Firewood is a source of warmth in the winter; you have to start a fire with some, and your house becomes as cozy as can be. Properly storing firewood is essential because when you do, you protect the wood and keep it a reserve for the winter.
Failure to store your wood correctly can lead to problems such as fungus, critter infestations, snakes living in the wood, and inferior quality wood that does not burn properly. Despite the issues that could arise from improper wood storage, there are ways to store firewood properly in your garage to guarantee better outcomes when it is time to burn your pile.
Pile the Wood Properly
You must stack your wood correctly because failure to do so results in improper air circulation. When you do not stack your wood correctly, it will not dry into quality wood because it will retain moisture. This moisture will result in fungus, mold, and rotten wood. Also, the wood is more likely to be infested by pests such as rodents when not appropriately stacked.
So what is the right way to stack your wood?
Wood is supposed to be stacked in whatever pattern, but what is most important is that the cut ends should remain exposed so that the wood can dry up properly if you did not get a chance to air dry them before bringing them to your garage. Also, ensure that you do not pack your wood tightly together. Why pack your wood loosely? You may ask. Lose stacking is also essential to allow the circulation of air. Saving space by tightly wrapping the wood only works against you.
However, ensure that your wood is stacked closely enough to keep kids and pets from trying to climb in and play around them. You can incorporate the use of a firewood rack to help with the proper storage of firewood. These racks ease the stacking process and come in different sizes and shapes. You can also make shelves and cabinets for this purpose, but you have to be sure that these can support the weight of your wood in the garage.
It is wise to stack your firewood against the walls of your garage. The floor should be level such that the rows of wood can stand upright. Ensure that your rows are approximately 4 feet high and no more because if they go any higher, they may become unsteady and pose a safety hazard. They will probably topple over and hurt someone or damage other things in the garage.
Be Careful About the Use of Pesticides
Storing wood in a garage comes with its advantages and disadvantages. One of the benefits is that your wood will be less cluttered. Also, proper storage ensures that your firewood stays in good condition because it will not be exposed to moisture. You will eliminate the safety issues associated with safety when the wood is stored outdoors. There are, however, disadvantages as well. For instance, your wood will be more prone to pest attacks.
If you happen to get a pest attack due to having wood in your garage, you should spray your wood to get rid of them. Nonetheless, you have to be careful because eventually, you will burn this wood, and the pesticides will vaporize as the wood burns.
If you sprayed your wood with harsh and potentially harmful pesticides, those chemicals will fill the air and may be dangerous to your health. Ensure that you use a pesticide that is environmentally friendly to avoid any potential complications when harmful chemicals burn.
Ensure Your Wood is Dry Before Storage
Wet wood does not burn well. Storing damp wood in your garage means that probably, it will not be able to dry completely. One way of ensuring that the wood dries completely is by heating your garage. Alternatively, you can choose to sun dry your wood before you can take it into your preferred area of storage. Ensure that your garage door is correctly insulated so that your space does not dampen and affect your wood.
Your best bet at ensuring that your wood is dry, however, is buying already dried wood. The professionals at Buyfirewooddirect.co.uk note that it takes approximately six months for wood to dry up enough to be burned. It is recommended to buy already dried firewood for many different reasons. For starters, you will get high-quality wood ready to burn and keep you warm without you having to take extra steps to ensure that the wood is dry.
Also, wood from the sawmill comes in a wide variety. This, therefore, means that you will be able to choose what is best suited for your needs in the home. You will also reduce the hassle associated with having to dry your wood at home. Your wood will also come in crates, already arranged in the right patterns, so all you will do is find the right place to store them in your garage.
Storing and subsequently burning wood that is still green will not only result in a less efficient fire but also more smoke, which is uncomfortable. The excess creosote build-up that comes as a result of burning green wood is dangerous as it can cause the build-up of carbon monoxide in your space.
Be Careful with the Wood You Bring into Your Garage
You should ensure that the wood you bring to your garage has no bugs or pests. Also, be careful that your wood does not rot because that will quickly spread to the wood that was not infested before. Also, arrange your wood so that you can take out and burn the older wood before the new ones. Burning more aged wood helps you stay in control in case there were bugs that you had not seen before. Therefore, you will be able to get rid of any problems with bugs before it becomes uncontrollable.
Clean Your Wood Storage Area
Additionally, you must keep the wood storage area clean. It is common to find that woodpiles are not given proper attention once they have been moved to the garage for storage. This is especially true during the warmer months when they are unlikely to be put to use. However, as we mentioned earlier, there is a probability that your woodpiles can become infested with bugs and their overall appearance affected. To keep away the critters and bugs, ensure that you clean your garage as needed.
Keep Your Wood Away from Fire Hazards
Dry firewood burns well, which means that you have to be extra careful where you place it in the garage. By all means, avoid storing your firewood in a place where it is likely to catch fire. You should not store your wood near your workshop or any ignition sources. This means that your wood should be away from the engines and exhaust pipes.
Why Kiln Dried Wood is Essential
Throughout the article, we have mentioned that it is essential that your wood is dry before bringing it to the garage. Here, we discuss the advantages of choosing kiln dried logs over going through the process by yourself.
Allowing the wood to dry in a kiln is similar to drying it under the sun but under more controlled settings. Therefore, wood from a furnace is dried to precise moisture content under controlled temperature, airflow, and humidity. The kilns used can be powered by electricity, solar, or natural gas. However, at Buy Firewood Direct, the experts utilize automated and semi-automated ovens to ensure precision.
Certainly, however, kiln-drying reduces the time required to dry wood and sorts the issue of space that many people struggle with. Wood that is simply stacked and air-dried also presents a risk of not drying properly because some parts are more exposed to the air than others. Some parts, therefore, end up fully seasoned while others remain moist, which might bring up problems when burnt.
Air-dried wood contains high moisture content levels, which means that when burned, the energy is utilized to evaporate the log’s moisture content and not in heating the home. The kiln drying procedure ensures that the moisture content is low, which means that you get the maximum energy benefits with your wood. The moisture content of wood is usually between 50 and 60%. However, with the right seasoning, the moisture content goes down to between 15 and 20%. The difference can be seen during combustion when the wood releases energy efficiently.
You will be able to lighten your fire quicker and easier, and the fire will burn for longer and hotter.
Using kiln dried wood also means that you will use less firewood compared to using air-dried logs. One kiln-dried log is more efficient and more valuable than two traditionally seasoned logs. The water content in unseasoned wood means that more energy is spent eliminating moisture, and therefore, more logs will be needed to make the house warm and keep the fire burning. Fire dried wood, therefore, also means efficiency and saving on costs associated with fuel bills. You can also benefit from kiln-dried wood if your garage space is small.
Seasoned logs have a moisture content of between 25 and 40%, depending on how long they have been left to dry. Over time, seasoned wood tends to experience increased levels of tar and creosote. We mentioned earlier that creosote could increase the level of carbon monoxide in the home. However, this is not the only problem that creosote poses in the house. Together with tar, creosote damages the fuel lining and stove.
Also, using kiln-dried wood means convenience and availability. Every day, households are moving away from the use of traditionally dried wood and towards kiln-dried alternatives. Kiln-dried wood sellers, on the other hand, are doing their best to meet this demand by ensuring that they hold sufficient stock. You can now simply order wood at any time of the year, and you will be sure that you will get what you need in the shortest time possible. You do not have to wait for months to have your wood with you.
Another simple perk of using kiln-dried wood over unseasoned one is that the former lights quicker and burns longer, meaning that it requires less of your attention to keep burning. Traditionally seasoned wood, on the other hand, will need you to spend time keeping the fire stoked, and this might prevent you from enjoying the cozy fire.
Firewood helps keep your home warm and cozy, especially during the colder months. However, the quality of fire that you will get from your wood depends mainly on how it is stored and whether you use traditionally dried or kiln-dried wood.
The garage is an excellent place to store your wood, but you must ensure that the wood is stacked correctly. Also, you should inspect the wood to ensure the absence of critters and pests, use environmentally friendly pesticides, and ensure your wood is properly dried before storing. The safest alternative is using kiln-dried wood.
You should store your wood away from fire hazards and ensure that your garage is always clean to discourage pests. Using kiln dried wood also provides you with additional benefits, including spending less time stoking the flame, increased availability and convenience, and less creosote and tar, which is suitable for your stove. Also, you will use less firewood while experiencing the maximum benefits of a cozy fire.
Choosing kiln-dried wood, therefore, works only to your advantage. Storing it in the right way also ensures that the wood stays at its best before you get to burn it. You can get a wide variety of kiln-dried wood to choose from at your local kiln-dried seller’s store. With a wide selection to choose from, you can determine the type of wood you want and the costs you are willing to pay to keep yourself and your loved ones warm during the cold winter months. Ensure that you make the right choice.
Wood is important, especially during the cold seasons. It helps keep the house warm. Also, most homesteads use it for cooking. Therefore, wood storage is an important task. This article gives tips on how to store your firewood in the garage. By reading through the article, you will have an understanding of how simple to ensure that your stock serves its purpose.
