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Flower Pot Candle Heaters And Your Health
Toxicity levels aside; seems the science behind the ingenuous design, and curious scrutiny, over the years has evolved ways of additional heat absorption, conductivity, mass and heat transference. Assorted model kits are available online. The downside is the toxicity of petroleum by-products introduced into a home environment by paraffin candles - or a massage setting, or Tiny Home, RV, or any small space - which few talk about. Beeswax candle fuel is the candle fuel that produces the most negative ions, not only helping to remove pollution from the air but also increasing the ratio of negative ions to positive ions, an ideal and necessary scenario for clean air. Make the switch, support the pollinators and beekeepers.
Flower Pot Candle Heaters And Your Health
Instructions on how to build the Flower Pot Candle Space Heater are numerous. Most all designs incorporate toxic petroleum based candles. Known levels of 100's toxins are deemed safe upon the conclusion of adjusted time and space variables in the risk evaluation.
If only 4 inches of candle is burned for 4 hours in an unventilated space of 1765 cu feet (50 cu meters) then it's considered safe! (2007 NCA funded study)
A room 12x12x12 is 1728 cu ft of air space.
A room 15x15x8 is 1800 cu ft of air space.
My personal experience in a room, 5x8x8 (320 cu ft) where I burned 6-2 inch candles in 24 hours, two – three at a time, and one during the hours of sleep made me intensely sick. During the day going in and out, I opened and closed the door to keep the heat in. There was also minor ventilation.
The next day, I suffered several symptoms related to what I believe were Ketones and Toluene. Had to pee too often, and lots. Add to that the nausea, heart palpitations, chest pains, strong headaches, loss of cognizance, muscle pains in upper torso when breathing, inability to move.
I never, ever, get headaches. I had bought a 12 pack and I had to remove all candles, excess wax, wrappers, candle jars of wax, and the box as they were saturated with the smell. These were unscented candles by the Candle-Lite company in Ohio.
I slept in the morning, and in the afternoon; I had minimal energy between. Too much activity would set off an attack. Walking outside breathing the fresh air helped immensely. But the attacks still came. Repeatedly. Causing my body to drop down or fold over, curl in on itself, hardly breathing - heart beating fast, hurting, just looking at the ground, trying to get closer.
Here are several locations for FPCH information:
Lifehacker Instructions
http://lifehacker.com/use-candles-and-flower-pots-to-heat-a-small-room-more-e-1497786449
Three videos on On YouTube:
1) Clay pot-in-pot candle heater.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzKbFzUEWkA
2) Artful hanging version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b11dqKJrulk
3) Tiny House Listings has another unique design:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyRzcwGbvwE
At The Daily Mail in the UK, rising energy costs have made the Flower Pot Candle heater popular:
http://ow.ly/JOXI305EOJO
WikiHow shows how:
http://m.wikihow.com/Make-a-Space-Heater-with-Flower-Pots-and-Candles
Website “Sailing The High Seas” has a video out on the Dangers of Flower Pot Candle Heaters that's gotten nearly 500,000 views. But it is concerned only with fire on board the vessel.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fnna1PAakV4
Toxicity levels aside; seems the science behind the ingenuous design, and curious scrutiny, over the years has evolved ways of additional heat absorption, conductivity, mass and heat transference. Assorted model kits are available online.
Flower Pot Candle Heater At Work
It's obvious that the Flower Pot Candle Heaters work. I myself used one this year for a week in a well ventilated outside room during 40 and 50 degree days with rain. These heaters totally work. One, two, or three candles at a time, depends on design and use. The largest amount of thermal conductivity happens with the steel used in the design. The bolt, washers and nut. The combined steel mass of these three design elements heat the fastest, and retain the most heat the longest.
My newest design will incorporate Beeswax candles, a 6 inch steel plate washer the diameter of the base of the largest clay pot bottom (as it is inverted in the stack) and a 6 inch bolt for use with the three pots (10 inch being the largest pot). Currently I use a 3 inch bolt.
Extra washers, including 3 inch flat washers, are used at the nuts and at both sides of all pots. The greater distance created between pots where they mount to the steel bolt traps warm air.
Placement of candles is as follows: 1) Near the center to heat bolt and washers directly above flame, also trapping heat in the smallest inverted clay pot. 2) Near to the outer inside edge but between the middle and outer clay pots, where the flame is under the rim of the mid-sized pot.
Downsides Of The Flower Pot Candle Heater
After the FPCH is up to temp, one candle will maintain the steel core temperature which transfers to the pots, and ultimately the airspace.
The downside is the toxicity of petroleum by-products introduced into a home environment, or a massage setting, or Tiny Home, RV, or any small space - which few talk about.
A discussion of the controversy appears on the Benzene Tuloene Ketones Leukemia Law Blog
http://www.benzeneleukemialawblog.com/study-paraffin-based-candles-release-toxic-chemicals/
The Study, “Paraffin Based Candles Release Toxic Chemicals” goes on to say "Candles are so widespread, an occasional paraffin candle and its emissions will not likely affect you. But lighting many paraffin candles every day for years or lighting them frequently in an unventilated bathroom around a tub, for example, may cause problems. Researchers, also looked at emissions from vegetable and beeswax based candles. Although more expensive, apparently [they] are healthier.”
What Of The Risk, That, Candle Wicks May (Still) Contain Lead?
"A candle with a lead-core wick releases five times the amount of lead considered hazardous for children and exceeds EPA pollution standards for outdoor air, says the CPSC, which is why they banned lead wicks in 2003. Exposure to high amounts of lead has been linked to hormone disruption, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and numerous health problems.”
http://wellnessmama.com/22656/dont-use-scented-candles/
"Other toxic chemicals that may be present in the paraffin mixture and released through burning include: Acetone, Trichlorofluoromethane, Carbon Disulfide, 2-Butanone, Trichloroethane, Trichloroethene, Carbon Tetrachloride, Tetrachloroethene, Chlorobenzene, Ethylbenzene, Styrene, Xylene, Phenol, Cresol, Cyclopentene. Some of the toxins are found in other products such as paint, laquer and varnish removers!”
10 Years After The CPSC Ban On Lead In Candle Wicks, it was reported that "the university of Michigan released a study showing that 30% of candles in the USA release lead into the air. So there’s almost a 1 out of 3 chance that the wick alone is releasing a dangerous and unhealthy heavy metal into your home, let alone everything the wax burns consistently as well."
http://healthywildandfree.com/breathing-toxic-fumes-candles/
It Took 30 years to Legally Ban Lead In Candle Wicks
"The CPSC was petitioned to ban candlewicks containing lead cores and candles with such wicks by Public Citizen, the National Apartment Association, and National Multi Housing Council on February 20, 2001. The ban against manufacturing, importing, or selling candles with lead wicks will become effective in October 2003."
https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2003/CPSC-Bans-Candles-With-Lead-Cored-Wicks-/
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted unanimously to ban the manufacture and sale of lead-cored wicks and candles with lead-cored wicks. CPSC determined that candles using lead-cored wicks could present a lead poisoning hazard to young children. The federal ban, which applies to all domestic and imported candles, should deter manufacturers from making non-conforming wicks, allow the U.S. Customs Service to stop shipments of non-conforming wicks and candles, and allow for the CPSC to seek penalties for violations of the ban.
The CPSC signaled it's lead candle wick public health alert in 1976.... there was a voluntary industry ban in 1974. For a full historical perspective go here:
http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Candles-Lead-Wicks.htm
Neal’s Yard Remedies in November 2013 wrote in NaturalNews: "More than 40 years ago, the US candle making industry vowed to remove lead from their products. Nevertheless it took until April 2003 for the US Consumer Product Safety Commission to finally ban the sale and import of candles with lead wicks in the US. Other countries, including the UK, have yet to follow suit."
Paraffin Candles
Paraffin is the non-renewable, inexpensive grayish black ooze and crud (by-products) from gas and petroleum refineries. It’s then treated and bleached with chemical solvents to clean it up for use in candles. When paraffin wax, sterno and liquid paraffin are burned, they release deadly chemicals, fluro carbons and dioxins into the air. But burning petrochemical paraffin is stinky, so synthetic fragrances are added, many of which are irritating, reduce olfactory sensitivity and are toxic themselves when burned.
After The Sludge
Once the sludge is thoroughly bleached and dioxin-laden, acrolyn, a known carcinogenic chemical, is then added to form the white sludge into solid white blocks. Although the National Candle Association claims this substance is harmless, once burned, acrolyn releases carcinogenic toxins such as benzene and toluene into the air.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
“Long term exposure to benzene [long term defined as roughly one year] causes bone marrow to stop producing enough red blood cells and damages the immune system by changing blood levels of antibodies and causing the loss of white blood cells.”
According to the Environmental Protection Agency:
Toluene directly effects the central nervous system. Toluene toxicity in both humans and animals for acute and chronic exposures is manifested by central nervous system dysfunction and narcosis, which have been frequently observed in humans acutely exposed to low or moderate levels of toluene by inhalation. Symptoms include fatigue, sleepiness, headaches, and nausea.
And there is soot! What kind of soot? Breathing paraffin is like breathing diesel fuel exhaust.
http://domesticgeekgirl.com/health-home/candles-toxic-closer-look-paraffin-wax/
"In 2005 the American Lung Association issued a warning that paraffin candles can emit a frightening range of known carcinogens including acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, acrolein, acetone, benzene, 2-butanone, carbon disulfide, carbon tetrachloride, creosol, chlorobenzene carbon monoxide, cyclopentene, ethylbenzene, phenol, styrene tetrachloroethene, toluene, trichloroethene and xylene as among the other toxins."
"In 2009 a study by the American Chemical Society concluded that paraffin based candles were an unrecognized source of carcinogens such as toluene and benzene in the air at home. Soya-based candles did not emit these poisons."
http://www.nyrnaturalnews.com/article/are-your-candles-hiding-a-toxic-secret/
Soy Candles
"Soy wax, which is made from hydrogenated soybean oil, and beeswax are the two longest lasting waxes. While beeswax typically lasts longer, it is more difficult to work with because it has an extremely high melting point. Soy wax is both cheaper and easier to work with as an ingredient. An added benefit of choosing beeswax or soy wax - they are environmentally friendly because they are renewable. Paraffin, another popular candle ingredient, is made of petroleum, and is harmful to the environment."
Way Out Wax - A Vermont Company
"Waxes are 100% natural and biodegradable. We use 100% soy wax in all of our container candles. Our scents come from 100% pure essential oils without any dyes or synthetic fragrance. We believe that hemp is a valuable natural resource. It’s also great for candles! None of our products contain additives. We care about the earth and our environmental commitment. All of our products are handcrafted in Vermont."
http://www.wayoutwax.com/store/pc/home.asp
SOY FACTS
"We use 100% soy wax in all of our container candles (cobalt glass, travel tins and colored votive glass).
Our soy wax is 100% pesticide free and GMO-free!
Soybeans are a renewable resource, grown right here in the United States.
Soy wax is a great way to support American farmers."
SOY WAX MYTH: "SOY WAX IS 100% SOOT FREE"
Many soy wax candle manufacturers claim that their candles are 100% soot free. Unfortunately, anything that burns releases a minimal amount of hydrocarbons (soot). Candle dyes, additives and synthetic fragrances are the primary factors that increase soot and should be avoided."
Soy facts, Hemp facts, FAQs, etc. View the-
"Way Out Wax Webpage, Our Approach"
http://www.wayoutwax.com/store/pc/viewcontent.asp?idpage=15
Burning Beeswax Candles
Beeswax Candle Fuel Produces Negative Ions - Nature’s Air Purifier
"Nature produces negative ions through lightening storms, moving water like the ocean, waterfalls, rivers, etc. and by wind passing through forests. It cleanses the air of pollutants (dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, viruses, odors and toxins) through an electrical process."
"Air contains billions of electrically charged particles called ions. Ions act upon our capacity to absorb and utilize oxygen, and therefore cause powerful effects on our lives and well being. The ions in the air can affect our mood, energy and health. Negative ions actually feel good. Too many positive ions make us feel bad and they are loaded down with pollution and allergens that are drawn to them and suspended in the air. Negative ions, on the other hand, remove the pollution and allergens from positive ions, allowing them to drop harmlessly to the ground."
Beeswax candle fuel is the candle fuel that produces the most negative ions, not only helping to remove pollution from the air but also increasing the ratio of negative ions to positive ions, an ideal and necessary scenario for clean air.
Learn more about Beeswax and Honey with Colorado Bee Keeper Tom Theobald on YouTube in an Organic Radio Show interview published December 24, 2015 (31 minutes):
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QMo3FvSEHv0
And especially pure is Pheylonian Beeswax, the honeycomb capping wax. A very interesting detailed quick video:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=X3_ocG9nW9M
“Cappings are the thin layer of pure beeswax which seal in the fresh honey into each comb. Beekeepers remove this to extract the honey. Although they are more expensive, they’re also more cost-effective due to a high melting point (approximately 145F°). According to the candle makers, who compared the most expensive paraffin or veg wax to beeswax, found their Pheylonian candles burn 40 to 80% cheaper per minute, translating into an average of 10 cents per hour. Although they are more expensive, they’re also more cost-effective due to a high melting point (approximately 145F°). According to the candle makers, who compared the most expensive paraffin or veg wax to beeswax, found their Pheylonian candles burn 40 to 80% cheaper per minute.”
http://livelighter.org/whats-the-healthiest-candle/
"The negative ions emitted by Pheylonian beeswax candles clean the air and purify the air of dust, dust mites, molds, mildew, pollen, allergens, viruses, bacteria, etc., giving you and your family much cleaner and healthier air to breathe. The negative ions that are emitted by Original Pheylonian beeswax candles also balance seratonin levels, increase cellular respiration, and balance the endocrine system. Asthma patients and anyone who has respiratory problems will benefit from the air purifying negative ions emitted from Original Pheylonian beeswax candles.”
http://naturalbeeswaxcandles.com/
In 2002, Annie Bond wrote the elegant and charming “The Brilliant Beeswax Candle: Natural Air Purifiers and More” a compelling piece, just as relevant today. “To burn a beeswax candle is to enter into the wisdom world of the bee, and you enter, too, into a world of benefits from the bee.”
“When beeswax candles burn, they clean the air like a great, natural, air purifier, and they are a link to a deep spiritual belief system.”
“For each pound of beeswax provided by a honey bee, the bee visits 33 million flowers. It eats 10 pounds of honey. It secretes the beeswax from its abdomen, and then uses the wax to construct a honeycomb. Beekeepers recover the wax from the comb by heating it in water where the melted wax rises to the surface and can be removed. Many have written about the wisdom of the beehive, and how burning beeswax puts a person in a special mood of reverence. It is easy to imagine why, given that millions of flowers have been visited and pollinated to make any one beeswax candle!”
This is my personal Beeswax candle recommendation for the Flower Pot Candle Heater - measuring at 3 inches by 2.5 inches, and with a burn time of 20-25 hours, the Honey Candles Peek-a-Bee Pillar is handmade with 100% pure Canadian beeswax.
Bee Friendly
http://us.purebeeswaxcandles.com/Beefriendly
For every purchase of a Honey Candles Peek-a-Bee Pillar Candle, $2.00 will be donated to research. When you purchase 100% pure beeswax candles and other bee related products such as honey, bee pollen and propolis, you support the fragile beekeeping industry by encouraging beekeepers to continue establishing apiaries.
http://www.purebeeswaxcandles.com/purebeeswaxcandles/100-pure-beeswax-ornamental-candles/peek-a-bee-pillar-retail
Bee Friendly Campaigns And Research
“A study released by Friends of the Earth and Pesticide Research Institute, Gardeners Beware 2014, showed that 51 percent of garden plants purchased at Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Walmart in 18 cities in the United States and Canada contained neonicotinoid pesticides at levels that could harm or even kill bees.”
http://www.foe.org/news/news-releases/2014-06-new-tests-find-bee-killing-pesticides-in-51-percent-of-bee-friendly-plants
“A growing number of responsible retailers have decided to be part of the solution to the bee crisis and are taking bee-harming pesticides off their shelves. We urge Ace, True Value and other major retailers and institutions to join these leaders in making commitments to phase out neonics and ensure our backyards and communities are safe havens for bees.”
“In addition to retailers, more than twenty states, cities, counties, universities and federal agencies have passed measures that minimize or eliminate the use of neonicotinoids including Seattle, Wash.; Portland, Ore.; Boulder, Colo.; Warren County, N.C.; and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The City of Boulder recently adopted a resolution to ban neonicotinoids on public land in response to community concerns about pollinator decline.”
http://www.foe.org/news/news-releases/2015-05-new-report-highlights-strategies-to-move-garden-industry-in-bee-safe-direction
Bee All You Can Bee, And Help!
A new Friends of the Earth report- Swarming The Aisles: Rating Top Retailers On Bee-Friendly And Organic Food, grades 20 of the largest food retailers in the U.S. on their policies and practices regarding pollinator protection, organic offerings and pesticide reduction. “Of the top food retailers, 17 received an “F” for failing to have a publicly available policy to reduce or eliminate pesticide use to protect pollinators. Only Aldi, Costco, and Whole Foods received passing grades in this category.”
http://webiva-downton.s3.amazonaws.com/877/81/a/9351/1/FOE_FoodRetailerReport.pdf
“U.S. food retailers must take responsibility for how the products they sell are contributing to the bee crisis. The majority of the food sold at top U.S. food retailers is produced with pollinator-toxic pesticides. We urge all major retailers to work with their suppliers to eliminate pollinator-toxic pesticides and to expand domestic organic offerings that protect pollinators, people and the planet.”
“Swarming The Aisles: Rating Top Retailers On Bee-Friendly And Organic Food”, comes amid mounting consumer pressure on food retailers to adopt more environmentally-friendly sourcing policies. A coalition led by Friends of the Earth and more than 50 farmer, beekeeper, farmworker, environmental and public interest organizations sent a letter urging the food retailers to eliminate pollinator-toxic pesticides and increase USDA certified organic food and beverages to 15 percent of overall offerings by 2025, prioritizing domestic, regional and local producers. This effort follows a campaign by Friends of the Earth and allies that convinced more than 65 garden retailers, including Lowe’s and Home Depot, to commit to eliminate bee-toxic neonicotinoid pesticides.”
View the 11 page letter (PDF) here:
http://webiva-downton.s3.amazonaws.com/877/86/a/9332/General_letters_to_Food_Retailers_Sept2016.pdf
“Bees and other pollinators are essential for one in three bites of food we eat and without them grocery stores would run short of strawberries, almonds, apples, broccoli and more.”
http://www.foe.org/news/archives/2016-10-report-most-top-grocery-chains-fail-on-pollinator-protection
“Pollinators are in great peril; their populations are declining around the world. Friends of the Earth works to eliminate pollinator-toxic pesticides like neonicotinoids and glyphosate and shift to organic farming systems that are healthier for bees, butterflies, people and the planet.”
http://www.foe.org/projects/food-and-technology/beeaction
Friends of the Earth, Bee Bold – Learn More, Download Bee Resources
https://earthhq.foe.org/bee-bold/link_jobs/3
Honeybees are so important, and beeswax is worth more than honey!
http://www.betterbee.com/fun-facts/
Learn more about beeswax in the July 2014 article by Ross Conrad titled “Pay Attention To Beeswax” in Bee Culture magazine.
http://digital.beeculture.com/?issueID=58&pageID=64
Beeswax is so vital to healthy bee colonies and humans that Michael Bush, on his 'Honey Harvest' page, writes about the “Expense Of Making Wax” with captivating style and rich resources to draw upon!
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesharvest.htm#expenseofwax
"A pound (0.4536 kg.) of beeswax, when made into comb, will hold 22 pounds (10 kg.) of honey. In an unsupported comb the stress on the topmost cells is the greatest; a comb one foot (30 cm.) deep supports 1320 times its own weight in honey."
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesharvest.htm#expenseofwax
Tomas DiFiore
By invoking the 'Copyright Disclaimer' Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use."
§ 107. Limitations on exclusive rights- Fair use: Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include (1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes; (2) the nature of the copyrighted work; (3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and (4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
If you or anyone wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
Tomas DiFiore
Tags:
Flower Pot Candle Heaters And Health, Flower Pot Candle Heater, Flower Pot Candle Space Heater, paraffin candles, beeswax candles, neonicotinoids, glyphosate, Benzene, Ketones, Toluene
Instructions on how to build the Flower Pot Candle Space Heater are numerous. Most all designs incorporate toxic petroleum based candles. Known levels of 100's toxins are deemed safe upon the conclusion of adjusted time and space variables in the risk evaluation.
If only 4 inches of candle is burned for 4 hours in an unventilated space of 1765 cu feet (50 cu meters) then it's considered safe! (2007 NCA funded study)
A room 12x12x12 is 1728 cu ft of air space.
A room 15x15x8 is 1800 cu ft of air space.
My personal experience in a room, 5x8x8 (320 cu ft) where I burned 6-2 inch candles in 24 hours, two – three at a time, and one during the hours of sleep made me intensely sick. During the day going in and out, I opened and closed the door to keep the heat in. There was also minor ventilation.
The next day, I suffered several symptoms related to what I believe were Ketones and Toluene. Had to pee too often, and lots. Add to that the nausea, heart palpitations, chest pains, strong headaches, loss of cognizance, muscle pains in upper torso when breathing, inability to move.
I never, ever, get headaches. I had bought a 12 pack and I had to remove all candles, excess wax, wrappers, candle jars of wax, and the box as they were saturated with the smell. These were unscented candles by the Candle-Lite company in Ohio.
I slept in the morning, and in the afternoon; I had minimal energy between. Too much activity would set off an attack. Walking outside breathing the fresh air helped immensely. But the attacks still came. Repeatedly. Causing my body to drop down or fold over, curl in on itself, hardly breathing - heart beating fast, hurting, just looking at the ground, trying to get closer.
Here are several locations for FPCH information:
Lifehacker Instructions
http://lifehacker.com/use-candles-and-flower-pots-to-heat-a-small-room-more-e-1497786449
Three videos on On YouTube:
1) Clay pot-in-pot candle heater.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzKbFzUEWkA
2) Artful hanging version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b11dqKJrulk
3) Tiny House Listings has another unique design:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyRzcwGbvwE
At The Daily Mail in the UK, rising energy costs have made the Flower Pot Candle heater popular:
http://ow.ly/JOXI305EOJO
WikiHow shows how:
http://m.wikihow.com/Make-a-Space-Heater-with-Flower-Pots-and-Candles
Website “Sailing The High Seas” has a video out on the Dangers of Flower Pot Candle Heaters that's gotten nearly 500,000 views. But it is concerned only with fire on board the vessel.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fnna1PAakV4
Toxicity levels aside; seems the science behind the ingenuous design, and curious scrutiny, over the years has evolved ways of additional heat absorption, conductivity, mass and heat transference. Assorted model kits are available online.
Flower Pot Candle Heater At Work
It's obvious that the Flower Pot Candle Heaters work. I myself used one this year for a week in a well ventilated outside room during 40 and 50 degree days with rain. These heaters totally work. One, two, or three candles at a time, depends on design and use. The largest amount of thermal conductivity happens with the steel used in the design. The bolt, washers and nut. The combined steel mass of these three design elements heat the fastest, and retain the most heat the longest.
My newest design will incorporate Beeswax candles, a 6 inch steel plate washer the diameter of the base of the largest clay pot bottom (as it is inverted in the stack) and a 6 inch bolt for use with the three pots (10 inch being the largest pot). Currently I use a 3 inch bolt.
Extra washers, including 3 inch flat washers, are used at the nuts and at both sides of all pots. The greater distance created between pots where they mount to the steel bolt traps warm air.
Placement of candles is as follows: 1) Near the center to heat bolt and washers directly above flame, also trapping heat in the smallest inverted clay pot. 2) Near to the outer inside edge but between the middle and outer clay pots, where the flame is under the rim of the mid-sized pot.
Downsides Of The Flower Pot Candle Heater
After the FPCH is up to temp, one candle will maintain the steel core temperature which transfers to the pots, and ultimately the airspace.
The downside is the toxicity of petroleum by-products introduced into a home environment, or a massage setting, or Tiny Home, RV, or any small space - which few talk about.
A discussion of the controversy appears on the Benzene Tuloene Ketones Leukemia Law Blog
http://www.benzeneleukemialawblog.com/study-paraffin-based-candles-release-toxic-chemicals/
The Study, “Paraffin Based Candles Release Toxic Chemicals” goes on to say "Candles are so widespread, an occasional paraffin candle and its emissions will not likely affect you. But lighting many paraffin candles every day for years or lighting them frequently in an unventilated bathroom around a tub, for example, may cause problems. Researchers, also looked at emissions from vegetable and beeswax based candles. Although more expensive, apparently [they] are healthier.”
What Of The Risk, That, Candle Wicks May (Still) Contain Lead?
"A candle with a lead-core wick releases five times the amount of lead considered hazardous for children and exceeds EPA pollution standards for outdoor air, says the CPSC, which is why they banned lead wicks in 2003. Exposure to high amounts of lead has been linked to hormone disruption, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and numerous health problems.”
http://wellnessmama.com/22656/dont-use-scented-candles/
"Other toxic chemicals that may be present in the paraffin mixture and released through burning include: Acetone, Trichlorofluoromethane, Carbon Disulfide, 2-Butanone, Trichloroethane, Trichloroethene, Carbon Tetrachloride, Tetrachloroethene, Chlorobenzene, Ethylbenzene, Styrene, Xylene, Phenol, Cresol, Cyclopentene. Some of the toxins are found in other products such as paint, laquer and varnish removers!”
10 Years After The CPSC Ban On Lead In Candle Wicks, it was reported that "the university of Michigan released a study showing that 30% of candles in the USA release lead into the air. So there’s almost a 1 out of 3 chance that the wick alone is releasing a dangerous and unhealthy heavy metal into your home, let alone everything the wax burns consistently as well."
http://healthywildandfree.com/breathing-toxic-fumes-candles/
It Took 30 years to Legally Ban Lead In Candle Wicks
"The CPSC was petitioned to ban candlewicks containing lead cores and candles with such wicks by Public Citizen, the National Apartment Association, and National Multi Housing Council on February 20, 2001. The ban against manufacturing, importing, or selling candles with lead wicks will become effective in October 2003."
https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2003/CPSC-Bans-Candles-With-Lead-Cored-Wicks-/
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted unanimously to ban the manufacture and sale of lead-cored wicks and candles with lead-cored wicks. CPSC determined that candles using lead-cored wicks could present a lead poisoning hazard to young children. The federal ban, which applies to all domestic and imported candles, should deter manufacturers from making non-conforming wicks, allow the U.S. Customs Service to stop shipments of non-conforming wicks and candles, and allow for the CPSC to seek penalties for violations of the ban.
The CPSC signaled it's lead candle wick public health alert in 1976.... there was a voluntary industry ban in 1974. For a full historical perspective go here:
http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Candles-Lead-Wicks.htm
Neal’s Yard Remedies in November 2013 wrote in NaturalNews: "More than 40 years ago, the US candle making industry vowed to remove lead from their products. Nevertheless it took until April 2003 for the US Consumer Product Safety Commission to finally ban the sale and import of candles with lead wicks in the US. Other countries, including the UK, have yet to follow suit."
Paraffin Candles
Paraffin is the non-renewable, inexpensive grayish black ooze and crud (by-products) from gas and petroleum refineries. It’s then treated and bleached with chemical solvents to clean it up for use in candles. When paraffin wax, sterno and liquid paraffin are burned, they release deadly chemicals, fluro carbons and dioxins into the air. But burning petrochemical paraffin is stinky, so synthetic fragrances are added, many of which are irritating, reduce olfactory sensitivity and are toxic themselves when burned.
After The Sludge
Once the sludge is thoroughly bleached and dioxin-laden, acrolyn, a known carcinogenic chemical, is then added to form the white sludge into solid white blocks. Although the National Candle Association claims this substance is harmless, once burned, acrolyn releases carcinogenic toxins such as benzene and toluene into the air.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
“Long term exposure to benzene [long term defined as roughly one year] causes bone marrow to stop producing enough red blood cells and damages the immune system by changing blood levels of antibodies and causing the loss of white blood cells.”
According to the Environmental Protection Agency:
Toluene directly effects the central nervous system. Toluene toxicity in both humans and animals for acute and chronic exposures is manifested by central nervous system dysfunction and narcosis, which have been frequently observed in humans acutely exposed to low or moderate levels of toluene by inhalation. Symptoms include fatigue, sleepiness, headaches, and nausea.
And there is soot! What kind of soot? Breathing paraffin is like breathing diesel fuel exhaust.
http://domesticgeekgirl.com/health-home/candles-toxic-closer-look-paraffin-wax/
"In 2005 the American Lung Association issued a warning that paraffin candles can emit a frightening range of known carcinogens including acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, acrolein, acetone, benzene, 2-butanone, carbon disulfide, carbon tetrachloride, creosol, chlorobenzene carbon monoxide, cyclopentene, ethylbenzene, phenol, styrene tetrachloroethene, toluene, trichloroethene and xylene as among the other toxins."
"In 2009 a study by the American Chemical Society concluded that paraffin based candles were an unrecognized source of carcinogens such as toluene and benzene in the air at home. Soya-based candles did not emit these poisons."
http://www.nyrnaturalnews.com/article/are-your-candles-hiding-a-toxic-secret/
Soy Candles
"Soy wax, which is made from hydrogenated soybean oil, and beeswax are the two longest lasting waxes. While beeswax typically lasts longer, it is more difficult to work with because it has an extremely high melting point. Soy wax is both cheaper and easier to work with as an ingredient. An added benefit of choosing beeswax or soy wax - they are environmentally friendly because they are renewable. Paraffin, another popular candle ingredient, is made of petroleum, and is harmful to the environment."
Way Out Wax - A Vermont Company
"Waxes are 100% natural and biodegradable. We use 100% soy wax in all of our container candles. Our scents come from 100% pure essential oils without any dyes or synthetic fragrance. We believe that hemp is a valuable natural resource. It’s also great for candles! None of our products contain additives. We care about the earth and our environmental commitment. All of our products are handcrafted in Vermont."
http://www.wayoutwax.com/store/pc/home.asp
SOY FACTS
"We use 100% soy wax in all of our container candles (cobalt glass, travel tins and colored votive glass).
Our soy wax is 100% pesticide free and GMO-free!
Soybeans are a renewable resource, grown right here in the United States.
Soy wax is a great way to support American farmers."
SOY WAX MYTH: "SOY WAX IS 100% SOOT FREE"
Many soy wax candle manufacturers claim that their candles are 100% soot free. Unfortunately, anything that burns releases a minimal amount of hydrocarbons (soot). Candle dyes, additives and synthetic fragrances are the primary factors that increase soot and should be avoided."
Soy facts, Hemp facts, FAQs, etc. View the-
"Way Out Wax Webpage, Our Approach"
http://www.wayoutwax.com/store/pc/viewcontent.asp?idpage=15
Burning Beeswax Candles
Beeswax Candle Fuel Produces Negative Ions - Nature’s Air Purifier
"Nature produces negative ions through lightening storms, moving water like the ocean, waterfalls, rivers, etc. and by wind passing through forests. It cleanses the air of pollutants (dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, viruses, odors and toxins) through an electrical process."
"Air contains billions of electrically charged particles called ions. Ions act upon our capacity to absorb and utilize oxygen, and therefore cause powerful effects on our lives and well being. The ions in the air can affect our mood, energy and health. Negative ions actually feel good. Too many positive ions make us feel bad and they are loaded down with pollution and allergens that are drawn to them and suspended in the air. Negative ions, on the other hand, remove the pollution and allergens from positive ions, allowing them to drop harmlessly to the ground."
Beeswax candle fuel is the candle fuel that produces the most negative ions, not only helping to remove pollution from the air but also increasing the ratio of negative ions to positive ions, an ideal and necessary scenario for clean air.
Learn more about Beeswax and Honey with Colorado Bee Keeper Tom Theobald on YouTube in an Organic Radio Show interview published December 24, 2015 (31 minutes):
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QMo3FvSEHv0
And especially pure is Pheylonian Beeswax, the honeycomb capping wax. A very interesting detailed quick video:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=X3_ocG9nW9M
“Cappings are the thin layer of pure beeswax which seal in the fresh honey into each comb. Beekeepers remove this to extract the honey. Although they are more expensive, they’re also more cost-effective due to a high melting point (approximately 145F°). According to the candle makers, who compared the most expensive paraffin or veg wax to beeswax, found their Pheylonian candles burn 40 to 80% cheaper per minute, translating into an average of 10 cents per hour. Although they are more expensive, they’re also more cost-effective due to a high melting point (approximately 145F°). According to the candle makers, who compared the most expensive paraffin or veg wax to beeswax, found their Pheylonian candles burn 40 to 80% cheaper per minute.”
http://livelighter.org/whats-the-healthiest-candle/
"The negative ions emitted by Pheylonian beeswax candles clean the air and purify the air of dust, dust mites, molds, mildew, pollen, allergens, viruses, bacteria, etc., giving you and your family much cleaner and healthier air to breathe. The negative ions that are emitted by Original Pheylonian beeswax candles also balance seratonin levels, increase cellular respiration, and balance the endocrine system. Asthma patients and anyone who has respiratory problems will benefit from the air purifying negative ions emitted from Original Pheylonian beeswax candles.”
http://naturalbeeswaxcandles.com/
In 2002, Annie Bond wrote the elegant and charming “The Brilliant Beeswax Candle: Natural Air Purifiers and More” a compelling piece, just as relevant today. “To burn a beeswax candle is to enter into the wisdom world of the bee, and you enter, too, into a world of benefits from the bee.”
“When beeswax candles burn, they clean the air like a great, natural, air purifier, and they are a link to a deep spiritual belief system.”
“For each pound of beeswax provided by a honey bee, the bee visits 33 million flowers. It eats 10 pounds of honey. It secretes the beeswax from its abdomen, and then uses the wax to construct a honeycomb. Beekeepers recover the wax from the comb by heating it in water where the melted wax rises to the surface and can be removed. Many have written about the wisdom of the beehive, and how burning beeswax puts a person in a special mood of reverence. It is easy to imagine why, given that millions of flowers have been visited and pollinated to make any one beeswax candle!”
This is my personal Beeswax candle recommendation for the Flower Pot Candle Heater - measuring at 3 inches by 2.5 inches, and with a burn time of 20-25 hours, the Honey Candles Peek-a-Bee Pillar is handmade with 100% pure Canadian beeswax.
Bee Friendly
http://us.purebeeswaxcandles.com/Beefriendly
For every purchase of a Honey Candles Peek-a-Bee Pillar Candle, $2.00 will be donated to research. When you purchase 100% pure beeswax candles and other bee related products such as honey, bee pollen and propolis, you support the fragile beekeeping industry by encouraging beekeepers to continue establishing apiaries.
http://www.purebeeswaxcandles.com/purebeeswaxcandles/100-pure-beeswax-ornamental-candles/peek-a-bee-pillar-retail
Bee Friendly Campaigns And Research
“A study released by Friends of the Earth and Pesticide Research Institute, Gardeners Beware 2014, showed that 51 percent of garden plants purchased at Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Walmart in 18 cities in the United States and Canada contained neonicotinoid pesticides at levels that could harm or even kill bees.”
http://www.foe.org/news/news-releases/2014-06-new-tests-find-bee-killing-pesticides-in-51-percent-of-bee-friendly-plants
“A growing number of responsible retailers have decided to be part of the solution to the bee crisis and are taking bee-harming pesticides off their shelves. We urge Ace, True Value and other major retailers and institutions to join these leaders in making commitments to phase out neonics and ensure our backyards and communities are safe havens for bees.”
“In addition to retailers, more than twenty states, cities, counties, universities and federal agencies have passed measures that minimize or eliminate the use of neonicotinoids including Seattle, Wash.; Portland, Ore.; Boulder, Colo.; Warren County, N.C.; and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The City of Boulder recently adopted a resolution to ban neonicotinoids on public land in response to community concerns about pollinator decline.”
http://www.foe.org/news/news-releases/2015-05-new-report-highlights-strategies-to-move-garden-industry-in-bee-safe-direction
Bee All You Can Bee, And Help!
A new Friends of the Earth report- Swarming The Aisles: Rating Top Retailers On Bee-Friendly And Organic Food, grades 20 of the largest food retailers in the U.S. on their policies and practices regarding pollinator protection, organic offerings and pesticide reduction. “Of the top food retailers, 17 received an “F” for failing to have a publicly available policy to reduce or eliminate pesticide use to protect pollinators. Only Aldi, Costco, and Whole Foods received passing grades in this category.”
http://webiva-downton.s3.amazonaws.com/877/81/a/9351/1/FOE_FoodRetailerReport.pdf
“U.S. food retailers must take responsibility for how the products they sell are contributing to the bee crisis. The majority of the food sold at top U.S. food retailers is produced with pollinator-toxic pesticides. We urge all major retailers to work with their suppliers to eliminate pollinator-toxic pesticides and to expand domestic organic offerings that protect pollinators, people and the planet.”
“Swarming The Aisles: Rating Top Retailers On Bee-Friendly And Organic Food”, comes amid mounting consumer pressure on food retailers to adopt more environmentally-friendly sourcing policies. A coalition led by Friends of the Earth and more than 50 farmer, beekeeper, farmworker, environmental and public interest organizations sent a letter urging the food retailers to eliminate pollinator-toxic pesticides and increase USDA certified organic food and beverages to 15 percent of overall offerings by 2025, prioritizing domestic, regional and local producers. This effort follows a campaign by Friends of the Earth and allies that convinced more than 65 garden retailers, including Lowe’s and Home Depot, to commit to eliminate bee-toxic neonicotinoid pesticides.”
View the 11 page letter (PDF) here:
http://webiva-downton.s3.amazonaws.com/877/86/a/9332/General_letters_to_Food_Retailers_Sept2016.pdf
“Bees and other pollinators are essential for one in three bites of food we eat and without them grocery stores would run short of strawberries, almonds, apples, broccoli and more.”
http://www.foe.org/news/archives/2016-10-report-most-top-grocery-chains-fail-on-pollinator-protection
“Pollinators are in great peril; their populations are declining around the world. Friends of the Earth works to eliminate pollinator-toxic pesticides like neonicotinoids and glyphosate and shift to organic farming systems that are healthier for bees, butterflies, people and the planet.”
http://www.foe.org/projects/food-and-technology/beeaction
Friends of the Earth, Bee Bold – Learn More, Download Bee Resources
https://earthhq.foe.org/bee-bold/link_jobs/3
Honeybees are so important, and beeswax is worth more than honey!
http://www.betterbee.com/fun-facts/
Learn more about beeswax in the July 2014 article by Ross Conrad titled “Pay Attention To Beeswax” in Bee Culture magazine.
http://digital.beeculture.com/?issueID=58&pageID=64
Beeswax is so vital to healthy bee colonies and humans that Michael Bush, on his 'Honey Harvest' page, writes about the “Expense Of Making Wax” with captivating style and rich resources to draw upon!
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesharvest.htm#expenseofwax
"A pound (0.4536 kg.) of beeswax, when made into comb, will hold 22 pounds (10 kg.) of honey. In an unsupported comb the stress on the topmost cells is the greatest; a comb one foot (30 cm.) deep supports 1320 times its own weight in honey."
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesharvest.htm#expenseofwax
Tomas DiFiore
By invoking the 'Copyright Disclaimer' Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use."
§ 107. Limitations on exclusive rights- Fair use: Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include (1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes; (2) the nature of the copyrighted work; (3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and (4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
If you or anyone wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
Tomas DiFiore
Tags:
Flower Pot Candle Heaters And Health, Flower Pot Candle Heater, Flower Pot Candle Space Heater, paraffin candles, beeswax candles, neonicotinoids, glyphosate, Benzene, Ketones, Toluene
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