Tis the Season: Christmas Trees and Your Waunakee Rental Property

If there’s one holiday that everybody looks forward to, it’s the Christmas season. It is that beautiful time of the year where every family gets together with social gatherings, beautiful gifts, and twinkling lights. A lot of people consider seasonal decorations to be incomplete if it is without an attractive Christmas tree, complete with lights and ornaments. Waunakee rental property owners should understand that their tenants probably have the same sentiments and believe that having a Christmas tree is an integral part of their holiday celebrations.

The truth is, decorations are not always a problem, it’s just that Christmas trees have an 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 six deaths.

As the property owner, it should be on your list to educate basic fire safety tips to your renters before the holiday season arrives. You may be thinking about prohibiting Christmas trees altogether, but that would not be the best option. There are several easy steps that your tenants can do to make sure they are protected, and of course your rental property too, from the risk of fire.

The American Christmas Tree Association (ACTA) recommends a few safety precautions that can greatly 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, plus most of them are fire-retardant.
• 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.

Getting these Christmas tree safety tips across with your tenants in Waunakee can help protect your rental homes and ensure that everyone gets to enjoy a safe and peaceful holiday. With Real Property Management Greater Madison Metro by your side, we can guarantee that these safety precautions are shared with your renters 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 608-310-1290.