Storing Wood Next To House

[Glock1230]

New to the forums here, but I have a question about wood storage next to my house. I live in the suburbs, so I don't have a large yard to store wood. I have built two firewood racks that sit right up against my house. A friend mentioned that I could have termite or bug problems...is this true? I don't know much about insects, but now im worried that storing wood this close to my house could cause a termite problem. Anyone have any experience with this, or with doing their own pest control? Thanks!

 

[FIshing_Fool]

General rule of thumb is don't stack right up against your house.

If its a small stack of seasoned wood that's there for a short time until its burned - I think that's ok. But a big stack of green wood. That's going to be there a year? Try to give the house some breathing room.

 

[xman23]

If it's getting wet and trapping moisture on the house side, that's a bad idea. Green wood needs air flow and sun to season. The house will block the flow. Bugs move in to wet wood. I wouldn't do any long term storage near the house.

I do move a winter's worth of wood to under a covered side deck. It's seasoned wood, and I only put it there after the first freeze.

 

[kennyp2339]

If you stack directly next to the house you could be creating a bug problem, just not the way everyone thinks, if the wood already has termites or ants they will find away into the house, as the wood dries out the bugs leave in search of a new moist home, the house could be next on there list. I always keep wet wood away, but once it dries out it can be stored next to the house. Usually the ants / termites are long gone, but they do get replaced with spiders, really not a big deal.

 

[mass_burner]

Keep a 1-2" open space between your foundation/exterior and anything else for inspection, air movement. Only bad things can happen when you put stuff up against your home. I have a wood cart on wheels for seasoned wood under my eave, but i keep an 8" gap and I pull it out often to clean behind it. Plus its on a raised platform.

 

[sportbikerider78]

If you enjoy ants, spiders, snakes, mice and moisture next to your home,,....a wood pile is the best way to get it done.

 

[Glock1230]

It is on a raised rack, and there is about 2 inches from the split wood to the side of my house. I will pull the rack a few more inches away from my house next time its empty, and I will build more racks away from my house from now on. Thanks for the replies.

 

[mass_burner]

Keep a 1-2" open space between your foundation/exterior and anything else for inspection, air movement. Only bad things can happen when you put stuff up against your home. I have a wood cart on wheels for seasoned wood under my eave, but i keep an 8" gap and I pull it out often to clean behind it. Plus its on a raised platform.

I meant 1-2 feet, sorry.

 

[Ashful]

If you stack directly next to the house you could be creating a bug problem, just not the way everyone thinks, if the wood already has termites or ants they will find away into the house, as the wood dries out the bugs leave in search of a new moist home, the house could be next on there list. I always keep wet wood away, but once it dries out it can be stored next to the house. Usually the ants / termites are long gone, but they do get replaced with spiders, really not a big deal.

Ants, and a few other pests, sure. But probably not termites, esp. in Indiana. Termites build their nest in the ground, not in your firewood. At worst, you might transport a few workers who were out foraging at the time you moved the wood, but they will die in short order, separated from their ground-borne nest. The colony is in the ground.

If you happen to be foolish enough to move wood that was sitting on wet ground, directly to your house, I suppose there is some remote possibility of moving a termite colony. This would take very bad luck, and most likely a residence in a warmer clime.

 

[jillybeansisme]

The best thing I've found for doing my own bug spraying is Spectracide Bug Kill (or it might be Bug Stop). Anyway, it's in a black plastic container and you can find it at Wallmart or most HDs or Lowe's for about $6 per gallon. It also comes in concentrate. When I lived in Las Vegas I sprayed spring and fall (2x per year total), which was more than the suggested rate, but I wanted to make sure there was no bug problem. I've now moved to Oregon and need to spray but just haven't gotten to it yet. Since I am now finding spiders in the house, I think it's time . . .

Definitely keep some space between your house and your wood. Also keep some space between stacks!

 

[Hardwood Hunter]

I tried this once and had many problems with field ants (medium sized black and red beasts that bite like crazy) making nests in the pile and then moved into the building. It's taken me several years of bug bombs and poisoning to get rid of them.

Otoh I stack under eaves in the fall to have wood close by. Just move any leftovers away come spring.