One of the most devastating and also, regrettably, most unexpected disasters that can occur is a house fire. In a matter of just a few minutes, a single spark or small flame can turn into a raging inferno that will consume your house and everything, or everyone, inside of it.
Mitigating fire risk and having a fire response plan entails understanding what things in your home are flammable and are likely to be the source or a contributing factor to a fire.
Some unexpected items are a surprising fire risk, while others aren’t as bad as you might think. Let’s look at beeswax… Is beeswax flammable?
No, beeswax isn’t, flammable but might be combustible and it will burn at a high enough temperature. It’s unlikely to be a significant contributing factor to an accidental fire.
Beeswax has a long and distinguished history and not just as a byproduct of the honey-making process.
Beeswax is a wonderful wax for candles, but is also used in a variety of other products from cosmetics to protective finishes.
Keep reading and I’ll tell you what you need to know about the relevant fire hazards associated with beeswax…
Is Beeswax Combustible?
Yes, potentially. One important thing we should get out of the way right up front is the difference between the terms flammable and combustible, speaking in a strictly scientific context.
Broadly, flammable substances have a flashpoint, the temperature at which they emit flammable vapors, that is much lower and closer to room temperature compared to substances which are combustible, which have much higher flashpoints.
Beeswax has a flashpoint of around 400° F (204° C) which is definitely much higher than anything you would normally encounter in or around your home outside of close proximity to a fire or heating element on your stove.
But, one thing to keep in mind is that these standards vary depending on the agency or organization you are talking about.
OSHA considers beeswax combustible since it has a flashpoint above 200° F (93° C).
Other agencies have different standards. All you need to know is that beeswax will catch fire if it gets hot enough!
Does Beeswax Ignite at Any Temperature?
Yes. Assuming there was a source of ignition nearby beeswax will ignite right around 400° Fahrenheit which is the flash point.
If you are melting beeswax on the stovetop and the burner malfunctions or if you forget about it, it can boil and then eventually catch fire on its own.
Otherwise, you should only expect beeswax to melt and discolor when it gets hot, assuming the heat is not very intense or sustained.
Does Beeswax React with High Temps?
Yes, it does. Beeswax typically reacts with elevated temperatures by melting, as it has a very low melting point of between 137°F and 145°F with some variation depending upon the grade and type of the beeswax.
This is obvious and easily seen in the case of a beeswax candle burning, for instance.
However, melting beeswax will also emit aromatic compounds which give it its distinctive and pleasant scent, and if the heat continues to increase it will start to break down and change color chemically, losing its advantageous natural properties.
Beeswax that has been melted by very high temperatures, or kept in a melted state for too long, is usually not worth salvaging or else can only be used for making lower-quality products.
Are Beeswax Candles Flammable?
Yes, beeswax candles are flammable, but perhaps not in the way that you are thinking. Candle, composed of a wick and wax which acts as fuel, is designed to sustain a small flame.
The wax that is immediately around the wick will melt with some of it being drawn into the wick to sustain the flame while the rest trickles down the sides of the candle.
In this way a candle can burn for a very long time, but you’ll probably notice that you cannot directly light the main body of a candle on fire very easily.
This is due to the high flash point of the wax detailed above.
Is Beeswax Polish Flammable?
Yes, depending on the other ingredients in the polish.
You might already be familiar with various beeswax polishes and sealing compounds, used for everything from protecting outdoor clothing to putting a beautifully warm and pleasant finish on fine wooden furniture.
There are a great many of these products on the market, all of them with different ingredients lists.
Many of them have additional oils or even things like turpentine added to them to improve functionality or application, and these components can dramatically lower the ignition temperature compared to beeswax alone.
Always make sure you consult the packaging of these products for fire safety information!
Will Beeswax Make a Fire Worse?
Sometimes. Beeswax can burn as described above, and serve as a relatively short-lasting source of fuel for any fire.
However, aside from a mishap like burning, liquid wax running or splashing and starting a secondary fire nearby, it isn’t going to make an existing fire appreciably worse.
Is Beeswax Reactive with Other Substances?
No, not to the best of my knowledge although such interactions are never out of the question.
It’s possible that certain strong oxidizers might cause beeswax to spontaneously combust if mixed in the right proportions or if it is nearby, but there are hardly any chemicals or other substances that are typically found in an average home liable to react with beeswax.
How Should You Deal with Beeswax Exposed to Fire?
If a fire starts because of beeswax, or if a fire is threatening a large quantity of beeswax, you should be able to put it out using any conventional means.
You can hit it with any available fire extinguisher designed for flammable liquids, such as a B-class, K-class, or ABC-class fire extinguisher, smother it, or just douse it with water.
One thing to potentially keep in mind though if you are hitting a large quantity of beeswax with water is that hot, potentially flaming wax might be splashed away from the impact point and could start a secondary fire nearby, although this isn’t as big a hazard to be aware of as compared to an oil fire, for instance.
Also, if you are going to try and smother a beeswax fire, do be aware that very hot wax could potentially reignite if you remove the cover, so be prepared to follow up.
Tom Marlowe practically grew up with a gun in his hand, and has held all kinds of jobs in the gun industry: range safety, sales, instruction and consulting, Tom has the experience to help civilian shooters figure out what will work best for them.