Tis the Season: Christmas Trees and Your Hewitt Rental Property

5 years ago

Christmas season is probably the only time of the year other than Thanksgiving that can bring families together with social gatherings, beautiful gifts, and twinkling lights. A lot of people say seasonal decorations are not the same if there is no Christmas tree, complete with lights and ornaments in sight. Hewitt rental property owners acknowledge that their tenants are the same with the majority and that having a Christmas tree may be one of the things that they view as an integral part of how they observe holiday celebrations.

While decorations are not always a problem, Christmas trees are unique due to their extremely flammable nature. When combined with electrical sparks or overheating cords, a dry Christmas tree can turn into a roaring house fire in less than a minute. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), home fires started by Christmas trees average 200 per year. Every year, these fires cause an average of $14.8 million in property damage, 16 injuries, and 6 deaths.

As the property owner, it is crucial that you get the message of basic fire safety tips across your renters before the holiday season approaches. While prohibiting Christmas trees entirely is likely not a choice, there are some simple things your tenants can do to protect themselves and your rental home from the risk of fire.

The American Christmas Tree Association (ACTA) offers a number of safety precautions that can significantly reduce the risk of your tree catching fire. These precautions include:

Buy a fresh (real) tree or an artificial tree. Fresh trees are safer due to their inherent fire resistance. Artificial trees are also much safer than real trees are due to the fact that they won’t dry out over time.
Water your fresh tree consistently. Fresh trees must be watered regularly and removed immediately after the holiday or as soon as the needles begin to drop.
Place your tree away from heat sources and open flames, such as fireplaces, candles, and heat vents.
Use safety-tested lights, and throw out any damaged light sets.
Turn off the Christmas tree lights before going to bed or leaving the home. Leaving the lights on all night or while away increases your risk of fire.
Keep an up-to-date fire extinguisher nearby in the event that sparks or flames do appear.

Making sure that these Christmas tree safety tips are shared with your tenants in Hewitt can protect your rental homes and help everyone enjoy a safe and peaceful holiday. Let Real Property Management Apex help get the message across, we will help you educate your renters about these safety precautions and that all holiday decorations meet basic safety guidelines. For more information about our full-service property management services, please contact us online or call us at 254-732-1599.

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