One of the things that can make the cold weather months special in New York is having a working fireplace or a wood burning stove. There’s nothing quite like reading and relaxing in front of a crackling fire. It can be an enjoyable time but beware, because that fire can be one of the things that bring pests into your home. Arrow Exterminating wants you to know that firewood can be a hiding place for pests that can damage to your home. Arrow wants to tell you about these pests and what you can do to prevent them.
Arrow Exterminating Has Been Helping Customers Since 1947
Arrow Exterminating has more than 70 years of experience in pest management. We serve all types of customers on Long Island in Nassau and Suffolk County, as well as all five boroughs of New York City. We help residential customers and we also serve commercial clients. If you suspect that you have pests on your property. Our expert technicians will inspect your grounds, home or building and create a treatment and pest prevention plan based on what they find. We want to make certain customers don’t inadvertently bring pests into their homes, so we want to give you tips about pests and firewood.
Pests Commonly Found in Firewood
There are several pests that can get a free ride into your home by residing in firewood. According to Iowa State University, common pests that can cause problems include carpenter ants, which hollow out wood and can escape from firewood when they feel warmer inside temperatures. Termites can feed on wood as well. You may be able to tell termites have infested firewood if mud tunnels are visible. Certain types of beetles such as bark beetles and ambrosia beetles, recent inhabitants on Long Island, can also get into logs.
How to Keep Firewood Pests Away
There are precautions you can take to keep pests, which may be hiding in firewood, away from your home. According to The Spruce, there are steps you should take while storing firewood.
- Avoid storing firewood directly on the ground.
Storing firewood directly on the ground allows for airflow under the wood which attracts moisture.
- Never stack your firewood indoors and never stack it against the exterior of your home.
This tip will help keep insects from getting inside.
- Never stack wood near trees.
Stacking your wood near trees can attract insects living within them.
- Use the oldest wood first and check it thoroughly before you bring it inside.
It’s important to know that here in New York State, there’s a Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) regulation that prohibits the import of firewood into New York unless it’s been heat treated. The DEC also limits the transport of untreated firewood to less than 50 miles from its source or origin.
Arrow Can Help Protect You From Wood Damage
If you think you may have pests in your home because of your firewood, Arrow Exterminating can help you. We’ll do a visual inspection of your home or building and then we’ll draw up a plan to get rid of the pests and do maintenance to keep them away. To learn more, Contact Arrow today.
