How To Get Rid Of Mold On Firewood?

Helen Skeates
Helen Skeates
23 min read

Those with asthma and other respiratory disorders should avoid using firewood that has been contaminated by mold. Mold can grow on your firewood if you don’t remove it from your stack and let it die in the sun. Maintain a dry environment for your firewood to avoid mold growth. Make sure your storage room is appropriately ventilated.

Molding is one of the most feared nuisances when it comes to storing firewood. Mold can form in storage spaces that aren’t properly aired, which leads to moisture buildup. Preventative measures are the best approach to avoid the problem of moldy firewood. Make sure your storage room is always kept dry.

But what if mold has already developed? What would you do if you already had rotting firewood in your possession? Should you continue to use it, or should you throw it away? It can be composted outside or dumped at a landfill if that’s your first thought when faced with disposing of it.

What Can You Do With Moldy Wood?

The first step is to remove any firewood that has been contaminated. The wood around it should also be removed so that the woodpile is clear of any damaged log splits. Finally, you can leave the wood outside in direct sunlight to dry.

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If the procedure is followed precisely, it’s very likely that the mold will come off and dehydrate. Once it’s been properly seasoned, you can use it in the same way as regular firewood. Keep this rotten firewood well away from your storage place at all costs.

Makeshift outdoor storage for your moldy firewood. To keep this wood dry, make sure it has access to sunlight and airflow. Just make sure moisture isn’t reintroduced to avoid the spore problem resurfacing. To keep your moldy stack dry and away from moisture, build a support structure.

In order to get rid of the dried-out mold, use a brush or anything else you have available. If you are allergic to mold spores, wear a mask and gloves when removing these spores.

However, if you don’t have the time or inclination to dry or deal with your moldy firewood, you can simply throw it away. You can either leave it to decompose on the ground or dispose of it in a landfill. As long as you can get it to your firewood pile, the decision is entirely yours.

Is It Okay to Burn Moldy Firewood?

Moldy firewood in your storage can have you wondering if it’s still safe to burn it. Here’s the answer. Unfortunately, you may not be pleased with the response. If you or anybody else in your household suffers from respiratory issues, it may not be a good idea to burn rotting firewood.

Microscopic spores are emitted into the air when rotting wood is burned. Mold growth can be restarted by spreading these spores to other fuel stacks. Other wooden constructions can also be damaged by these spores over time. There is a good chance that you’ll be startled one day to discover that your favorite piece of woodwork has been given a little something extra.

Mold Spore as Health Hazard

However, the actual danger is in the health of those around you, not in your own health. Coughing, sneezing, and irritation of the nose and throat are all symptoms of these invisible spores. Those who are otherwise healthy may only have a brief tingling sensation. However, persons with breathing problems may experience severe reactions.

Moldy firewood should not be used for cooking, campfires, or any other activity that requires exposure to flame. Only the spores will be dispersed, putting the structure and the health of others at risk. If you have family members who are allergic to mold, keep this in mind. Being cautious when it comes to one’s health is always preferable to being unsure of oneself.

Moldy firewood, on the other hand, is still a viable option for heating and other applications. To take an example, if you’re using these as fuel in a contained space, you can do so. The firewood can be used again if the mold can be removed by drying it off. Moldy or not, wood that has been properly seasoned should only be burned.

Can You Burn Rotten Wood Outside?

Moldy or decaying wood can be burned outside without issue. It’s not as harmful as burning rotten wood inside because the spores and smoke aren’t isolated in one place. The wood should be thoroughly dry and properly seasoned before using it for any purpose.

However, if you’re camping with others, stay away from the campfire if you find yourself with rotten firewood. Do not inhale the noxious fumes and other byproducts of a moldy wood fire. As far away from your house as feasible, burn this wood for your fireplace.

How to Store Firewood Properly to Prevent Mold

To avoid mold growth in your firewood, store the splits in an area that receives enough of breeze and sunlight. Avoid forgetting a basis when stacking your wood splits. This will keep your wood stacks from being exposed to groundwater, which is the primary cause of mold growth.

Next, make sure your firewood is well protected from rain and other weathering impacts by using a substantial amount of cover. As quickly as possible after cutting, stack your firewood. When the splits can quickly obtain moisture, mold growth will occur on the exposed and unprotected wood.

A firewood log rack, such as this one from Woodhaven, is the most convenient way to store your firewood. It has excellent structural soundness and will keep your firewood off the ground when in use. A firewood cover for the top 12 inches of your logs is included.

Because it restricts the free flow of air between the logs, never stack your firewood in a line. The wood will “sweat out” and shed its moisture if it does not receive adequate air movement and sunlight. The storage and stacking space must therefore be kept as dry as possible. For a minimum of six months, you should season your firewood.

Finally, if you plan to store a significant amount of firewood, you may want to look for any areas that are prone to moisture before constructing your shelter.

When it rains, is there a hole in your roof that allows water to flow? Keep the entire storage area dry, no matter how much preparation you have done.

Mold On Firewood

When it comes to its victims, mold isn’t choosy. As a result of the ubiquitous presence of mold spores, preventing mold growth is nearly impossible.

By removing mold spores, you can minimize the risk of mold growth. Then, if you’re having problems with mold on your firewood, keep reading.

How does mold grow on firewood?

Mold naturally grows on organic things, and firewood is one of those sources. It requires only a few conditions to thrive, and the requirements are quite simple to meet.

To begin, mold need a source of sustenance. The mold feeds on the wood itself in this case.

Second, mold need a source of oxygen. In order to thrive, mold needs oxygen, and we have an abundance of it around us.

Last but not least, moisture is the most crucial factor. When you have mold on your firewood, moisture is usually the last of the requirements to be met.

After a day or two of rain, your firewood will begin to mold if it isn’t properly dried. Water damage to firewood can occur for a variety of causes.

It’s raining on one of them. Another option is to keep them in a damp area, such as a crawl space or a basement.

It doesn’t matter what the cause of water damage is, mold is always a result.

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What are the effects of mold on firewood?

Mold spores are released from rotting firewood. Mold spreads swiftly from one location to the next because of the spores’ ability to locate new areas to settle.

The quality of the wood diminishes as mold grows on the surface of the firewood. It’s because mold eats the firewood, causing it to decompose.

When it comes to firewood, it can also have a negative impact on your well-being. If you keep your wood in a crawl room or basement, this is especially true.

To help you, here is an article on how to eliminate mold from the crawl space:

The quality of your home’s air may also be impaired if your HVAC is situated in your crawlspace or basement. With this, mold allergies may develop in your household.

Are they still valid?

Astonishingly, rotten timber can still be used in a bonfire. Even if you’re out in the wilderness, they can still keep you warm and prepare your meals.

Asthmatics who are allergic to mold may experience asthmatic symptoms if they use moldy firewood.

You can use rotting firewood if you have no other choice. However, make sure to keep your children and other susceptible family members away from the rotting firewood.

In the event that you use rotting firewood to heat your home, mold spores could be released into the air. In the long run, using rotting firewood could lead to a far more serious situation than is currently being faced.

Consequently, we advise that you remove mold from your firewood before using it. Below are the steps for removing mold from firewood.

Removing Mold On Firewood

You should first investigate the source of the moisture in your wood. Following that, carry out the following procedures:

Mold can cause a variety of health issues, therefore the first step is to be aware of this. Choosing to safeguard yourself is a responsible choice.

Put on a pair of gloves and goggles to protect yourself. To avoid skin allergies caused by mold, make sure your skin is appropriately protected.

In the second step, although mold spreads swiftly, there may be unaffected bits of firewood. If that’s the case, separate the moldy ones from the non-moldy ones.

Separate them from the rest. If you plan to store them somewhere damp, please don’t do so.

Step #3: In the case of moldy firewood, determine if it has spread over the entire piece. Then, remove the mold-infested area.

There are times when cutting isn’t an option, and baking soda spray is an alternative. The spray is made by combining baking soda and water in a spray container and shaking it well.

Spray the mold-infested area with this. After it has dried, you can use the firewood as normal.

Ways to prevent mold on firewood

Properly storing your firewood is the best method to avoid mold. It is possible to safeguard your firewood in a variety of methods.

Build a firewood shed

This strategy for storing firewood necessitates a lot of time and work to implement and maintain. It is, however, a foolproof method of keeping your firewood safe.

This is a great way to keep mold at bay if you have a lot of firewood piled up all year long.

Elevate the stack

Moisture seeps into the wood of a fire in multiple directions. As a result, water that seeps into the earth is the fastest to soak in.

Elevating your firewood stack away from the ground can help avoid mold growth.

Cover

This is the simplest method for protecting firewood. Your firewood is protected from the elements, although not completely, by covering it.

You should not completely cover the firewood stack, since this could lead to the growth of mold.

Everything You Need to Know About Mold on Firewood

A Little Bit of Mold Isn’t an Uncommon Sight

If you’re piling firewood outside, mold is not out of the question. You may occasionally notice that the firewood has a small amount of mold on it.

In nature, you’ll see things like this, and the mold is actually a natural part of the process. Seeing mold on firewood that is being stored outside doesn’t mean anything unusual is happening.

Mold is more prone to grow on damp firewood, so keep an eye out for that. All three of these ingredients are necessary for mold to grow.

As a result, if your logs are left in a wet environment, they are far more prone to start growing mold. Your firewood will need to be stored in a way that takes this into account.

Mold is a typical sight in the outdoors, but it doesn’t mean that moldy firewood is safe to use. For more information, please continue reading this article.

Burning Moldy Logs Is a Bad Idea

Another thing to consider is that burning rotting logs is not recommended. There will be disappointment if you go to your wood pile and discover that all of the logs have been moldy.

If a log has a small amount of mold on it, you might be tempted to burn it, but this is not a good idea. Burning a rotten log, on the other hand, could have negative health effects for you and your family.

Asthma sufferers are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of mold. People with mold allergies could also be adversely affected if mold spores were dispersed in the atmosphere.

When the mold is burned, it releases spores into the air, where people can breathe them in. In most cases, when you’re having a bonfire or starting a fire in your fireplace, you’ll have people nearby.

It’s not healthy for your health to be inhaling moldy air. You should avoid it even if you don’t suffer from asthma or allergies.

It’s not a good idea to burn rotting logs because they could make you ill. Before lighting a fire, make sure the firewood is in good shape.

Never Cook with Moldy Firewood

As you might think, cooking with rotten firewood can be harmful to your health. Make sure the firewood you use for cooking over an open flame is as pure as possible.

This means that mold spores can get into the food that you’re cooking. You may end up with a lot of mold spores in your stew if you’re not careful.

Eating this could make you ill, so you should avoid it at all costs. Using moldy logs will ruin your outdoor cooking experience, so be sure to keep an eye out for them.

When cooking, never use a log that even appears to be mildewed for a fire. You don’t want to be the cause of someone else’s illness, which could have fatal consequences.

It’s safer to go out and get more firewood or go out and buy it than it is to use moldy firewood. As a short-term inconvenience, it’s actually a good thing in the long run.

Some People Do Choose to Use Logs That Only Have Small Amounts of Mold

Now that you’ve learned about the dangers of mold, you’ll probably avoid using logs that have it. Logs that have mold on them should be disposed of, in the majority of cases.

However, other individuals prefer to utilize firewood that has only a few specks of mold on it. Unless you are allergic to mold and asthmatic, this is your decision to make.

Make sure to keep in mind that mold can still pose a serious health risk in some instances. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t at risk from mold exposure if you burn moldy firewood.

Nonetheless, there are many who believe it’s OK. If the logs have a little mold on them, you may want to consider throwing them away rather than trying to save them for future use.

If you can get your hands on some logs that aren’t even slightly rotten, by all means, use those. A rotting log is usually not a good idea for a fire, but you have the power to make your own decisions.

Store Your Firewood Properly

Keeping your home secure will necessitate carefully storing your firewood. If you keep your firewood in an unsuitable location, it will quickly become moldy.

There is no doubt that many people prefer to store firewood outside because it is the most convenient and obvious option. Leaving firewood out in the open, on the other hand, is a surefire way to get it wet.

If you’re thinking about bringing the firewood inside, you’ll want to proceed with caution. For a variety of reasons, keeping firewood in your house may not be the best option.

Most people’s basements can only hold so much firewood. There is a good chance that the firewood in your basement will turn moldy because of the dampness.

Bringing firewood into your home increases the risk of introducing mold into your residence. If you’re not careful, it can backfire on you in spectacular fashion.

When you take the proper precautions, storing firewood outside isn’t necessarily a bad idea. Just find a technique to keep the firewood dry so that you may continue to use it.

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Consider Using a Tarp

Using a tarp to protect your firewood from rain is a good idea. Snow will be kept off the firewood with relative ease.

However, a tarp should not be placed over the entire stack of firewood. Using a tarp to completely cover the firewood will cause it to dry out quite quickly.

Mold may be able to develop more readily on the logs if this happens. The problem is that this is exactly the reverse of what you’re attempting to do, and you’ll need to take things a little more cautiously in the future.

The best thing to do is simply cover your firewood with a tarp. The firewood should also be raised off the ground if you want to obtain the best effects.

When it rains or snows, this will keep the firewood at the bottom from becoming wet. Using a tarp and putting your firewood on an elevated platform is a great idea.

Build a Firewood Shed

A better approach is to simply build a firewood shed where you can keep your firewood safe and sound. Your firewood will be well-protected from the elements thanks to this location.

The only requirements for a firewood shed are a roof and the ability to rise above the ground. For a more aesthetically acceptable result, you might use retail store-bought boards instead of building something similar from wood pallets.

If you want to protect your firewood from drying out, it’s a good idea to let the wind flow under it. It’s important to remember that too much drying out of firewood can make it more susceptible to fungus.

Build a large enough firewood storage shed for your own benefit so that you can keep enough of firewood on hand. It’s not uncommon for folks to erect shelters of this size to store a whole year’s worth of wood.

Pallets may be purchased at a reasonable price, and a basic firewood storage shed can be constructed with them. To build this, you don’t need to be an expert carpenter. It’s a simple design that could work for you.

Avoid Putting Firewood in Your Garage

It’s possible that you’ll consider storing your firewood in your garage rather than putting up a firewood shed. For a variety of reasons, this may not be the ideal approach.

Certain pests that you don’t want in your house will be drawn to the smoke from the fire. In many cases, people’s garages are either adjacent to their residences or even part of the property itself.

It’s possible that storing firewood in your garage or another structure that’s too close to your house will lead to bug problems. Keeping firewood at least 30 feet away from your house is therefore considered a good idea.

A garage’s lack of airflow is another problem you’ll encounter. It’s possible that mold could grow in your garage if your wood is a little wet, because it will take a long time to dry.

However, storing firewood in a garage is not the best option when the time comes. Firewood should be stored outdoors and in a firewood shed with adequate ventilation.

FAQs

What kills mold on firewood?

Firewood that has already been contaminated by mold should be dried thoroughly and removed from the rest of the pile. Mold on the wood’s surface will die and be removed using a stiff-bristled brush once the wood has dried (wear a dust mask).

Can you save moldy firewood?

Avoid storing rotting firewood indoors and burning it directly in your heater if you must. When people keep moldy items in their homes before using them, they are putting themselves at risk for developing mold. As a result, mold spores can spread throughout your house.

Why is there mold on my firewood?

Mold is more likely to grow on firewood if it is exposed to wet conditions. All three of these ingredients are necessary for mold to grow. As a result, if your logs are left in a wet environment, they are far more prone to start growing mold.

What can I spray on wood to prevent mold?

Mix equal parts vinegar and warm water in a spray sprayer to make distilled white vinegar: Allow the solution to sit for an hour after misting the afflicted area. After using a damp cloth, pat the surface dry.

Why is my firewood turning black?

If you’re using wet wood, it’s likely that the wood will turn black and either fail to burn or will burn but quickly go out. It is difficult to light and maintain a fire with wood that is “green” (meaning new), stored in a terrible location outside, or not properly seasoned in the correct manner

Can moldy wood make you sick?

If you have allergies or asthma, mold in your house may make you ill. Allergy to molds isn’t necessary to experience the negative health effects of mold exposure, which can affect your eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. For your own health and that of your family, here are some tips for dealing with mold issues.

Should you burn wood with fungus?

Do not use your fireplace to burn fungus-infested wood. Wood is porous, making it prone to moisture accumulation. When you combine damp wood with a little time, the result is a pile of wood covered in fungus. Wood that has been ravaged by mold and fungus can still be used as fuel.

Is mold green on wood?

An algal coating that forms on wood in wet, dark conditions is called algae. Unlike grass, which is hard and fibrous to the touch but similarly green and grows in similar conditions, moss is smooth and velvety. Streaks of greenish-black mold can be seen on wood. Mold spores can constitute a health hazard to humans and animals if they are not properly addressed.

Final Thoughts

After reading this article, you’ll have a better idea of what to do about firewood and mold. Mold can be very harmful, so avoid inhaling it if at all possible.

Asthmatics are particularly vulnerable to mold exposure. Many people are allergic to mold, which means that even minute levels of mold can cause problems for them when they breathe it in.

Mold spores will spread if you burn moldy logs in a fire. Because of this, you should avoid using rotting firewood at all costs.

For the sake of your own safety, it is usually preferable to just throw out any moldy firewood. Simply store your firewood in a manner that prevents it from becoming moldy in the long run.

You may not always be able to accomplish this, but there are actions you can do to make your firewood less susceptible to mold. Firewood can be protected from mold by simply covering it with a sheet.

Helen Skeates

Helen Skeates

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