Whether you have an outdoor fireplace for grilling and parties or an indoor fireplace for warmth and cozy feelings, you’ll need firewood to keep the flame going. And if you want enough firewood for several fires, you’ll need a place to store the logs you aren’t using. It’s not very hard to store firewood, but there are a few basic pointers and tips you should remember if you don’t want to run into any problems later on.
- Stack Your Firewood Carefully
A good firewood stack needs to follow a few rules. First, there should be good air circulation throughout the stack, including the center and the bottom. Air circulation helps the firewood dry out so it’s ready to burn and won’t attract mold or other fungi. Second, keep the bark side down on the bottom layer to protect the wood from ground moisture. Third, stack the wood with care so it won’t come tumbling down when you start to remove logs.
- Keep The Wood Dry
Wet wood is much harder to burn, plus it can quickly start to rot depending on what manages to get into it. Both are bad for firewood since wet wood can release more carbon monoxide into the air and rotting wood will release potentially harmful spores. To keep your wood dry, make sure the firewood pile is under a roof if you can. If not, you should cover it with a waterproof tarp. However, the wood still needs to dry out and circulate air, so only cover the top surface with the tarp.
- Keep The Wood Away From Your House
No matter where you buy your firewood, chances are the wood spent most of its existence outdoors. You should continue that by storing your firewood outside and away from the side of your house. This is because firewood often contains pests and parasites, including dangerous pests like carpenter ants, termites, and old house borers. Firewood is safe enough indoors when you only bring in what you need for an evening fire, but to keep your house safe you should stack the rest of the wood outside and away from your home.
- Keep The Wood Off The Ground
When a tree falls in the forest, it doesn’t take long for mold, fungi, insects, and other creatures to start rotting the wood. You don’t want that to happen to your firewood, and one important way to prevent that is by stacking your firewood on a platform. This could be a storage box just for firewood, or it could be a spot on your stone patio away from the dirt. By keeping your firewood away from the dirt, you’ll keep it away from the insects and other species that would start rotting it.
Of course, it’s also important to choose the right business to get your firewood from. That’s why many people visit Best Firewood and Mulch. We offer solid firewood from a variety of tree species that give off great heat and wood smoke when you burn them, so have a look at our online store.