‘Tunneling’ is when the wick burns a hole straight down the middle of the candle, leaving a rim of solid, unused wax around the edges of the candle jar. Not only is tunnelling disappointing and unsightly, but it is also wasteful and greatly reduces the burn time of your candle.
Ideally, you want a clean, even burn which uses all of the wax for maximum enjoyment.
TEMPLE candles are designed not to tunnel, however, if you find your candle is slightly tunnelling, here are some possible causes and ways to fix it:
Burn Time
Tunnelling may occur if the candle has not been allowed to burn long enough on the first lighting. The first time a candle is lit, the entire top layer of wax should melt into a liquid pool that reaches to the edge of the glass. Wax has a ‘memory’ so if, on the first burning, you don't allow it to burn long enough to melt the entire top layer, on the next burn the candle will not melt any further out that the first 'ring' of melted wax. This is why we recommend burning your TEMPLE candle for a minimum of 2 hours every time it is lit (but NEVER more than 4 hours), allowing the candle to burn to the edges of the glass. If you notice your candle has not completely melted across the top layer, let it burn for a little longer.
Draft and Air Flow
Any amount of draft, disruption to airflow, air-conditioning, or mounting your candle on an uneven surface can cause tunnelling in candles. If the flame is blowing in one direction or heating up the wax more in one ‘hot spot’, this will encourage the formation of an uneven wax pool. Just remember to light your candles in a zero-draft area, and place on an even surface.