Firewood & Pestss

Firewood & Pests

With the cold weather approaching, or in some cases already here, many of us are thinking about curling up in front of the fireplace. Before you do this, have you thought about your firewood? If you haven't, the winter fire you planned to enjoy could turn out to be a real nightmare!

Firewood can be, and usually is, a haven for all types of pests. "So what," you say? Well, first of all, you probably don't want to bring these pests into the house. Secondly, if your wood is stored in the garage or even next to the house or garage, you are providing excellent living conditions for some of these pests. Let's look at some of the potential problems associated with the improper storage of firewood.

Termites, carpenter ants, and wood- boring beetles are pests which actually live in the wood. When the firewood is stored in or adjacent to your house, you are making it much easier for these pests to get to the wooden structure of your house. Firewood stacked on the ground adjacent to the house will allow subterranean termites to establish a nest in the soil beneath the woodpile and to begin to look for new sources of food (wood). The wood joists and studs of your house are just as attractive, or maybe even more attractive, than the woodpile.

Carpenter ants are also frequently found in stacks of firewood. These large black ants burrow through the wood to form nests. If the firewood stack is next to the house, these ants may find their way into the house while looking for food. The damage caused by these ants can be extensive and costly and their presence can be exasperating.

There are also a number of beetles which burrow and live in wood. These too, can and will, infest the wood in your home. Many of these beetles prefer the dried wood of furniture and can be a significant problem in wooden floors.

Occasional household invaders associated with wood include such things as spiders, pill bugs, centipedes and millipedes. While most of these are nothing more than a nuisance, the Black widow spider may be found in wood stacks which have been sitting for some time. This is particularly true of wood which is stacked indoors (like the garage).

Wood stacks also provide excellent harborage for such things as mice, rats and snakes. Stacking wood adjacent to the house provides easier access to the inside for these pests.

So, what should you do (and not do)?

Stack your wood outside and away from the house - the greater the distance away, the better.
Bring only the amount of wood inside that you are going to use for the current fire. DON'T STORE ANY WOOD INSIDE THE HOUSE OR IN THE GARAGE!
Don't spray the wood with a pesticide to kill these pests. First of all, you probably will not get the pesticide to the area where the pests are located. Secondly, the pesticide residue left on the wood may cause potentially hazardous fumes when the wood is burned.
Check the wood as you bring it in. Any pests you see should simply be brushed off before you bring the wood in. Any pests you don't see will be taken care of in the fire.
Don't bum any type of treated wood such as decking material, telephone poles, railroad ties, etc. The fumes generated during burning are hazardous to your health.æ Dispose of this treated wood in sanitary landfills.