DIY guideGround and drainage

Move the woodpile and pull the mulch back off the wall

Stack firewood away from the house, and keep mulch, soil and plants back from the walls so they stay dry and free of bugs.

7 steps

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Restack the firewood well away from the house, about 20 feet (6 metres) if you have the room.
Wear gloves: spiders and wasps like woodpiles.
Stack it on a rack or pallets so air moves under it, and cover only the top.
Pull mulch and soil away from the foundation, leaving a strip of bare ground or gravel along the wall.
Leave a hand's width between the soil or mulch and the bottom of the siding or brick.
Cut back shrubs and vines so they don't touch the wall and air can move behind them.
Check the wall and any wood there for mud tubes, sawdust or ants.
Mud tubes, sawdust piles or soft wood by the wall: ask Handyman for a pest control pro.

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