Storing Your Wood
October 2017The full potential for heat will not be realized if you neglect the
simple chore of piling and protecting your wood. Proper storage is essential to avoid moisture, bacteria, and insect problems in your home.
Most insect species living in firewood, such as carpenter ants, sawyer beetles, and wood lice, are harmless, but they can be a nuisance. However, the powder post beetle can cause serious problems to hardwood in a home, and bark beetles can spread Dutch elm disease. If elm is used for firewood, remove the bark before storing the wood. Burn or bury the bark to kill the bark beetles.
To avoid problems with insects and moisture, store the wood as far from your house as is practical. Do not store wood in your basement; one cord of wood can give off more than 500 litres (110 gallons) of water. The basic rule is to hide the wood from water, but not from the sun or wind. Green wood will dry slowly or not at all if unprotected, while seasoned wood left unprotected may become unseasoned.
Source: www.gov.ns.ca
