Firewood Location

[gregjmcquaid]

I'm a little bit unsure of best firewood location. I've heard of people putting multiple cords in their garage/basement with no problems. If it's all used in one winter season, and I put peppermint oil in and around the stack every couple of weeks for mice, do you guys see my spot being an issue?

 

[moresnow]

Looks handy to me. I also stored a few days worth in a spare bedroom for bad weather, late night reloads.

 

[Woody Stover]

Looks handy to me.

That's my main criterion. I have a couple weeks' worth just outside the door under a small porch roof, and maybe a half cord within 8' of the door against the house and partially under the roof rake overhang.

 

[cygnus]

Looks good. Gotta be handy.

 

[gregjmcquaid]

It's certainly handy, you guys wouldn't be concerned with mice/etc.?

 

[BIGChrisNH]

I've had stacks that close to my house and never any mice issues. You got cats?

 

[moresnow]

Have not seen a mouse in some time. I have a couple of cats on patrol!

 

[firefighterjake]

My wood shed is about 20 feet from the house . . . wood stacks are maybe 30 feet away. I see an occasional mouse nest when deconstructing the wood stacks, but rarely see a mouse in the house. I do have six indoor cats and one outdoor cat though . . . and for the few times I have seen any sign of mice a couple of well placed snap mouse traps seem to do the trick.

 

[St. Coemgen]

Best predators for mice are owls, not cats. Promote owl habitat on your property.

http://www.orkin.com/rodents/house-mouse/house-mouse-enemies-house-mouse-predators/

In wood piles snakes are most effective. They can get into the pile where no cat can.

 

[Ashful]

How's this for close?



I split, stack, and dry my wood 300 feet from the house. Mice, snakes, and all sorts of creatures take up residence in those stacks. Then, during the heating season, I move a cord at a time up to the house. The critters scatter, and old nests are shaken out. I've never had an issue with a nest or bugs after restacking on this patio.

So, my advice is stack fresh wood away from the house. Have no concern with moving it up to the house, a cord at a time, after the freezing weather hits.

 

[begreen]

That's the way we do it, just not a cord at a time. The only thing that travels inadvertently with the wood are an occasional hornet or spider.

 

[Handsonautotech]

We have been keeping a small amount right on the porch. A chipmunk took up residence for a bit. Gave my dog a real workout.

 

[Ashful]

That's the way we do it, just not a cord at a time.

So... you're moving wood TWICE every week?

Disclaimer: My wood usage is down to a cord every second week in Jan/Feb, with the Blaze Kings. I would occasionally do a full cord in a single week, with the Jotuls.

 

[begreen]

Yes, that's about right in very cold weather. And I do it without machinery. Not a big deal, gets these old bones outside for a little exercise.

 

[cookin2night]

How's this for close?

View attachment 186994

I split, stack, and dry my wood 300 feet from the house. Mice, snakes, and all sorts of creatures take up residence in those stacks. Then, during the heating season, I move a cord at a time up to the house. The critters scatter, and old nests are shaken out. I've never had an issue with a nest or bugs after restacking on this patio.

So, my advice is stack fresh wood away from the house. Have no concern with moving it up to the house, a cord at a time, after the freezing weather hits.

I need a good reason to get a Deere like that. Thanks! Or maybe a Kubota!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Handsonautotech]

So... you're moving wood TWICE every week?

Disclaimer: My wood usage is down to a cord every second week in Jan/Feb, with the Blaze Kings. I would occasionally do a full cord in a single week, with the Jotuls.

Wow, I hope I am not going through this kind of quantity of wood in the middle of winter, how large of an area are you heating?

 

[Ashful]

Wow, I hope I am not going through this kind of quantity of wood in the middle of winter, how large of an area are you heating?

Large house, un-insulated stone construction. Built 1738 - 1779, with all doors and windows in the old part of the house dating to 1779. I'm actually burning over 1000 gallons of oil per year, in addition to that wood bill, just one of the prices we pay for keeping things authentic.

 

[buc74]

We've been storing wood in the garage now for a few years. We only bring in dry (>3 years) wood with much of the bark off since its falling off by then pretty much. No bug issues really, mice now and then but not more than I wood expect even without the wood in the garage.

 

[Ashful]

I'd rather keep my garage bays free for parking cars! There are few things I hate more than scraping ice off my windshield every morning at 7am.

 

[buc74]

I totally agree on the scraping ice, plus I know my better half will have nothing to do with parking outside in winter or summer. I'm ok though since the garage is like 32 ft deep at our vacation home.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Whether or not you have an issue depends on your tolerances. Some people freak out over spiders and mice. Others do not.

Carpenter ants and termites like damp wood. Firewood is normally too dry for that. Powder post beetles like dry. They can be an issue.

 

[venator260]

I have mouse issues and my stacks are 100 yards from the house. I think I trapped 7-8 last winter. I've been going around and attempting to seal up access points. We will see how this year goes. I do get a good number of spiders in my basement. I figured that has at least something to do with the wood coming in. I probably put close to a cord in at a time.

I think that the mouse issue has little to do with nearby nesting habitat and everything to do with mice wanting to escape the cold. My house doesn't have any good cover for a good 50 feet. What it has is a warm place to be in the winter and at least one hole big enough for a mouse to get through that I may or may not have found over the summer.

 

[moresnow]

Best predators for mice are owls, not cats. Promote owl habitat on your property.

http://www.orkin.com/rodents/house-mouse/house-mouse-enemies-house-mouse-predators/

In wood piles snakes are most effective. They can get into the pile where no cat can.

Snakes.. Zoikes.

 

[kennyp2339]

I need a good reason to get a Deere like that. Thanks! Or maybe a Kubota!

Kioti

 

[Ashful]

I need a good reason to get a Deere like that. Thanks! Or maybe a Kubota!

Kioti

Friends don't let friends buy orange.