We’re deep into winter here in the Broken Arrow OK area, and there’s truly nothing like spending a frigid day cozied up to a warm and crackling fire. You might have an abundant stash of firewood on your property, enough to make sure your household is kept cozy until the clouds break and spring arrives. But what if, when that happens, you greet the warm season with a new termite infestation? It’s a situation that happens for far too many households, and in many cases, it starts with our firewood. By treating your wood supply with care and intention, you can avoid this risk and emerge from the snow with a pest-free home.
At Arrow Exterminators, we’ve dealt with our fair share of termites. And in our decades of experience, we’ve found a few key steps residents in the Broken Arrow OK area can take to keep pests out of their firewood. To avoid bringing termites into your home through your firewood, try the following:
Store it up, Store it Away
You may already know that pests need a “bridge” of some kind to get into your home. That’s why so many exterminators suggest removing debris and trimming any branches or bushes that touch the exterior of the home. For the same reasons, you shouldn’t keep your firewood up against the wall of your property. We suggest keeping your firewood stacked at least twenty feet away from the exterior of the home. That way any insects or rodents that cling to the wood likely won’t be close enough to get into any cracks or openings in your foundation.
Keep it Covered
Covering your firewood throughout the year keeps it dry, and that benefits you in more ways than one. Not only will it make it easier to burn, it’ll also render your supply less appealing to wood-boring insects. Carpenter ants and subterranean termites prefer wet and rotting wood, so if it’s not rotting, they’ll be less interested.
Bring What You Need and Nothing More
It seems convenient in theory to keep a supply of wood at the ready for you to burn when you’re in the mood. But this is the easiest way to wind up with a pest infestation – not just of termites, but ants, spiders, and even wasps. You might think the wood looks clean at first glance. However, several kinds of insect pests tend to burrow into the wood to hibernate. They only wake up in the warmth, and the last thing you want is to host a bunch of cranky termites woken up too early from their nap. So when you need to make a fire, take only what you need then and burn it immediately.
Don’t Use Pesticides
If you see pests on your firewood, you might be tempted to spray the whole pile with the nearest can of pesticides you can find. Will this kill the bugs? Sure, some of them. But it will also coat wood you plan on burning with toxic, and in many cases flammable chemicals. And certain pests may even burrow deeper into the wood, rendering pesticides almost entirely ineffective. You can still use the wood if there’s a bug or two on it. Just clap two pieces together and it’ll shake most of them off. Just inspect the wood to make sure there aren’t any other bugs that you missed.
Arrow Exterminators, Inc. for Termite Control
In certain cases, you can take the steps above and still wind up with a termite infestation. Many varieties of termites are insidious, and you don’t realize you’re infested until it’s the colony has spread to somewhere visible and done significant damage. When that happens, Arrow Exterminators is here to help homes in and around Broken Arrow OK. With our skillset and experience, we can clear out even the most overwhelming infestations and stop the termites from doing any more damage. Of course, we’d rather not have it get to that point, which is why we urge homeowners to spend this winter cozy, but with an appropriate measure of caution. If that’s still not enough, we’re here for you. Contact us today to get started!
