Key Takeaways
- Store firewood at least two feet away from your home and keep it off the ground so the wood stays dry and air can circulate through the pile.
- Do not apply pesticides to firewood that will be burned because burning pesticide-treated wood can produce harmful vapors.
- Bring indoors only the amount of firewood you plan to burn that day.
- Knock firewood pieces together outdoors before bringing them inside to shake off insects clinging to the wood.
During the winter months many homeowners use firewood as a source of heat or to create an attractive atmosphere. But along with the firewood can come many types of pests. Most firewood pests will not harm people or animals or start an infestation of wood within the home.
However, a few pests require more attention. Black widow spiders are one pest of concern, and some wood-boring beetle infestations can begin when beetles emerge from stored firewood. But most pests are harmless, yet annoying, insects like cockroaches, pillbugs, centipedes, ground beetles, and sowbugs that all like to hide during winter beneath bark or in the cracks of firewood, becoming active within days after the firewood is brought into a warm home.
The best way to control firewood pests is to properly store and manage the firewood. Do not spray firewood with pesticides. Harmful vapors can result from burning pesticide-treated wood.
Store your firewood at least two feet away from the side of your home, and keep it off the ground. This keeps firewood dry and allows air to circulate throughout the woodpile.
Burn the oldest wood first; the older the wood, the greater the chance that insects may get into it.
When you are ready to bring some firewood inside, knock the logs together to shake off any insects that may be clinging to the wood.
The most important step is to bring inside only what you will burn that day. Firewood stored by the fireplace, in the garage, or in the basement allows pests to warm up and emerge within your home. Although a neat stack next to the fireplace may look attractive, storing firewood indoors gives pests time to warm up and emerge.
Managing firewood pests is mainly a matter of keeping them outdoors instead of within your home. The shorter the time that firewood is inside, the lower the chance there will be for these pests to emerge and scatter.
Firewood Pest FAQs
How far should firewood be stored from a house?
Perma-Chink Systems recommends storing firewood at least two feet away from the side of your home and keeping it off the ground. This helps keep the wood dry and allows air to circulate through the pile.
Should you spray firewood for bugs?
No. Do not apply pesticides to firewood that will be burned. Burning pesticide-treated wood can produce harmful vapors. Proper outdoor storage and limiting the amount of firewood brought indoors are safer ways to manage firewood pests.
How long should firewood stay inside the house?
Bring inside only the amount of firewood you plan to burn that day. Firewood kept beside a fireplace, in a garage, or in a basement can warm up and allow insects hiding in the wood to emerge.
What should you do if you see signs of wood-boring beetles in your log home?
Firewood pests and an active infestation in the home are different problems. Emergence holes and fresh sawdust or frass can indicate wood-boring beetle activity. Review Perma-Chink Systems’ wood-boring beetle resources for information on identifying and addressing activity in structural wood.
Keep Firewood Pests Outdoors
Keep your firewood pile away from the home, elevate it off the ground, knock logs together before carrying them inside, and bring in only what you plan to burn that day. For more information about pests that can affect log and timber homes, explore the pest section of Perma-Chink Systems’ Technical Tips.
