Nothing gives the holiday feel like a fresh-cut Christmas tree. These holiday trees can fill a rental home with the aroma and beauty of the outdoors. Its very smell brings back the good memories of holidays past. And when it’s decorated with lights and ornaments, it becomes one of the iconic symbols of Christmas. However, once the holidays are over, it becomes a bit of a problem. Many Brookland tenants have to answer the question: How do I properly dispose of this tree? Dry pine needles are a fire hazard, so, after you’ve kept the ornaments and other decorations, the next thing you need to do is to remove your Christmas tree from the property. The difficulty of this is that most dumpsters and general trash pick-ups won’t accept Christmas trees, so disposing of it is not as simple as tossing it out. What we’re going to do is talk about several safe and legal ways renters can properly dispose of their Christmas trees.
One of the first things you can do to dispose of a Christmas tree is to check your city’s website or that of your local waste removal company. In this information age, almost all cities and towns have their own websites with helpful information for residents. When the holiday season comes, they update it to include information for specific, city-run programs designed for Christmas tree removal. They do a similar thing for local waste removal companies. For some places, this could mean a list of local drop-off locations; in others, they may provide services like curbside pickup or even shred your tree for mulch.
If your town has drop-off locations, then it would be really easy to remove the tree from the property. To find the most convenient location for you, just do a quick internet search. After you’ve chosen a location, what’s left is to take your tree there. If you want to do it yourself, do use a tree bag to protect your walls and floors from scratches and to keep dead pine needles from making a mess.
There are places where you can have your tree picked up by a yard waste removal company or even have them turn it into mulch right outside your home. You may need to make a special request on or before a specific date to be able to benefit from these services. Some may also cost you a little extra on your trash removal bill that month. If one of these solutions is available, remember to get all the relevant information, including any related fees, before you schedule the service.
Other than services provided by your city or a local waste removal company, there are still other ways to dispose of a Christmas tree. If you want, you could hire someone to chop your tree up into firewood for you. You can also search for organizations that accept donated Christmas trees for use in environmental recovery projects. This is a nice option since many of these projects aim to reduce beach erosion or create habitats for wildlife using donated trees.
There is one option that you should never consider, and that is to burn your Christmas tree on the property. It’s only a legitimate option if you own a wood-burning fireplace and if you had the tree cut into firewood. Otherwise, it’s very risky to light a dry pine tree on fire. You may injure yourself or even damage or destroy your 0location rental property and all your personal belongings in it.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that it takes less than 60 seconds for a Christmas tree fire to set an entire house ablaze. Even if you’ve successfully burned your tree without damaging the house, the flames would most likely damage the yard or another part of the property. This may mean that you, at a minimum, would have to pay some fines or deal with the loss of your security deposit.
The proper disposal of your Christmas tree should never be taken lightly. It is a serious matter. By getting the right information and choosing the best method for you, you can get the job done properly and keep you and your rental home safe.
At Real Property Management DC Metro, we understand the demands of life and that you can’t always stay on top of everything while going about your business and personal life. Our team of Brookland property managers is ready to help you deal with that responsibility. We take care of all tenant communication, including educating them on important aspects like Christmas tree removal. Contact us or call us at 202-269-0303 today.
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