Pest Prevention: Firewood and Chimneys

It feels like winter has finally hit the northeast after a relatively mild December, leading many people to light up their fireplaces for extra warmth. Beware, you could be bringing pests into your home unknowingly. Firewood provides shelter for pests like cockroaches, ants, and beetles to name a few.

Want to know how to keep your home pest free this winter?

To start, store your firewood outside and far away from the house. This will prevent bugs from wandering a short distance into the home. Do not lean the wood against the home or storage shed. Termites and ants could cause major problems to the structure. For additional precaution, wrap your firewood tightly under a tarp. This will limit the amount of pests that find shelter in the wood. 

Before bringing the wood inside, check the surrounding areas. Nearby bird or animal nests can harbor mites, ticks, and fleas – things you definitely do not want to bring into your home.

Keep the wood in a cool place until you are ready to use it. If you do bring firewood inside, brush off any mud or dirt and store it on the cool garage floor. As soon as pests feel warmth, they’ll leave the wood and become active in your home.

Use the oldest wood first. This is the wood most likely to nest pests and infect newer pieces of firewood.

It is also important that you invest in a chimney cap. This will prevent rainwater and snow from making your chimney a dark, moist place that attracts critters. The cap will also keep larger pests, like raccoons and squirrels from entering your home and wreaking havoc. 

Be prepared. Contact Knockout to do a detailed inspection of your chimney and to help guide you in protecting your home from pests this winter.