Piles of wood can be found on many properties for many purposes. Most homes in North America are heated with natural gas. However, there are still homeowners who heat their homes with wood. Wood piles are also a must for roasting s’mores and stoking camp fires. Wood piles can also serve as shelter for insects and attract critters.
Wood piles offer a natural home to insects. From ants to spiders wood piles become nutrient rich food sources to critters. In some cases when wood is brought into a home uninvited guests are simultaneously snuck in. Critters ranging from mice, rats & opossums will seek out wood piles for a meal and even make a den site close by to their new food source. For these reasons it’s important to follow a few key points when keeping wood on site.
A) Elevate your wood pile off the ground- When wood is stacked on dirt the weight of the top tiers will sink the wood into the soil. This integration makes it easier for insects and worms to inhabit the wood pile. The use of wooden slats are a popular choice for this application.
B) Keep at least a 20’ buffer- Keeping your wood pile away from your home or garage will help keep critters from getting comfortable walking around the perimeter of your buildings. If mice begin traveling around a foundation and find an area to squeeze in they will likely start nesting in the structure.
C) Look before you leap- Before bringing pieces of wood into the home give them a once over for insects or larvae.
D) Dry firewood is less inviting to critters and insects- Keep your wood piles dry with the use of a secured tarp. Bungee cords or rope found at hardware stores can be tied off to secure the tarp from blowing off the wood pile.