Nothing makes the holidays bright like a fresh-cut Christmas tree. The beauty and fragrance of these holidays trees can fill a rental home. It’s like bringing a part of the outdoors into your living room. And when it’s decorated with lights and ornaments, it becomes synonymous with Christmas. But once the holidays have come and gone, the tree could not remain in the house. So, many Grand Rapids tenants would have to face the problem of how to dispose of their tree properly. Dry pine needles are a real fire hazard, so once you’re done with it, you have to remove the Christmas tree from the property as soon as possible. The hurdle here is that most dumpsters and general trash pick-ups won’t accept Christmas trees, so you can’t simply toss it out to dispose of it. Below, we’ll discuss some safe and legal ways renters can properly dispose of their Christmas trees.
One of the primary ways to dispose of a Christmas tree is to check your city’s website. Also, check the site of your local waste removal company as well. These days, cities and towns have their own websites that contain helpful information for residents. With the holiday season upon us, they usually update their sites to include information on specific, city-run programs designed for Christmas tree removal. Local waste removal companies do the same thing with their websites. Depending on the place, you may find local drop-off locations, curbside pickup or even a service where they shred your tree for mulch.
If the town provides drop-off locations, then you may have one of the most convenient ways to remove your tree from the property. To find the best location for you, simply do an internet search. When you’ve determined the location, you can take the tree there. And if you’re considering doing it yourself, use a tree bag to protect your walls and floors from scratches and to keep dead pine needles from making a mess.
Also, check with the yard waste removal company in the area. There are those that offer to have your tree picked up or even turn it into mulch right outside your home. To avail of 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 choices is available, don’t forget to gather all the information you can, including any related fees, before scheduling the service.
Outside of the services that your city provides or that of a local waste removal company, there are other options to dispose of a Christmas tree. If it’s useful for you, you can always hire someone to chop your tree up into firewood. You can also look for an organization that accepts donated Christmas trees for use in environmental recovery projects. This is a good option as many of these projects help reduce beach erosion or create habitats for wildlife using donated trees.
There is one way that you must never consider, and that is to burn your Christmas tree on the property. It’s only a good option if you have a wood-burning fireplace and if your tree is cut into firewood. Otherwise, it’s a really bad idea to light a dry pine tree on fire. It’s very risky and you may injure yourself or even damage or destroy your Grand Rapids rental property— and all your personal belongings with it.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported that it takes less than 60 seconds for a Christmas tree fire to set an entire house ablaze. Even if you do successfully burn your tree without burning down the house, you may have damaged the yard or other parts of the property. This could end up with you having to pay fines or lose your security deposit, at a minimum.
The proper disposal of your Christmas tree is a serious topic and should be handled appropriately. It shouldn’t be taken lightly. By doing the proper research and getting the right information, you can select the best method that gets the job done and, at the same time, makes sure you and your rental home stay safe.
At Real Property Management Investment Solutions, we know that the different aspects of life demand your attention— be it your business, or friends, or your family— and that may mean you can’t be on top of everything all the time. Our team of Grand Rapids property managers is ready to help you in that aspect. We take care of all tenant communication, including educating them on important aspects like Christmas tree removal. Contact us or call us at 616-419-4578 today.
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