# Firewood in Basement...Bad Idea?



## twstm (Sep 11, 2006)

I have a small room off of my basement approx 8x10x7, It was built by the former owner of the home, not sure of the reason why...Bomb Shelter?
The room is all concrete block and concrete(floor and ceiling) 

My question is...Can I store firewood in this room, or am I asking for bug problems???


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## sloth9669 (Sep 11, 2006)

*kiln*

buy kiln dried wood and bugs should not be an issue..more money but big free


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## RaisedByWolves (Sep 11, 2006)

I keep about a 2-3 week supply in the basement. 
You get bugs that come in with the wood but shouldnt get an infestation due to the wood being stored indoors.


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## sawinredneck (Sep 12, 2006)

As long as I don't have to put it there when I deliver it. I don't care!!!
I don't see any problems with that.
Andy


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## 046 (Sep 12, 2006)

that depends upon where your wood burner is located and if wood needs to be carried up and down stairs. 

to me it'd be a pita to lug wood up and down stairs


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## Husky137 (Sep 12, 2006)

I wouldn't put a whole season's worth in there, just a couple weeks at a time. Is it a dry basement?


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## twstm (Sep 12, 2006)

*Maybe a Month's supply*



Husky137 said:


> I wouldn't put a whole season's worth in there, just a couple weeks at a time. Is it a dry basement?



The basement is dry, and I keep a dehumidifier running. The small room off the basement might hold a full cord.

Right now I am getting my wood for free. My Brother-in-Law cleared his land for his new home about 4 years ago and all the logs are in a big pile.

The only ????? about it would be getting the wood down there. ..but it will beat going outside for it when it's minus 10 !!!!


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## trimmmed (Sep 12, 2006)

TreeCo said:


> All kind of bugs are going to come out of that firewood. I don't think they will threaten your house but they will annoy the family.



Hopefully those bugs that come in are not powder post beetles, while the house structure will be fine, you could end up with some holes in your furniture or floors (hardwood)


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## Dr. Hackemoff (Sep 12, 2006)

TWSTM,

I assume your fireplace or wood stove is not in the basement. Personally I think it would be more of a pain to haul it downstairs and back up again than getting it from outside. Do you have an attached garage? I keep my wood in a cold garage and only bring it in when it stoke the fire (to keep the bug problem to a minimum).

If you do choose the basement route you could fog the room with (an insect fogging spray) every now and then and that should minimize their spreading. I know some sources recommend against spraying wood for bugs, but what's the big deal if the firebox is sealed?


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## twstm (Sep 12, 2006)

*In the Basement...*



Dr. Hackemoff said:


> TWSTM,
> 
> I assume your fireplace or wood stove is not in the basement. Personally I think it would be more of a pain to haul it downstairs and back up again than getting it from outside. Do you have an attached garage? I keep my wood in a cold garage and only bring it in when it stoke the fire (to keep the bug problem to a minimum).
> 
> If you do choose the basement route you could fog the room with (an insect fogging spray) every now and then and that should minimize their spreading. I know some sources recommend against spraying wood for bugs, but what's the big deal if the firebox is sealed?



I am using a Harmon Wood/Coal boiler I have tied in to my Oil boiler, if the fire goes out, the Oil kicks in. I heat my domestic hot water with the same system. Having a supply of wood already down there would make things easier in the middle of winter. 
The room I would store the wood is all masonry...opcorn:


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## laynes69 (Sep 12, 2006)

I have an old home, 150+ years old. We keep about 1 months supply of wood in our basement. The woodfurnace is tied into the propane furnace. Its nice because the wood is warm, dry, and lights easily. We have steel Bilco Doors we open up and throw the wood in the basement, then stack it. By the time its seasoned, the bark is gone, and there are little to no bugs. We have never had an insect infestation, but being in the middle of the country, we always have had spiders. By storing it in the basement, I don't have to go outside, and I can chose when to throw more wood down there, depending on the weather. It works out well for us because we dont have a finished basement, and never will.


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## woodfarmer (Sep 12, 2006)

make sure the wood is dry before it goes in the basement and you shouldn't have any concerns, sloth who the heck buys kiln dried firewood?


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## laynes69 (Sep 12, 2006)

Thats the thing, if you have wood in the basement with your wood stove, or wood furnace, It will really help finishing the drying process. For the most part any moisture given off from the wood, would be taken by the wood stove. The only thing is, you don't want any open return ducts around the wood. First off it could cause negative draft depending how strong the return is, and next it can put all the gunk on the wood through the house. I re-ducted the whole house, and cut down alot on dust by not having any returns in the basement. Just incase there was any bad mold spores, they wouldnt go airborne through the whole house for someone who has allergies.


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## Husky137 (Sep 13, 2006)

woodfarmer said:


> make sure the wood is dry before it goes in the basement and you shouldn't have any concerns, sloth who the heck buys kiln dried firewood?



yuppies with more money than brains, or restaurants with little space for great big stacks of wood.


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## olyman (Sep 13, 2006)

well--in a room that i dug under the house to make it a full basement--we store about 9 cords of wood there every year--and no problems--as you say--beats going outside when its cold as antartica!!!!!


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## woodlands (Sep 24, 2006)

*firewood brings bugs into house*

I have heated house with wood for many years .. our last house had a wood furnace in the basement .. and I stored the firewood in a separate room in the basement ... it was dried wood to begin with. 
At first there didn't seem to be too big a problem with bugs.... but after several years .. definitely had very large ants ... ones that ate wood ... and tons of spiders. 
It was convenient ... with the wood inside .. and dry.... but ... 
Now ... in our next house ... we store the firewood outside in a shed ... and move 2 weeks worth of firewood into our heated, attached garage at a time.... there's a few bugs in the garage ... but ... never had any come through into the house.
Don't miss the ants (huge black ones ... commonly coming in with infected poplar) ... and really don't miss the spiders!!!
J.S.


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## laynes69 (Sep 24, 2006)

I know alot of people who dont burn wood, they have cut and split it on there property, not a single piece has came into the house, and they have ants out the a$$! We have stored wood in the basement for about 20 years, and never have had an ant problem. We do have spiders, but thats normal for a 150+ year old home in the middle of nowhere.


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## WoodTick007 (Sep 24, 2006)

I burn 12 to 15 face cords a heating season and always keep about 1/2 to a full face cord in the basement. This way the "Boss" will keep the fire going without "?????ing" about the: Cold, Snow, Sleet, Wind, Rain, Mud, Mess, Dirt, ........

Just choose dry uninfested wood. It doesn't take a brain Surgen to spot an infested log. I AWAYS set them aside when splitting and use them to heat the barn.


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## olyman (Sep 25, 2006)

also--if all your wood is split long beforehand-so its dry--the ants that like to live in wood--will leave--they want moisture--as he said--spiders--oh well--beats anartica--!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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