Why One Should Stack Wood Away from House or Other Structure
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trailrated
Feeling the Heat
Split it and leave for a couple days, what doesn't get eaten by birds....they'll move on or die in the cold/snow
stoveliker
Minister of Fire
But when you split and stack it (off the ground and covered), there won't be new infestations - at least in my experience.
So avoid putting splits with ants in your stacks, and you should be good...?
I'd stack that wood after shaking out (or otherwise killing) all the ants..
So avoid putting splits with ants in your stacks, and you should be good...?
I'd stack that wood after shaking out (or otherwise killing) all the ants..
Yeah they should all die as I am making sure they are all out but ants are tough creatures. The birds will love them so that is a good point!
stoveliker
Minister of Fire
I've had this numerous times. Recently with some locust.
Good time to split a bit smaller to get the ants out, and get a variety of sizes.
I've never had them in splits that have dried in my stacks even is wood went in that had what you have.
It's a bit more work to make sure they're gone, so it may not be worth it if there is a lot of them (and a lot of damage, especially in lighter woods), but other than that, I wouldn't worry about it, and neither would I worry about the home. Stacks are generally clean in my experience. Lotsa birds tho to catch the flying stuff that overnights (or overdays...) in between the splits.
Good time to split a bit smaller to get the ants out, and get a variety of sizes.
I've never had them in splits that have dried in my stacks even is wood went in that had what you have.
It's a bit more work to make sure they're gone, so it may not be worth it if there is a lot of them (and a lot of damage, especially in lighter woods), but other than that, I wouldn't worry about it, and neither would I worry about the home. Stacks are generally clean in my experience. Lotsa birds tho to catch the flying stuff that overnights (or overdays...) in between the splits.
trailrated
Feeling the Heat
I have chickens so when I run across this when splitting the spilts go to the chickens and they have a field day.
Every standing dead red oak I have cut down and worked up has at least one nest of carpenter ants in it somewhere. Sometimes
as far as 20 feet up. I go ahead and split it up, then throw those splits to the side. The wrens love the ants and I can get those splits
later on.
as far as 20 feet up. I go ahead and split it up, then throw those splits to the side. The wrens love the ants and I can get those splits
later on.
And the Garter snakes love the bugs in the stacks. Found a few snake skins this Fall.
The ants will leave once the wood starts drying. They’ll set up a new colony within 300 or so feet. That’s why you want to keep the stacks away from the house.
But you could look at it another way. Ants like wet wood. It’s easier to excavate. I’ve had plenty of customers notified that a window or door’s flashing was leaking and wood was wet by the ants. Those ants may have saved them thousands!
But you could look at it another way. Ants like wet wood. It’s easier to excavate. I’ve had plenty of customers notified that a window or door’s flashing was leaking and wood was wet by the ants. Those ants may have saved them thousands!
Wood1Dennis
Burning Hunk
I see this from time to time, just today in some black cherry. Split it, stack it and forget it for a couple of seasons. They leave when the wood dries out, like others have said. No problem.
If you stack it and sprinkle it with a little borax, that will take care of any of the bugs over time.
BrownT10
Burning Hunk
Chickens would solve that problem. My chickens come running with the sound of the splitter going. Occasional nest of ants, won't bother anything.
Sawset
Minister of Fire
Stag beetle grubs are fun too. Hard as a marble when frozen, but just fine when they thaw. And knarly looking as adults. I wouldn't stack fresh split wood in or around my house either. There are known knowns, the ones you see, and unknown knowns, all those worms, grubs and ants that you don't see.
usernametaken
Burning Hunk
I spray my stacks, woodshed area etc. with Permethrin. Any bugs that don't come out during splitting, die when they come out of the wood they're are in/on. No issues with my wood shed attached to the barn or full winter's supply in the basement this way...
I stack my firewood, about 130 feet from my house and 40 feet from a detached garage.
Pros: the critters are far away.
Cons:
Its too far for me to bring firewood in everyday. I use my ATV once a week to load the firewood on my porch firewood rack. [Takes about an Hour]
When it snows, I have to clear snow, make a path for my ATV so in can bring firewood in uninterrupted. [another 20-30 Minutes]
I have to find a better setup next year.
Pros: the critters are far away.
Cons:
Its too far for me to bring firewood in everyday. I use my ATV once a week to load the firewood on my porch firewood rack. [Takes about an Hour]
When it snows, I have to clear snow, make a path for my ATV so in can bring firewood in uninterrupted. [another 20-30 Minutes]
I have to find a better setup next year.
My firewood is 150' from the house. Much of it is in IBC totes which I can bring up to the house with the tractor. Some is in stacks and soon I hope a wood shed. For that wood I need to restack into an empty tote, which takes about 45 minutes every 3 weeks or so.
In my area we have to worry about wildfire so I want to keep the wood well away from the house. A stack of wood next to the house would decrease the chances of survival in a fire and might make firefighters write off the house rather than try to save it.
In my area we have to worry about wildfire so I want to keep the wood well away from the house. A stack of wood next to the house would decrease the chances of survival in a fire and might make firefighters write off the house rather than try to save it.
If my firewood was 150' from my house it would be in my neighbors, neighbors yard!
I keep a 1/3 cord top covered under my synthetic deck. Good access in bad weather either through the walkout basement or slider on the deck. Rest of the wood is 25 to 75 ft away.
Isaac Carlson
Minister of Fire
We've had plenty of ants/grubs in fresh rounds, but the seasoned wood is fine. Maybe an occasional mouse nest or spider, but that's about it. We keep this year's wood about 40 feet from the house for easy fetch'n. Snow gets deep here.
SpaceBus
Minister of Fire
Carpenter ants can't live in dry healthy wood. It has to be partially decomposed for the ants to take up residence. Carpenter ant infestations from firewood would mean the stove operator is bringing in fresh split unseasoned wood into burn.
question: Im paranoid of carpenter ants. When I put on my expansion, one day I started to notice a few walking around on the floor inside and out. One time when I was cutting away the overhang coming into the expansion I noticed them in the old roof of the cabin, like 3-4.
So they are in there, somewhere. Since then, I havent seen them. I did a perimeter spray and sprayed / baited that general area where I saw them.
My neighbor on the other hand was remodeling, and when they were ripping out some wall sheeting THOUSANDS of carpenter ants poured out , and they have no idea where from. So they call and exterminator who I see on my security camera comes back about once every few months...
Im curious how people work to ensure there are no infestations inside their place. Baits, perimeter sprays, flock of pet birds?
So they are in there, somewhere. Since then, I havent seen them. I did a perimeter spray and sprayed / baited that general area where I saw them.
My neighbor on the other hand was remodeling, and when they were ripping out some wall sheeting THOUSANDS of carpenter ants poured out , and they have no idea where from. So they call and exterminator who I see on my security camera comes back about once every few months...
Im curious how people work to ensure there are no infestations inside their place. Baits, perimeter sprays, flock of pet birds?
So, carpenter ants are going to send foragers out in a circle about 300 feet from their nest. They’ll be looking for food, water, and new places to set up satellite colonies. You probably have several colonies within 300 feet of your place.
As they walk around, they’ll leave a pheromone trail to follow back, and that others will follow to the spot they’ve found. This is why you often see them walking in a line.
So, things you can do to stop an infestation. Most people aren’t going to cut down all the trees around their house and even if they did, the stumps would still be there underground where they could support a nest. What we tell people is to try to dry the area around their house out. They prefer damper areas. Keep mulch away from the foundation. Trim branches back so they don’t touch the house. Keep flashing in good shape so your wall interiors aren’t wet.
But really that’s all you can do. I was 20 feet off the ground painting my house and saw a carpenter ant walk across the house in front of me. I was like, “Hey, you shouldn’t be there!” And started looking around. I spotted them walking down the phone line attached to my house. I hadn’t had a landline phone in years, but the line was still there. They got onto the phone line about 100 feet behind my house at the next pole. I treated my house and collapsed the colony, but since there are probably 20 elderly silver maples within 300 feet of my house I’ll always have carpenter ants around.
The most effective treatment for carpenter ants is a bait. They take it back and feed it to the rest of the colony. The trick is finding a bait they’ll accept, as they will switch back and forth between protein and carbohydrates.
As they walk around, they’ll leave a pheromone trail to follow back, and that others will follow to the spot they’ve found. This is why you often see them walking in a line.
So, things you can do to stop an infestation. Most people aren’t going to cut down all the trees around their house and even if they did, the stumps would still be there underground where they could support a nest. What we tell people is to try to dry the area around their house out. They prefer damper areas. Keep mulch away from the foundation. Trim branches back so they don’t touch the house. Keep flashing in good shape so your wall interiors aren’t wet.
But really that’s all you can do. I was 20 feet off the ground painting my house and saw a carpenter ant walk across the house in front of me. I was like, “Hey, you shouldn’t be there!” And started looking around. I spotted them walking down the phone line attached to my house. I hadn’t had a landline phone in years, but the line was still there. They got onto the phone line about 100 feet behind my house at the next pole. I treated my house and collapsed the colony, but since there are probably 20 elderly silver maples within 300 feet of my house I’ll always have carpenter ants around.
The most effective treatment for carpenter ants is a bait. They take it back and feed it to the rest of the colony. The trick is finding a bait they’ll accept, as they will switch back and forth between protein and carbohydrates.
Ok I'll throw the kitchen sink at them. I haven't seen one in a couple of years but I also don't want to find out we have an issue when the next 3 foot snow hits.
