Special Report: Candle caution

Laureen Picarello - Home Owner
"Its all over our walls, its all over our upholstery, its all over the kids toys its everywhere"

Laureen Picarello of Pembroke didn't know what "it was". There was no fire in her house yet she had black soot all over her walls and carpet -- in fact there was nearly $10,000 worth of damage to her home.

Laureen Picarello - Home Owner
"Initially we thought it was shadows"

Experts say those "shadows" were actually soot from scented candles - - next to impossible to get rid without professional cleaners.

Jeff May - May Indoor Air
"It’s a big problem yet very few people know about it"

Many scented candles are made by adding oil to wax...the more oil the stronger the scent...but more oil also means more soot. The risk is even higher in newer homes because they are built so airtight soot has no where to go.

Jeff May - May Indoor Air
"One candle is a enough to trash a house"

The National Candle Association says: "If you have a properly formulated candle, the amount of soot will be minuscule"

But Cambridge author Jeff May says the problem is some candles aren’t formulated properly

Jeff May - May Indoor Air
"It’s the same kind of thing you might get let’s say from a diesel exhaust"

Its not just your home that’s at risk - - its also your health.

David Ales - American Lung Association
"You burn one candle just one candle for an hour your going to raise the level of toxicity in that room a great deal"

And that has this mother of three even more concerned.

Laureen Picarello - Home Owner
"If its on our walls its obviously in our lungs"

David Ales - American Lung Association
"If you have a respiratory problem like disease or asthma you’re going to labor with your breathing, if you’re a child that's even worse"

For Laureen - - its lights out when it comes to candles in her home.

Laureen Picarello - Home Owner
"They won’t be burned in this house and I won’t be giving them as gifts any more"

Phil Lipof 7News

Related link:
May Indoor Air

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