Though I completely understand the desire to keep your firewood handy (and dry under the eaves), I beg you to please resist the temptation to... 
... store your firewood up against the structure of your house. Both of these wood piles, seen in my neighborhood en route to my daily trek to drop my son off at school, may as well have a "Free 24 hour Termite Buffet" sign posted above them.One of the biggest perks of being a Realtor, is the opportunity to accompany several Buyers per year on their ASHI certified inspections, as part of the standard residential contract process. One of the most valuable tools a good Realtor has is their cornucopia of information attained from years of inspections.
The pics I posted above not only raise red flags, but sound off bells and whistles with !!exclamation points!! for a termite infestation.
Termites, super common in St. Louis thanks to our temperate and moisture rich climate, are the number one cause of home damage in the United States. In fact, they do more damage each year than fires, floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined in the U.S..
These pesky rascals build colonies underground and enter a property from the foundation, mud tunneling their way up and through the teeny crevices of your structure. Exterior conditions, such as mulch covering the bulk of the foundation, provides the perfect coverage and disguise for termites to sneak their way in and wreak TOTAL havoc before a homeowner even detects them.
A woodpile against a home?
A virtual 5 star Ritz Carlton suite, complete with white fluffy robes and Godiva chocolates left on the goose down pillows at turn-down service.
For good measure, all woodpiles should be kept as far away from your structure as possible. Inconvenient? Yes. Proactive measure against expensive structural damage to your property? YES!
To learn more about termites, please click HERE.
