Christmas has come and gone, it will soon be 2023 and it is time to pack up the lights and decorations, dispose of your tree, and return your home to normal life. While you can store all of your decorations in the attic or the back of the garage, what do you do with the real Christmas tree after the 12th night? (Unless you pay for garden waste collection, you can no longer put it in a wheelie bin.) If you have an open fire or a stove, you might be tempted to burn it. Don’t do it – it’s the worst thing you could do. Simply get rid of it.
Here are several reasons that burning your Christmas tree in your fire or stove is a bad idea:
- The needles can cause sparks to fly into your room, igniting your rugs, furniture, and other décor. Sparks will also travel up the chimney, increasing the likelihood of a chimney fire.
- Christmas trees all have a high resin content that can burn very quickly and explosively. These small explosions can set fire to items both inside and outside your home, including your chimney flue.
- A dry Christmas tree burns faster than expected, the fire can be difficult to control, resulting in a significant amount of heat and flames.
- Because of the speed with which a Christmas tree fire spreads, smoke can fill your home and damage your belongings without warning. The needles also contain a lot of nitrogen, which can produce toxic gases like hydrogen cyanide.
For your safety, the best advice ProSweep, professional Chimney Sweep, can give you is to never burn any part of your Christmas tree in your fire or stove.
Why not recycle your tree & have it turned into compost?
Torbay council have drop off points for Christmas trees from 9:30am to 12:30pm at Town Hall Car Park, Torquay and Brixham College, Ranscombe Road, Brixham on: Saturday 7 January 2023 & Saturday 14 January 2023 in addition to visiting the recycling centre or your paid for garden waste collection.
Teignbridge council offer free Christmas tree recycling at various pop up locations including Ashburton, Bishopsteignton, Bovey Tracey, Chudleigh, Dawlish & Dawlish Warren, Ipplepen, Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot & Teignmouth. In addition to visiting the recycling centre or your paid for garden waste collection.
Unfortunately West Devon council will only accept trees at their recycling centre or with your paid garden waste.
Did you know that the busiest months for chimney fires in Devon are January and February? If you can’t remember when you last had your chimney swept by a professional chimney sweep, or if it’s been more than a year, call ProSweep on 01626 832051 to schedule your 2023 chimney sweep we still have some availability in January. If you are normally pressed for time and never get round to making that booking, the quiet period betwen Christmas & new year is the perfect time to make your booking. Fill out your details on our contacts page and we will call you back and arrange a suitable appointment.
ProSweep Professional Chimney Sweep is approved by Devon Trading Standards Buy With Confidence offering a professional and personal chimney sweep & stove flue service in Newton Abbot, Torquay, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Bovey Tracey, Chagford and surrounding towns and villages. ProSweep your professional chimney sweep will always issue you a certificate of sweeping upon completion of our work. Phone today on 01626 832051 to book your appointment.