In the event that you have a home fire, understanding what to do can be critical. Firewood is one of the most common causes of home fires and mold growth on it may increase your risk. Learn more about how to best handle this situation in order not to become a victim
“Mold on firewood” is a term that has been used to describe the presence of mold on wood. It typically appears as a black, green, or gray fuzzy growth. The mold can be found in different places such as the bark, cracks and crevices, and even between boards.
It’s possible that some of the links in this article are affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on an affiliate link, I may get a commission. In addition, I receive money on qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate. —
If you prefer going outdoors and having bonfires, you probably have firewood on hand. Some individuals harvest and cut their own firewood, while others purchase logs for their fireplaces.
Whatever the case may be, it will be critical to store the firewood in a secure location. If you put firewood in an inconvenient location, it will rot and get moldy.
If you’re new to keeping firewood on your property, you may not be aware of the dangers of mold. It may be more difficult to achieve excellent results if you don’t know what to look for and how to store firewood.
Continue reading to find out everything you need to know about mold on firewood. This should make keeping your firewood a lot more pleasant experience for you.
A Spot of Mold Isn’t an Uncommon Observation
It’s not uncommon to stumble across mold when piling firewood outside. On sometimes, you may see a little bit of mold forming on the firewood.
This is a common occurrence in nature, and the mold is a natural component of the process. The mold aids in the decomposition of the logs, and the presence of mold on firewood kept outside is not unusual.
Mold is more prone to grow on firewood when it is exposed to moisture in general. Mold can only grow in the presence of dead organic matter, oxygen, and moisture.
If your logs are exposed to moisture, they are far more prone to mold over time. This is how things operate, and you’ll have to organize your firewood storage properly.
Mold is a regular sight outdoors, but that doesn’t imply it’s safe to burn rotting firewood. Continue reading to find out what to deal with rotting logs.
It’s Not a Good Idea to Burn Moldy Logs
The second point to remember is that burning moldy wood is not a good idea. If you walk out to your wood pile and discover that all of the logs are moldy, it will be a disappointment.
If a log just has a little mold on it, you may be tempted to burn it, but this is not a good idea. Because of this, burning a moldy wood might end up being harmful to you or your family’s health.
Mold is especially deadly to those who have respiratory problems like asthma. People with mold allergies might potentially be harmed if mold spores were to spread through the air.
The process of burning the mold will disseminate mold throughout the air, which humans will inhale. When you’re hosting a bonfire or lighting a fire in your fireplace, most people will be sitting close.
You’ll be inhaling moldy air, which isn’t healthy for your health. It’ll be hazardous for you even if you don’t have asthma or allergies.
This is something that might make you ill, and burning rotting wood is just not a good idea. Always inspect the state of the firewood before deciding to use it in a fire.
Cooking with moldy firewood is never a good idea.
As you would think, cooking with rotting firewood may be quite harmful to your health. When cooking over an open fire, it’s critical to utilize as clean a fuel as possible.
Essentially, you don’t want any mold spores to enter the meal you’re preparing. It’s possible that you’ll be creating a stew and end up with a lot of mold spores in it.
This will be very harmful to you, and you may get ill as a result of ingesting the meal. When cooking outside, you want to have a wonderful time, which means you should avoid using moldy wood.
When you’re cooking, never use a wood for a fire, even if it’s only a bit moldy. The consequences might be disastrous, and you don’t want to be the one who makes someone else ill.
It would be preferable to go out and acquire additional firewood or purchase firewood rather than risk utilizing the moldy fuel. It may seem inconvenient at the moment, but it will benefit you in the long term.
Some people prefer to use logs with just minor amounts of mold.
Now that you know how harmful mold may be, you won’t want to utilize any logs that have mold on them. The best course of action is to get rid of any logs that have mold on them.
Some individuals, on the other hand, will opt to utilize firewood that has very minor signs of mold on it. If you know you aren’t allergic to mold and don’t have asthma, then you can make this decision.
Just keep in mind that mold might still be dangerous in some situations. It’s not a good idea to burn rotting firewood just because you’re not especially at danger when exposed to mold.
However, there are many who believe it is OK to do so. Take it with a grain of salt, and consider erring on the side of caution and discarding the logs even if just a small amount of mold is present.
If you have access to logs that aren’t in any way moldy, you should absolutely utilize them. There isn’t usually a reason to contemplate utilizing a rotting wood for your fire, but you may make your own choices.
How to Store Firewood Properly
When it comes to keeping things safe, correctly storing your firewood is critical. If you keep your firewood in an inconvenient location, it will quickly get moldy.
Most people, of course, keep firewood outdoors since it is the most easy and obvious option. However, it should go without saying that putting firewood out in the open exposes it to dampness.
If you plan on bringing the firewood inside, you’ll need to be cautious about how you go about it. For a variety of reasons, storing firewood inside your house may not be the greatest option.
The majority of the time, individuals only have space in their basements to store firewood. Because basements are notorious for being wet, the firewood will be exposed to moisture and will most likely develop moldy.
Getting firewood into your home increases your chances of bringing mold into your home. If you’re not cautious, it might come back to haunt you in dramatic manner.
When you take basic care, storing firewood outdoors isn’t too awful. You just need to find a technique to keep the firewood dry so that you can continue to use it.
Use a Tarp if Needed
Using a tarp to shelter your firewood from the weather can assist to keep everything dry. It’ll even block snow from falling on the firewood.
However, a tarp should not be used to cover the whole stack of firewood. If you cover the firewood with a tarp on all sides, it won’t be able to breathe and will dry up quickly.
This might actually make it simpler for mold to develop on the logs. Unfortunately, this is the polar opposite of what you’re doing, and you’ll need to proceed with caution.
The best thing to do is to just cover your firewood with a tarp. If you want to achieve the best results, you should also raise the firewood off the ground.
When it rains or snows, this will assist protect the firewood at the lowest level from becoming wet. Overall, covering your firewood with a tarp and storing it on a raised platform is a good idea.
Construct a Firewood Shed
An even better solution is to simply Construct a Firewood Shed where you can safely store your firewood. This will give you a great spot where you can place your firewood and keep it safe from the elements.
A firewood shed just requires a roof and must be elevated from the ground. If you wanted to, you could make something similar out of wooden pallets, but you could also make something more visually beautiful out of boards purchased from a shop.
However, allowing wind to flow underneath the firewood is a good idea since it prevents the wood from drying out. As you may recall, if firewood becomes too dry, it is more susceptible to mold growth.
Try to Construct a Firewood Shed that is large enough to hold a lot of firewood for your convenience. Many people have built sheds like this that are large enough to hold enough firewood to last the whole year.
Pallets and a small firewood shed may also be built at a reasonable price. Because the design is very straightforward, you don’t need to be a great carpenter to pull it off, and it might be an appropriate answer to your issue.
Firewood should not be stored in your garage.
You might have the idea to put your firewood in your garage instead of bothering to Construct a Firewood Shed. This might not be the best course of action for a few reasons.
Certain bugs will be attracted to the firewood, which you do not want in your house. Many individuals have garages that are either attached to or linked to their primary residence.
If you keep firewood in your garage or another building that is too near to your house, you may have insect issues. This is why, in order to be safe, it’s best to store firewood outdoors and at least 30 feet away from your house.
In a garage, you’ll also notice that there isn’t much ventilation. If your wood is damp, it will take too long to dry in the garage, which might lead to mold growth.
It isn’t impossible to store firewood in a garage, but it just isn’t ideal when you get down to it. The best solution is to keep the firewood outdoors and Construct a Firewood Shed that has proper airflow.
Last Thoughts
It will be simpler to comprehend what you should do now that you know more about firewood and mold. Mold may be very harmful, and you don’t want to breathe it in.
When people with asthma are exposed to mold, they are at a higher risk. There are also many individuals who are allergic to mold and have problems breathing in even little concentrations of mold.
Mold spores will spread if moldy wood are used in a fire. This is not good, which is why you should avoid using moldy firewood whenever possible.
It’s generally better to just get rid of moldy firewood for your own safety. You’ll just want to endeavor to How to Store Firewood Properly to try to prevent it from getting moldy in the future.
Although it isn’t always straightforward, you may take precautions to reduce the likelihood of your firewood becoming moldy. Even merely draping a cover over the firewood can preserve it from mildew.
You may make things even better by putting the firewood on an elevated platform to protect it from getting wet from the ground. Some individuals even build firewood shelters with enough ventilation to prevent the fuel from drying out.
You have alternatives, and you should decide what you want to do based on the most practical considerations in your position. Simply be cautious while storing firewood, and you should have less mold problems in the future.
The “can you burn wood with fungus on it” is a question that many people have been asking. It turns out, yes, you can indeed burn wood with fungus on it. However, there are some precautions to take when burning firewood.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay to burn firewood with mold on it?
A: Yes, it is still perfectly safe to burn firewood with mold on.
What kills mold on firewood?
A: If you have a fire going and remove the mold, it will die. If you dont have any firewood on hand then I recommend using a steam cleaner like this one to kill off the mold spores in your home before they can grow back.
Related Tags
- how to get rid of mold on firewood
- mildew on firewood
- is white mold on firewood dangerous
- blue mold on firewood
- is mold on firewood bad
