Dehydration kilns and powderpost beetles

I’ve read that conventional kiln processing can heat the lumber enough to kill powderpost beetles and the like. However, if I understand correctly, dehumidification kilns don’t get that hot. Am I at risk if I buy lumber which has been dried in such a kiln?

Ask if the wood has been sterilized. If the guy does not know what you are talking about, walk away. Sterilizing is heating the wood up to 140 to 150 degrees f for about 24 hours. Kills all the bugs.

Jamie,
The problem is that the dehumidifiers stop working after about 120F. What I do is switch to just a heat source (milk house heater). Then I just vent to control humidity and bring the temp up to sterilization that way.
James

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Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton

I’ve read that conventional kiln processing can heat the lumber enough to kill powderpost beetles and the like. However, if I understand correctly, dehumidification kilns don’t get that hot. Am I at risk if I buy lumber which has been dried in such a kiln?

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Jamie, commercial Dehumidification kilns such as Nyle’s products will without question get hot enough to properly sterilize the lumber. USDA Kiln operator specs call for heating the lumber until all portions of it reach 133F. Typically the DH kiln operator will turn the heat up to 145 - 150 for 24 hours in order to achieve total load sterilization.

Now someone’s home build DH kiln, if it does not have extra heat strips or if the operator is not familiar with running a sterilization cycle, may not get hot enough to sterilize lumber.

Scott