Replies

1. 
   rdesigns | Nov 24, 2009 06:12pm | #1

   The only real danger would be if you managed to bring in a colony of termites or carpenter ants. These, of course, need their queen to propagate, and the queens are not usually in the wood itself. Instead, they are in an underground nesting chamber. (The queen carpenter ant could be in the wood--I'm not sure about her.)

    Individual insects like pine beetles or borers would not do much damage even if they escaped into your house. Only a fertilized female could lay eggs that would become the larvae who do the actual chewing. She would have to emerge as an adult, find and mate with a mature male, and then lay her eggs.

   Bottom line: there is very little risk, especially if you watch for any stray critters.

    

2. 
   GaryW | Nov 24, 2009 07:12pm | #2

   When I heated exclusively with wood, I learned to leave the wood outside in a pile well away from the house and fence, and then bring in only enough to keep the fire burning through the night.  We'd already had carpenter ants, and I didn't want to introduce more to my warm home.

   Gary W

   gwwoodworking.com

3. 
   observer | Nov 24, 2009 07:53pm | #3

   I've heated exclusively with wood for 20 years, live in a house done mostly with wood inside and store three to five days worth of wood inside in a rack near the stove.

   The only insect issue I've had is the reawakening of wasps that climbed into the outdoor woodpile and went dormant in the cold. They get transported inside when I bring in wood but are usually easy enough to catch and remove.

4. 
   Scott | Nov 24, 2009 10:29pm | #4

   We heat exclusively with wood, and haven't had any problems with bugs. We don't have termites here, but we've got plenty of carpenter ants.

   It seems that most bugs around here don't like dry wood, and of course I'm trying to get it as dry as possible. Once it's bucked, split and stacked, they seem to prefer the wet stuff in the forest.

5. 
   junkhound | Nov 24, 2009 11:08pm | #5

   Click on your name and fill in your profile, the info you request is specific to different areas of the country.

   Heated with wood for over 30 years (DW turned 60 a few years back and said she did not want to cut and split her 7 cords a year) but have WSHP now.

   We are in PNW.  House has a lot of round DF beams.

   The first few years, DW sat wood on the hearth and some metallic wood borers had a nice tiime.

   They leave a tiny hole less that a pinhead in size when they lay the eggs in DF sapwood, then larvae grows inside, eventually to emerge via a 3/16" dia by 1/4" oval hole.  Larvae are hammerheaded white buggers. 

   Anyway, have a few such holes but no real damage, not putting wood on the hearth stopped them - frid the buggers instead. 

   I'll take a few pix of typical holes if you are in PNW or Louisiana DF country. (or New Zealand?)

   
   

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   Edited 11/24/2009 3:08 pm ET by junkhound

1. 
   Scott | Nov 25, 2009 12:55am | #6

   >>>(DW turned 60 a few years back and said she did not want to cut and split her 7 cords a year) but have WSHP now. Wood Splitting Holy Pumpkin?Watch Son Hit Pappy?We Sure Hate Parsnips?

1. 
   junkhound | Nov 25, 2009 03:21am | #9

   Water Source Heat Pump

2. 
   joeh | Nov 25, 2009 02:42am | #7

   DW turned 60 a few years back and said she did not want to cut and split her 7 cords a year

   I remember a post years back, Blodgett I think said he bought his wife a new chainsaw for Christmas so she wouldn't bitch so much bout cutting the firewood.

   Joe H

6. 
   bd | Nov 25, 2009 03:21am | #8

   Sounds like what you have is powder post beetles. They go dormant when the wood dries past a certain percentage. If that's all you're bringing it, it's unlikely that you'll have a problem in the house -- unless you've got some moist wood somewhere.

   Check at doityourselfpestcontrol.com for more info. They have a fairly extensive online bug identifier and help section.