The first step on how to get rid of mold on firewood is to assess mold growth. We’ll guide you on what to do next; just read the article below!
Mold On Firewood
Mold is not picky with its victims. Since mold spores are everywhere, it is difficult to avoid mold growth.
You can check this article to lessen your chances of mold growth by eradicating mold spores. Now, if you’re dealing with mold growth on your firewood, read this article until the end.
How does mold grow on firewood?
Mold grows naturally on organic materials, and that includes firewood. It only needs a few conditions to grow, and the criteria are pretty easy to meet.
First, mold needs a food source. In this scenario, the wood itself is the mold’s food source.
Second, mold needs oxygen. Like every living thing, mold requires oxygen to live, and we have plenty of that everywhere.
Lastly, the most critical condition is moisture. Moisture is typically the last of the criteria to be met until you have mold on your firewood.
Once your firewood gets wet and isn’t properly dried after a day or two, it will develop mold. There are several reasons for water damage on firewood.
One of them is getting rained on. Another is storing them in a place with excessive moisture, like a crawl space or in a basement.
Regardless of the reason, we can conclude that water damage inevitably leads to mold.
What are the effects of mold on firewood?
Moldy firewood exudes mold spores. The mold spores then find other places to settle on; this is how mold spreads quickly from one place to another.
As mold spreads on the surface of the firewood, it ruins the quality of the wood. This is because mold feeds on the firewood and breaks the material down.
Apart from ruining the integrity of your firewood, it can also cause adverse health effects. This is especially the case if you store your wood in your crawl space or basement.
Here’s an article on how to remove mold from the crawl space that may help you.
Also, if your HVAC is installed in your crawl space or basement, then the air quality in your home may be affected. With this, your family members may experience mold-induced allergies.
Are they still valid?
Surprisingly, moldy firewood is still valid. They can still do their job of warming you or cooking your food while you’re out camping.
However, people who have mold allergies may, moldy firewood may trigger an asthma attack.
If you have no alternative to moldy firewood, it’s okay to use them. Although, keep your vulnerable family members away from the moldy firewood.
If you use moldy firewood in your furnace, it may spread mold spores inside your house. Using moldy firewood may lead to a more severe problem in the future.
Hence, we recommend you remove mold from your firewood before using them. The steps to getting rid of mold on firewood are indicated below.
Removing Mold On Firewood
Firstly, look into the cause of moisture in your firewood. After that, proceed with the following steps:
Step #1. Dealing with mold comes with adverse health effects. It is a responsible decision to choose to protect yourself.
Put on protective gear, like a pair of gloves and goggles. Make sure your skin is covered adequately to prevent mold-induced skin allergies.
Step #2. Mold spreads rapidly, but there may be pieces of firewood that haven’t been affected by it. If so, separate the ones that are not moldy.
Keep them in a separate pile. Please make sure the area where you put them is dry.
Step #3. For the moldy firewood, look into whether it’s spread on the whole wood. Then, cut off the area that has mold.
If the damage is too extensive for a cut to be helpful, then use a baking soda spray. Make the spray by pouring a mixture of baking soda and water into a spray bottle.
Spray it on the mold affected area. Leave it to dry, then use the firewood as usual.
Ways to prevent mold on firewood
The ideal way to prevent mold on your firewood is to store the wood properly. There are several ways to protect your firewood.
Build a firewood shed
This tip to firewood storage requires effort in building and maintaining. However, it is a surefire way of protecting your firewood.
If you use numerous firewood piles throughout the year, this is an ideal solution for mold prevention.
Elevate the stack
Firewood absorbs moisture from all sides. However, water from the ground gets absorbed the fastest.
A way to prevent mold growth is to elevate your firewood stack so it won’t contact the ground.
Cover
This is the most basic solution to firewood protection. Covering your firewood shields it from the elements, but not entirely.
You shouldn’t cover the firewood stack entirely as it may trap moisture inside, leading to mold growth.
Conclusion
You’re now informed on how to get rid of mold on firewood and the ways to prevent mold growth. We hope this article about moldy firewood and how to deal with them was helpful.