Scented candles notch up aesthetics, make a cozy ambiance, offer aromatherapy benefits, and a lot more. That’s why we often end up shelling big bucks on these items. But, what if you discover a crack in the jar? I am sure the first thing that flashes into your mind is, can you burn a jar candle if the jar is cracked?
This question is important and quite relevant from the perspective of the consumer. You paid for an expensive candle, would it all be for nothing due to a crack in the jar? Glass is quite vulnerable to breakage. So, when you buy a delicate item like a jar candle, the risk of it getting damaged runs parallel.
Let’s talk of a few possible reasons that develop cracks into your jar candle
What Makes A Jar Candle Develop Cracks
The Jars Need Careful Handling
Glass is a useful material, but it can be temperamental.
A jar candle is prone to breakage or hairline cracks if you become a little reckless about its care and subsistence. The candles bumping into each other or something else during transport, or some rough handling could turn problematic. Heck, even accidentally using extra force when placing it on a table or shelf could make the jar crack.
When You Receive A Cracked Jar Candle Ordered Online
When you buy something online, the orders undergo a long process from shipment to delivery. Delicate items like glass candle jars are prone to damage during transit. There could be any number of reasons from improper packaging to mishandling, and accidents can happen during shipping and/or delivery.
You should contact the store for further action, including replacement. Most sellers have decent return and replacement policies.
Thermal Shock Is Not A Friend Of The Glass Jar Candle
Glass is a bad heat conductor and it can’t keep up with sudden temperature changes. This thermal shock expands the glass and leads to breakage or cracks in the jar as it finds no space for expansion. It’s a simple dynamics of Physics.
Another point to note down is that exposing the jar candles to direct sunlight for prolonged periods can also cause cracks in the jar.
Have You Been Storing Jar Candles In A Freezer?
Some people prefer to store candles in the freezer when not in use. The claim is that this (supposedly) keeps the wax in shape and protects the essential oils in scented candles.
During extreme summer, especially in hotter regions, wax in the glass jar may loosen its solid form. Few people place the jar candles in the freezer to harden the wax. As it makes the wax melt slowly, therefore increases the shelf life of the candle.
Coaxing the jar candles into burning longer is quite luring. But, it can result in cracking the jar. I’ve already discussed thermal shock, the same principle applies here.
In the freezer, the jar gets cold to its core. When you take it out to room temperature, it makes it difficult for the glass to adapt to this abrupt room temperature. The outside of the jar warms faster than the inside and this leads to major temperature differences inside and outside the jar. Lighting the candle before the glass has time to acclimate can cause cracks to develop.
In case you burn the frozen jar candle at once after taking it out of the freezer, the jar can explode too. Be cautious!
Prolonged Candle Burning Can Damage The Glass
There is no harm in burning candles every day. It’s absolutely a natural way to enjoy the aroma and relax. But, burning them for several hours can result in damage. It is usually advisable that you never burn your candles for more than four hours continuously to prevent excessive heat in the glass jar.
These are a few of the reasons that cause your jar candles to crack. However, after knowing the reasons now let’s come to the crux of the discussion: can you burn a jar candle if the jar is cracked.
Can You Burn A Jar Candle If The Jar Is Cracked?
Seeing a broken expensive jar candle is heartache and it may be quite tempting for you to take a risk and burn the candle anyway. But, Hold on! If you ever come across such a situation then I suggest abandoning the idea of burning a cracked jar candle.
Burning a candle in a cracked jar can cause the melted hot wax to seep through the cracks. This wax can be tough to clean and handle. Besides, it can further put pressure on the crack, causing the jar to explode. This won’t be a movie-style explosion, but it does pose some risks.
The most aggravated outcome of burning a cracked jar candle is a jar explosion. This can happen due to other reasons too which I will talk about next.
A Cracked Jar Candle Can Cause Jar Candle Explosion
Have you ever heard of a jar candle explosion? If you love candles and burn them often then this is a very cardinal piece of information for you. Here are some of the causes:
- Burning a candle in a cracked jar candle when the cracks are big and deep.
- Storing candles in a freezer to harden the wax and burning the wick right away.
- Trying to burn every bit of wax at the base of the jar. It overheats the glass to a point where it expands unusually and then breaks or blasts.
- Burning a jar candle for several hours (usually more than four hours, but it depends on the specific glass), can cause the jar to overheat or blast.
Jar candle explosions are dangerous enough to set your house on fire. Therefore, it is advisable to be cautious.
Can We Repurpose The Wax If The Candle Jar Is Cracked?
This thought is quite obvious after spending on an expensive candle. We can’t burn the cracked jar candle, but we don’t want to see it all go to waste either.
What about the solid wax? It is tempting enough to find a way to extract the wax out of the jar and repurpose it in creating a new candle.
Some people suggest different ways to scrape the wax out of the cracked jar candle and create a new candle out of it. I do not recommend it. The whole process is too time-consuming and quite laborious. Also, the broken jar candle may have tiny pieces of glass that can hurt your hands when you remove it from the jar.
However, if you see a possibility that the wax block is free from glass particles then yes you can try a convenient way to diffuse its scent and use the wax block. I’m talking about candle warmers (wax melters). Extract the wax by any one of the methods you find convenient. Use the scooped wax block in a wax warmer and let the essential oil release its scent.
How To Dispense Away With The Cracked Jar?
You must dispose of the jar in an environmentally friendly way. The first option is to wrap the broken jar in paper and drop it at a recycling plant. Glass is recyclable, but a broken jar may not be desirable. In such a situation, throw the glass jar in the garbage box there.
Never Burn A Jar Candle If The Jar Is Cracked
Wear and tear do happen to our favorite belongings which may be pretty expensive. And, your jar candle can be one of them. When it cracks and you have a striking question for yourself, can you burn a jar candle if the jar is cracked? The answer is a definite no. But not all is lost, and you can look at ways to salvage the wax and use it for some scent.