Keep the Bugs Out of Your Firewood & Your Home!

2/12/2018 (Permalink)

There is nothing more relaxing than cozying up near a warm, crackling fire on a cold winter day. A wood-burning fireplace, in the comfort of your own home, presents the perfect setting to snuggle up and read a book, to watch movies and create cozy memories with friends and loved ones. But firewood, while being the fuel behind your relaxing fire, is also attractive to insects as a source of food and shelter. So it’s possible that you might just be welcoming a few unwanted guests, hitching a ride on the firewood, right into your home!

KEEP PESTS OUT OF YOUR FIREWOOD!

There are a few ways you can discourage insects from camping in your firewood and then riding into your home.

• Store Wood a Good Distance from your Home: In the cold months, it is very tempting to store the wood pile close to your home, or even inside your home. Avoid this! Insects love to hide out in the pile, and keeping it close or inside your home is an open invitation.
• Cover your Wood Pile: Wet firewood attracts insects. So it is important to protect firewood from the elements and let it dry. Use a tarp or cover on your firewood.
• Elevate your Firewood: It is very difficult to keep wood dry if it is lying on the ground. Find a way to elevate your pile by using some sort of support or firewood holder.
• First in First Out: If you always use the wood that is placed on the top of the pile, the old, unused wood at the bottom will make a perfect home for pests. Make sure all the wood gets used regularly by rotating your pile.
• No Pesticides: While it is tempting to treat bug-infested wood with pesticides, this actually does more harm than good. Pesticides will cause the insects to burrow deeper into the wood to escape. Additionally, if you burn wood treated with pesticides, harmful chemicals will release into the air and cause a health risk.
• Make two trips: Who likes to run outside in the cold every time you need another log for the fire? While it’s convenient to carry in the extra wood all at once, this invites pests into your home. Leaving wood lying inside your home could result in the bugs joining your party! Avoid this by only bringing in what you need and make another trip when it’s time.

A peaceful fire in your wood-burning fireplace is a great way to stay warm and relax during the cold winter months. Avoid the threat of inviting insects into your home by taking these precautions when using and storing your firewood!