How To Store Firewood To Avoid Termites?

If you’ve struggled to keep termites away from firewood, then this guide is a gold mine of information. 

You’ll get to know four actionable hacks on how to store firewood to avoid termites. 

Not only that, but you’ll also discover how to get rid of termites in a firewood log pile as well.

Plus, we’ll reveal other pests that infest firewood and pose a risk to your home.

Read and implement the steps you’ll learn, and you will never have termites or pest issues in your firewood pile. 

Let’s jump right in!

Risk Of Termites In Firewood

If you’ve firewood in your yard or garden, then the risk of termites in firewood is not high.

It’s certain.  

Why?

Because termites love firewood. 

Firewood is softwood. It has high levels of cellulose and moisture that are the primary nutrition sources for termites. 

Firewood absorbs moisture fast, making it more prone to rot and decay. 

That attracts two types of termites – subterranean termites and dampwood termites. 

And it doesn’t stop there. 

Data suggests that if you’ve termites in firewood, then the risk of termite infestation inside your home increases by more than 90%. 

So, keeping your firewood log pile secured from termites is a significant step in securing your home from termite infestation. 

But firewood, with other things combined, like mulch, foliage, organic waste, and dampness, attracts termites in your yard. 

So, what should you do to prevent termites from firewood?

Let’s find it out.

How To Store Firewood To Avoid Termites?

There are four essential hacks to avoid termites in firewood

1. Break the firewood pile’s contact with the ground.
2. Keep the firewood pile in a dry place. 
3. Keep your yard free of termites.
4. Use termite granules around firewood.

Let’s check them out one by one. 

Break The Firewood Pile’s Contact With The Ground

Keeping firewood on your yard or garden soil is the primary reason for termite infestation in firewood.

Why?

It’s because subterranean termites attack firewood and homes from underground. 

Firewood kept on the soil is an easy target for subterranean termites because it’s accessible to the termites from underground.

Subterranean termites and Formosan termites (a type of subterranean termite) are the US’s most destructive termites.

As we said earlier, firewood is the perfect wood for termites to infest because it’s high in cellulose and moisture. 

The first thing that you must do to prevent termites in firewood is to break the firewood rack’s contact with the ground. 

To do that, keep the firewood rack on an elevated pedestal, at least 8-10 inches off the ground. 

Or on a concrete floor that is at least 6-8 inches thick.

Keeping firewood on either of them will prevent termites from accessing firewood directly from the ground. 

There’s one drawback of keeping firewood on a concrete floor.

If the concrete floor develops cracks, then the subterranean termites can exploit those gaps to reach the firewood rack. 

So, if you see any cracks on the concrete floor, then caulk it with a quality sealant.

But it’s safer to keep firewood on a concrete floor than on a wooden platform. 

It’s because termites can easily chew through the wooden platform and access the firewood pile. 

If you choose to build a 6 inches high concrete floor, add a healthy amount of gravel. 

Termites won’t be able to chew through it. 

Keep The Firewood Log Pile In A Dry Place

Ensure that the firewood log pile is always dry. 

High dampness makes the firewood rot.

A rotting firewood log pile will not only attract subterranean termites but also dampwood termites. 

Dampwood termites eat the rotting firewood and even nest in the firewood log pile.

But what if it rains? How would you protect firewood from getting wet in the rain?

You can do two things to protect firewood log piles from getting wet in the rains.

First, build a shed over the firewood rack kept on an elevated platform. 

Or, second, use a plastic cover to cover the firewood. 

Also, ensure that there are no waterholes or waterlogging, or moist areas around firewood. 

Moisture around your firewood log pile will attract termites.

The bottom line is – keep your firewood dry at all costs to prevent termite infestation.

Keep Your Yard Clean

And finally, a clean yard or garden goes a long way to keep termites away from firewood. 

Get rid of any rotting pieces of firewood, foliage, and tree stumps. 

These are attractors of termites. 

On top of it, if your yard or garden has waterholes or damp spots, then fill them up. 

Waterholes store water that makes your yard moist and, in turn, makes your yard more livable for termites. 

Check signs of termites in your yard. 

These signs are physical sightings of live termites and mud hills. 

Also, termites are known for infesting mulch unless you’re using the best mulch to repel termites.

So, don’t forget to check for termites in the mulch. 

If you find these signs, then you can use a termite spray on them to kill them. 

Alternatively, you can pour a mixture of hot water and boric acid on these areas. 

That will also get rid of termites in your yard and wood roaches that also hide in firewood.

Use Termite Granules Around Firewood

Termite granules are barriers against termites. 

Scatter termites granules in the soil around firewood. 

Sprinkle water on it, and that’s it. There’s nothing more you need to do. 

When the termite granules receive water, it sinks into the ground and kills any termites living underground. 

Termite granules are also effective for at least 6-9 months in repelling termites. 

How To Get Rid Of Termites In Firewood?

Ok, you didn’t know the above steps to keep termites away from your firewood log pile. 

You observed that you’ve termites in firewood. 

So, what to do?

Don’t panic. Here is the list of steps to get rid of termites in firewood.

Dispose of The Firewood Logs That Termites Infested

Sort out the firewood logs that have termites. 

Remove them from the log pile of firewood and dispose of them. 

And how to do it?

There are two ways – 

First, burn those firewood logs that have termites. 

Ensure that you don’t burn them inside your home. Burn them outside your home. 

If you burn them inside your home, then you’ll be, unknowingly, bringing termites to your home. 

You don’t want that.

Second, call your local building services department or your local waste management company to dispose of the termite-infested firewood. 

But remember, the protocols of disposing of termite-infested wood differs from state to state. 

So, it’d be best if you call them first and know beforehand about the disposal protocols.

Scatter Diatomaceous Earth On The Firewood Log Pile

Now that you’ve disposed of the termite-infested firewood, it’s time to use a termite killer. 

And there’s no better option than diatomaceous earth. 

Scatter a generous amount of diatomaceous earth on the remaining firewood in a pile. 

Diatomaceous earth is an efficient termite killer. 

It penetrates the body of termites, absorbs the moisture inside, and breaks termites’ skeleton, causing them to die.

You can also sprinkle boric acid on the firewood log pile to kill the termites. 

Boric acid also works in the same way as diatomaceous earth. 

Nematodes, a type of ringworms, which penetrates the termites and kills them, are also a great option.

It’s also easy to use. 

You can sprinkle it on the firewood and the soil around the firewood’s platform. 

A word of caution – DO NOT use insecticide sprays on firewood. 

It’s because the firewood sprayed on with insecticide will release poisonous fumes when you burn it. 

That would be dangerous for your health. 

Where To Store Firewood

Storing firewood at the right place and distance is a key for keeping termites away from invading your home. 

The correct distance between the firewood rack and your home is 20 feet, minimum. 

Also, the firewood pile shouldn’t touch any exterior walls of your home. 

Termites in the firewood will exploit the cracks in the walls to sneak inside your home. 

Keep the firewood pile where there’s enough sunlight.

Placing firewood where it gets direct sunlight keeps the firewood dry and moisture-free.

A dry firewood rack is less susceptible to termite infestation than a wet firewood rack. 

Other Pests That Infest Firewood

Apart from termites, four other insects infest firewood. 

They’re carpenter ants, long-horned beetles, metallic wood-boring beetles, and bark beetles.

Out of the four, it’s carpenter ants that carry a severe risk of infesting your home. 

Carpenter ants don’t eat wood as the termites do. 

But they bore into the wood to build their nests. 

The steps we mentioned above will also get rid of carpenter ants in the firewood rack. 

But once the carpenter ants are inside your home, they can be both a menace and a nuisance. 

Summary

To summarize, here’s how to store firewood to avoid termites –

1. Break the firewood pile’s contact with the ground.
2. Keep the firewood rack in a dry place. 
3. Keep your yard free of termites.
4. Use termite granules around firewood.

Plus, keep the firewood pile at least 20 feet away from your home and where it gets direct sunlight.

It’ll ensure that the termites won’t sneak inside your home and will always remain dry. 

These four steps will not only keep termites but also bugs out of your firewood. 

And when you bring the firewood inside your home, burn it asap. Don’t let the firewood remain idle for long inside your home. 

To know more on how termites invade your home, and what you need to do to stop them, check our post here.