Store firewood in Florida outside, off the ground, under a cover, and away from the walls of your house. Never stack it against the house, in the garage, or on the lanai. In Brevard County a woodpile is shelter and food for termites, roaches and rats, so where you put it matters more than how much you buy.
TL;DR
- Keep the pile outside and away from the house. Never let it touch a wall.
- Raise it off the soil on blocks, a metal rack or pallets, so air moves under it.
- Cover the top so rain runs off, and leave the sides open to dry.
- Bring in only what you will burn that night.
- Do not spray the pile with bug spray. You will burn it later.
Why a woodpile is a pest magnet in Florida
A stack of logs is three things bugs want: wood to eat, damp to drink, and dark gaps to hide in. In a cold state the pile freezes for half the year. Here it stays warm and wet most of the year.
Subterranean termites live in the soil in most Brevard neighborhoods. A log that sits on wet ground is food they can reach without leaving the dirt. Palmetto bugs and Florida woods roaches hide in the gaps between logs during the day. Ants nest under the bottom row. Roof rats and mice use a big pile as cover and a place to move along the yard without being seen.
Out by the back fence, that is a yard problem. On the slab edge, it is a house problem.
Where to store firewood in Florida
The goal is simple. Keep the wood dry, keep it off the soil, and keep it away from the house.
- Away from the house. UF/IFAS Extension says to keep wood debris, firewood included, away from the structure. Put the pile where you can still walk to it after dark, but not against any wall. Further out is better.
- Off the ground. UF/IFAS also says to cut out wood to ground contact. A metal rack, a row of concrete blocks or a pallet keeps the bottom logs off the dirt and lets air move under them.
- Not in the garage or on the lanai. Both are attached to the house. A pile there brings the roaches, ants and termites in with it.
- Dry. Cover the top with a tarp or a small roof and leave the sides open. A tarp wrapped tight to the ground holds water in, which is the opposite of what you want.
A fire pit in the middle of the yard with a small rack beside it is the easy setup.
Can I bring firewood inside?
Yes, a small amount, right before you burn it. Bring in what you will use that night. Knock each log on the ground first and look for roaches, ants or spiders on it.
A log that comes in with a few termites in it does not usually start a problem in the house. The colony stays in the soil outside. The bigger risk is the pile outside, sitting where the colony can reach your slab.
Do not spray your firewood
Skip the can of bug spray. A surface spray does not reach a bug deep in a log, and that wood is going in your fire pit. Burning treated wood is not something you want near your family.
If the pile is crawling with something, move the pile. Distance and dry wood do more than any spray.
One more thing. Buy wood that was cut close to home. UF/IFAS asks Floridians to buy local and burn local, because wood hauled in from far away can carry tree pests to new places. The Florida Department of Agriculture also limits bringing untreated firewood in from out of state.
What we see in Brevard
On Melbourne and Palm Bay block homes, the slab edge is where we look for termite activity first. Anything stacked there, whether it is mulch, old lumber or firewood, hides the mud tubes we are looking for. A woodpile against the wall also makes the outside of the house slower to treat properly, because the pests have cover right where we need to work.
Palmetto bugs come in the same way, from something damp and dark next to the house. Our post on whether mulch attracts bugs covers the same problem with a different material.
What to do now
- Look at where your wood is now. If it touches any wall, the garage, or the lanai, move it this weekend.
- Lift it off the dirt. Put it on a rack, blocks or a pallet.
- Cover the top only. Let the sides breathe so the wood dries.
- Check the old ground. Where the pile sat, look at the bottom of the wall for thin brown mud tubes.
When to call somebody
If you find mud tubes on the wall where the woodpile was, or soft wood near the slab, get a termite inspection. Our termite control page explains how we check and treat. If you find droppings or chewed wood in the pile and noises in the attic, see our rodent control page. A woodpile alone is a yard job you can fix yourself.
Sources
- UF/IFAS Extension Leon County: Termite Prevention Tips
- UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Firewood
- UF/IFAS EDIS: Termite Prevention and Control (IN1277)
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I store firewood in Florida?
Outside, off the ground, under a cover, and away from the walls of your house. Never stack it against the house, in the garage, or on the lanai.
Why is a woodpile a pest problem in Florida?
A stack of logs gives bugs wood to eat, damp to drink and dark gaps to hide in. In Brevard it stays warm and wet most of the year, so termites, palmetto bugs, ants and roof rats can all use it.
Can I bring firewood inside?
Yes, a small amount right before you burn it. Bring in what you will use that night and knock each log on the ground first.
Should I spray my firewood with bug spray?
No. A surface spray does not reach a bug deep in a log, and that wood is going in your fire pit. If the pile has pests, move it and keep it dry.
When should I call for a termite inspection?
If you find mud tubes on the wall where the woodpile was, or soft wood near the slab, get a termite inspection.
Dealing with this at your place?
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