Nothing welcomes the holidays more than a fresh-cut Christmas tree. These holiday trees have a beauty and fragrance to them that warms the rental home. It’s as if a part of the outdoors have been brought inside. And when it’s decorated with lights and ornaments, it turns into one of the greatest icons of Christmas. But as soon as the holidays are over, the tree would have to be dealt with. Many Rochester tenants will need to figure out how to properly dispose of their tree. Dry pine needles are a fire hazard, so, you’ll need to take the Christmas tree out of your property as soon as all the ornaments and decoration on it are taken down. The little snag here is that most dumpsters and general trash pick-ups won’t accept Christmas trees. This means that disposing of it isn’t as simple as tossing it out. Below, we’ll take a look at several safe and legal ways renters can properly dispose of their Christmas trees.
The first thing you can do to dispose of a Christmas tree is to check your city’s website or the website of your local waste removal company. In these modern days, many cities and towns have their own websites. In it, you may find helpful information for residents which usually includes specific, city-run programs designed for Christmas tree removal. It’s the same for local waste removal companies. Some places show you local drop-off locations while others show you how to avail of curbside pickup or even how to have them shred your tree for mulch. It varies from place to place.
If your town provides a list of drop-off locations, that would be one of the easiest ways to deal with your tree. To find a good location for you, all you have to do is a quick internet search. Once you’ve got the location, the next thing to do is to take the tree there. If you plan to do it yourself, then consider using a tree bag to protect your walls and floors from scratches and to keep dead pine needles from making a mess.
Also, check your local yard waste removal company. Some of them can pick up your tree or even turn it into mulch right outside your home. To utilize these services, you may need to make a special request on or before a specific date, and some may cost you a little extra on your trash removal bill that month. If either of these two options is available, get all the relevant information you can— including any related fees— before scheduling the service.
If you choose not to avail of the services provided by the city or by the local waste removal company, or if they do not offer those services, it’s not a problem. There are several other ways to dispose of a Christmas tree. For starters, you could hire someone to chop your tree up into firewood for you. There are also several organizations that accept donated Christmas trees for use in environmental recovery projects. You can do a search online to find the closest one to you. The good thing about this option is that many of these projects aim to reduce beach erosion or create habitats for wildlife using donated trees.
One thing you should never do is burn your Christmas tree on the property. This is an option you shouldn’t even consider. It’s only an option if you have a wood-burning fireplace and have had the tree cut into firewood. Otherwise, lighting a dry pine tree on fire is very risky and you may injure yourself or even damage or destroy your Rochester rental property— not to mention all your personal belongings in it.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says that it takes less than 60 seconds for a Christmas tree fire to set an entire house ablaze. Even if you do manage to burn your tree without burning down the house, the fire would most likely cause damage to the yard or another part of the property. This may mean, at a minimum, that you’d have to pay fines or lose your security deposit.
The proper disposal of your Christmas tree is no laughing matter. It should be taken seriously. By doing a bit of research and choosing the right method, you can get the job done and keep you and your rental home safe.
At Real Property Management Seacoast New Hampshire, we understand that you need to deal with all the aspects of life that are pulling you for attention— your business, your family, your friends— and that means you can’t be on top of everything all the time. Our team of Rochester property managers is ready to help you. We take care of all tenant communication, including educating them on important aspects like Christmas tree removal. Contact us or call us at 603-343-2202 today.
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