Can I Store Firewood in My Basement?

Firewood has to be kept somewhere, that’s a fact. Problem is, it does take up quite a large space, particularly so if you go through cords and cords of it over the winter.

So where do people think of storing it? Well, one of those places is certainly the basement.

And why not? Some of them are even warm and insulated! I’d definitely feel a lot more cozy going downstairs for a load than having to trudge through snow.

But is this route as good as it sounds? That is the question.

Nope

Firewood should not be stored in a basement, or anywhere near a home for that matter, here is why:

Pests

To begin with, by bringing and storing wood inside a basement, you risk inviting and creating a new home for pests.

Mice, rats, bugs such as ants or even termites – you don’t want any of that, right?

Now i know that there are people out there who have done the opposite for years and never ran into any bug problems, but that is just anecdotal evidence…

Just that something works for one person, doesn’t mean it’ll hold true for everyone. Ask any reputable pest control service this question and they will tell you the exact same thing – don’t do it.

I wouldn’t feel comfortable living in a house under which bugs are starting to take control.

Bad conditions

The thing about basements is that they rarely are up to standards for containing firewood, in terms of air quality.

In other words, if you end up storing clearly green (unseasoned) firewood in there, you are going to run into all sorts of mold problems (the result from lack of ventilation).

Even if the wood would be properly dry, it could start soaking up a lot of moisture, if the basement is constantly damp. That means the firewood now becomes improper for use as fuel; you shouldn’t burn it.

Where to put the wood then?

In a shed? Seriously, firewood should be kept (if dry) in a designated place, which is normally a shed.

The goal here is to keep it far away from an actual dwelling – not under it.

Lindeman Chimney Supply suggests to keep any sort of firewood pile at least five feet (1.5 m) away from any structures.

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Keep in mind that if the firewood is fresh, you should stack it outside – preferably in row stacks, some feet apart from each other to promote good airflow.

Only once the wood becomes seasoned you can start moving it into a shed.