Why You Should Be Careful About Storing Your Firewood Inside

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Creating a roaring fire is not only dependent on an efficient wood burning fireplace, but also on the type of firewood you use. You need to ensure that firewood is stored in an area away from the elements to keep it dry and ready for burning. You can create stylish firewood storage in your home that is an interior design feature in itself, but you need to be careful when storing your firewood inside.

Although it is more convenient than having to venture outdoors in the cold, keeping your firewood inside can actually allow a myriad of insects to make their way into your home.

  • Types of insects that live in firewood

Firewood can play host to a number on insects. Beetles love to live underneath bark or inside the wood where they lay their eggs, and the larvae can live inside the wood up to two years! The beetle larvae create tunnels underneath the bark of a newly cut tree and feed on the moisture and sap of the wood’s cells.

Dry firewood attracts bees and wasps while damp wood attracts termites, bark lice and centipedes to name a few. These insects may infest your home if you store the firewood inside so always dry out your wood as quickly as possible.

  • How to prevent insect infestation in firewood

You can do so by placing the wood in a space with abundant air and keep the firewood above ground and away from any moisture. The ideal time to cut down some wood or purchase it is from late Summer to late Autumn. Then let it season or dry for at least six months before it is scheduled to be used.

Don’t ever use pesticides to try and kill insects that may be living in your wood as it will just burn in your fireplace which isn’t good for the air. If you want to keep your firewood inside, make sure you only bring it in 1-2 days before you plan on burning it. Any longer and you could be letting these critters escape into your home.

Looking for an efficient wood burning fireplace for your home? Quadra-Fire has a range of freestanding and insert wood fireplaces. Browse our range online or contact your local store for more details.