusty film on all the walls and surfaces. If it's really from burning candles, then why wouldn't it be concentrated mostly near where you burn candles instead of just coming from your vents?? That just doesn't seem logical to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire and Ice Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Well if that is the case, switch to tarts or clamshells on an electric warmer.I have a log cabin that is all natural wood. No paint or drywall and I have never had a soot problem in my home. Not very large either. I burn soy candles and have no soot problem. And I would see or feel the soot it it's on my walls or furnishings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 If it's really from burning candles, then why wouldn't it be concentrated mostly near where you burn candles instead of just coming from your vents?? That just doesn't seem logical to me.That would depend on how close to your ceiling/wall you burn them. Actually around the vents makes perfect sense. All the air in your house is circulating and moving when the furnace/heat pump is on. It's drawn in the intake vent, where the filter is, pumped through the unit then back out the normal vents. If your filter is clogged at all or made cheaply, it wont filter very well and the unit just circulates the dust/soot/whatever back out the vents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dee Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Well... I think we had this discussion on the old board and there was lots of advice. Don't know what you would look up in the archives though. However, we used to have this problem a number of years ago and I rerely burned candles. We had a gas furnace and the blackness only occured in our upstairs rooms. We changed filters and maintained the furnace regularly. We put in a new gas furnace about four years ago and recarpeted and haven't had the problem since. I have burned candles alot since then too. So I'm not really convinced of the candle arguement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mona Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 DH & I have lived in our house for 13 years. We both burn paraffin candles, and lots of them. We have forced air oil heat and central AC, and have never had a problem with soot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaybee23 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 If that IS the cause, it'll settle the argument over whether or not soy burns completely clean and leave no soot If it is from soy, and it is taking it in through the vents and putting it back out from the furnace, I don't think that is going to tell you definatively whether soy burns clean or not. It is likely going to get contaminated inside the furnace before it comes out of the vents. I don't think that argument is ever going to be settled, at least not anytime soon. LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fern-Marie Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Soygirl is right on!!I had a friend who burns Yankee Candles all the time. She had a furnace puff-back and the furnace guy tried to tell her that it was the candles causing all the soon, not a malfunctioning furnace.HER INSURANCE ADJUSTER CAME DOWN AND SAID IT WAS A LOAD OF HOOEY!!Now if the insurance company isn't willing to buy that excuse, and send out the alarm that they are paying tens of thousands of dollars per incident over the burning of candles being mistakenly covered as a puff back...I would say that either he doesn't know what he's talking about, or he's covering his butt. It's a lot easier to blame the candle than it is to actually go and check all the valves and doo-dads. Turned out that there was a FAULTY VALVE that was never noticed needed replacing!! Her furn-ass guy changed the valve, and tried to tell her that it was just a normal maintenance thing he was doing...Liar. The Insurance Adjuster advised my friend to find a new servicer.You will never convince me that burning candles, paraffin or soy, cause so much soot as to be that noticeable in a filtered, frequently changed, AC system.I know I am venting here myself, but this guy could have caused serious damage to my friend's health, for what? to cover that he performed poorly on his job? To say I was livid is an understatement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smellywax Posted December 1, 2005 Author Share Posted December 1, 2005 Since I am in Florida...we have no furnace...just an AC. We change the filter once a month with the manufacturers' filters and it was within the last couple months that the filter was totally black when I took it out??? Along with the carpets around the doors being black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaybee23 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 I would get a second opinion, if possible. I have to agree with some of the others, I am not really buying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveinPA Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 Since I am in Florida...we have no furnace...just an AC. We change the filter once a month with the manufacturers' filters and it was within the last couple months that the filter was totally black when I took it out??? Along with the carpets around the doors being black. Could the soot be coming from outside? Any industrial facilities in the area? The air quality in some places can be very poor. Even though the windows are closed, some outside air will get past them. Might be something to check into. I live in a relatively clean area and I've noticed black stuff on my car (besides the bird crap), especially if its been parked here for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeB Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 Test it. Home centers sell mold testing kits and since you live in one of the hurricane areas you can probably have an agency test it for free. At least then you will know for sure. Mold can do a lot of damage to a home.I find it a bit hard to believe that if you change the filters monthly that there would be that much soot from candles.Dee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherie Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 I can comment on this problem. Ashley marathon burned a Circle E candle and I mean marathon burned that thing. My white coffee maker (in my kitchen) had a fine black soot buildup, have a fine black film around ALL my vents and my glossy white base boards have a fine black film on them as does the opening to the empty jar (I saved to show her). I never had this happen when I burned my J223. So, now I'm testing in one of my bathrooms and putting a white paper plate on the floor to see if I get soot fall out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheilaW Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 As candlemakers I think we all aim to produce a soot free candle. We also know to keep our wicks trimmed etc. when we burn them. I have burned yankme with a candle shade and the whole thing would be black with soot. If you were burning a lot of these in your house over a period of time then it only stands to reason that the soot is going to cling to walls, drapes, carpets and filters ( the same way cigarette smoke will build up if you smoke in the house ) Among other things my brother sub-contracts to an Insurance Co. as an adjuster, testifies in court when needed etc. Because of the damage caused to homes by candle soot he refuses to burn any at all in his house ( not even mine:rolleyes2 ) He said that he can tell after a walk through whether the black stuff is candle soot or a furnace problem. And he does check. Even if you dont see any soot it may still be there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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