# Basement Wood Storage - POLL - Do you do it?



## stee6043 (Oct 1, 2011)

Inspired by another recent post regarding basement storage of wood I thought I'd create this poll.

I personally thought more folks would say "no way" to storing wood in the basement.  But it sounds like a fair number of users here do store wood inside their homes.

For the purpose of this poll let's consider a "yes" response to mean storing anything more than a few days worth of wood in your basement at a time.  To me, two weeks worth is still a lot of wood to have inside.


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## Gark (Oct 1, 2011)

We do, but our storage area is unique.  Beneath the 4 car garage is a 7' x 16' X 22' space totally surrounded by concrete. If the bugs can get out of the wood and chew through cement, more power to 'em.


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## weatherguy (Oct 1, 2011)

I do too but I only bring in dry wood and I dont bring it in til Im ready to start burning. I bought a large plastic bin on craigslist, it looks like a giant milk crate, its about 4' x 4' x 3' high so I can fit quite a bit of wood in it, it contains the mess.
I had masssave in last winter for an energy audit and the guy told me I shouldnt store wood in the basement, I told him just what I said above, he split a piece of my wood and measured the mc and I think it was 15%, so he said I guess its ok but dont store wet wood.


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## Ken S (Oct 1, 2011)

I don't at my current home because it would be inconvenient but at my previous home I had a walk garage in the basement with a wood furnace in the other half of the basement and I would stack it full in the fall but it was well seasoned and dry when I put it in there and never a problem.Also burned a lot of pallets in that thing


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## onetracker (Oct 1, 2011)

most definitely.

seasoned wood only. 2 cords at a time.
wouldn't have it any other way.


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## Swedishchef (Oct 1, 2011)

Don't do it, no space. 90% of my basement is finished, it's a "in use" basement. Keep the wood in the shed outdoors and bring in 2-3 days worth of wood at a time.

Andrew


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## f3cbboy (Oct 1, 2011)

nope.  wood sits outside, dare i say it , uncovered from when it comes home to when the ash is spreaad around the yard.


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## Bspring (Oct 1, 2011)

Yep. About 3 cords of seasoned wood right next to the furnace. I have never had a problem with bugs but I do sprinkle seven dust on the floor before I bring the wood in and I also try to bring the wood in after the first hard freeze.


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## maple1 (Oct 2, 2011)

What is seven dust?


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## red oak (Oct 2, 2011)

So I store a week's worth in the basement but no more than that - so I would click yes?  

Also, I think it is important to note, as others have, that the wood needs to be dry.  Any wood I bring into the house has been split and stacked for at least a year.

And seven dust I believe is referring to a pesticide called seven.


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## rdust (Oct 2, 2011)

If I had a stove in the basement and it was a walkout I would consider it.  No walkout and no basement install so really no reason.


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## weatherguy (Oct 2, 2011)

maple1 said:
			
		

> What is seven dust?



Bug killer


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## muncybob (Oct 2, 2011)

I voted yes, but it's short term (week or 2 worth) storage.  No bug problems.


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## stee6043 (Oct 2, 2011)

Well so far this is going almost as expected.  2:1 towards outdoor only.  Too soon to call it though.  I look forward to seeing more responses!


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## oldspark (Oct 2, 2011)

My guess is it will be the more expeirenced people who bring wood inside as if done correctly it will not be a problem but newer burners will be leary of the bug propaganda.


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## stee6043 (Oct 2, 2011)

oldspark said:
			
		

> My guess is it will be the more expeirenced people who bring wood inside as if done correctly it will not be a problem but newer burners will be leary of the bug propaganda.



Or perhaps it's the older folks with poorer eyesight who can't really see the bugs in the house to begin with?  ha.

"Never seen a single bug"..."Had a bat problem one year, but no bugs"..."Ants are just added BTU's"


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## oldspark (Oct 2, 2011)

Be nice.


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## colebrookman (Oct 2, 2011)

Nope, never in the basement, adding to the fire danger is not worth the risk.  We have people in our town living in log cabins with cellars full of nice dry, ready to burn fire wood. And they have been doing it successfully for twenty years or more. But you know if a fire starts in that house it's probably toast.  Hopefully they have Co and smoke alarms and they have fresh batteries. Fires today double in size every minute, why add to the fireload.  Same goes for those homeowners that load their porches and decks with nice dry wood; convenient yes, dangerous, oh ya. Be safe.
Ed


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## stee6043 (Oct 2, 2011)

oldspark said:
			
		

> Be nice.



Ha.  Only joking with you, Spark!  I figured you might chuckle...


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## kayakkeith (Oct 2, 2011)

I put a small load of good dry wood and hot burning stuff - locust in our unfinished basement. We have a dehumidifier there but in the winter it doesnt run much as its very dry in there. I dont know about putting cords of wood  in the basement but enough to cover the coldest month of Jan seems to work for me. As far as bugs we have spiders and stuff down there anyhow. I just make sure that the stuff isnt loaded with ants and such before bringing in. Makes it easy when we have a couple feet of snow and its - 15 outside


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## maple1 (Oct 2, 2011)

rdust said:
			
		

> If I had a stove in the basement and it was a walkout I would consider it.  No walkout and no basement install so really no reason.



Just mentioning - if some don't have their wood burning appliance in the basement (so naturally wouldn't have much desire to have wood in the basement anyway), and are voting no, it might skew the results a bit.

My appliance and wood are in my basement.


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## Battenkiller (Oct 3, 2011)

maple1 said:
			
		

> Just mentioning - if some don't have their wood burning appliance in the basement (so naturally wouldn't have much desire to have wood in the basement anyway), and are voting no, it might skew the results a bit.
> 
> My appliance and wood are in my basement.



Good point.  Polls are always suspect to me... or at least the ones that are, you might say, less than scientifically engineered.

I am a basement-storage woodburner, have been for 21 years here, and proud of it. ;-) 

Yup, I have a walkout basement and a real hot running stove heating the place from there.  Don't take long to figure out you can get a couple cords of wood dry in there in about three weeks time and _never_ have a bug or humidity problem.  Those who don't burn this way can't understand because it wouldn't really work in a cold, damp basement.  Plus, what would be the point in loading and stacking 4-5 cord of wood down in the basement, then carrying it up again an armful at a time?  It's only ideal in the right circumstances.

Even so, looks like a 40/60 split, so plenty of folks are doing it... without all the problems that are predicted by those who never have and never would. :cheese:


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## mayhem (Oct 3, 2011)

I store about my 3 cords in my basement.  Its a very dry environment and frankly the moisture of the wood is helpful in my house.  I keep the basement windows open from about early May till sometime in October or so anyway.

I lay down a mess of those bug trap/poison things that ants take back to their nests and spray the wood piles with an indoor rated insecticide spary as the stuff comes in.  To date I have not experienced any insect issues of which I am aware.


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## WES999 (Oct 3, 2011)

Yes, but it is KD pallets so little chance of bugs. During burning season I will bring in a few days worth in some plastic bins.


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## onetracker (Oct 3, 2011)

Battenkiller said:
			
		

> maple1 said:
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precisely.
that's my son's job !


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## Wood Duck (Oct 4, 2011)

My basement is finished, so although the stove is down there, I do not store more than a couple of days' wood there. I guess I am a 'no.'


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## Badfish740 (Oct 4, 2011)

I think I'm in between because I'm actually putting a wood chute in as we speak.  The idea is so that I can haul wood from the shed to what was a basement window and dump a week's worth every Saturday or Sunday.  I'm not blessed with outside access to my basement (the only way in is through the house and down the steps) and the steps are part of the finished area and are now carpeted.  It would be a real PITA to try to keep that carpet clean while bringing in wood from the shed after tromping through snow, mud, etc...plus it would save me from stockpiling wood on the deck when a storm is coming because it still always ends up covered in snow or ice.  I don't have the room for storing a cord or even a half cord in the basement, but if I did I think I would.


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## Battenkiller (Oct 4, 2011)

onetracker said:
			
		

> Battenkiller said:
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Had a couple of them lying around many moons ago.  They also functioned as snow throwers.  Had to get a gas-powered snow thrower to replace them.  Is there a gas-powered wood stacker available anywhere?  If so, I want one.   :cheese:


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## mainemaul (Oct 5, 2011)

2 weeks worth all seasoned, never had a bug problem other than the occasional spider.
15 years


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## SKIN052 (Oct 14, 2011)

Brought the majority of this in after work last night. Just about a full cord, should do me a month. Sorry about the poor cell phone pic.


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## SKIN052 (Oct 14, 2011)

No idea how to flip that pic, sorry.


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## maplewood (Oct 15, 2011)

[quote author="Battenkiller" date="1317626390  Polls are always suspect to me... or at least the ones that are, you might say, less than scientifically engineered.[/quote]

My dad said, "Figures can lie as long as liars can figure".


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## stee6043 (Oct 15, 2011)

This has turned out a lot closer than I would have expected.  You learn something every day around this place.

I'd still never do it but it certainly seems like a lot of you do it and do it well.  Happy burning!


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## mywaynow (Oct 15, 2011)

I bring in only a day or worth of burning.  There is a week or so of storage just outside the door where the stove is.  That is storage on masonary surfaces.  I would not say I store wood inside.


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## Gasifier (Oct 16, 2011)

I bring in about 1/2 face cord at a time to my basement. That will usually last me about 3-5 days depending on how cold it is. Always split and stacked outside in long single rows up on hardwood pallets for more than 7 months. Mostly Ash and some Pine.


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## Fod01 (Oct 16, 2011)

Nothing in the basement, but I fill a wood ring in the garage, and try to keep the next reload or so by the stove.


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