Ohio Department of Agriculture Offers Tips for Purchasing Firewood

Tips for Purchasing Firewood

Ohio Department of Agriculture offers tips for purchasing firewood.

Being familiar with state firewood laws can help ensure you get what you pay for when purchasing firewood.

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (Nov. 30, 2016) – As winter approaches more people look into purchasing firewood to help heat their home. The Ohio Department of Agriculture is offering some basic tips to help when purchasing firewood.

“Many Ohioans rely on purchasing firewood to heat their homes during the cold winter months,” said David Daniels, director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture. “That’s why it’s important to know the laws about how firewood must be sold in order to make sure you, the consumer, are getting what you pay for when purchasing firewood.”

The following firewood rules and regulations are helpful to review before purchasing firewood:

Non-packaged firewood must be sold by the cord or by fractions of a cord. One cord, when properly stacked, should be 8 feet long by 4 feet high and 4 feet wide (128 cubic feet).

If sold in bulk, firewood must be purchased by the weight in ton measurements. This must be weighed on a certified scale.

It is illegal to sell firewood by any other unit of measurement such as a rick, rack, face cord or truckload. If a consumer believes that a seller did not comply with these rules and regulations, the person should immediately contact the seller.

If non-packaged firewood is purchased, the seller must present the consumer with a delivery ticket or sales invoice that includes contact information and the terms and conditions of the sale.

If the firewood is advertised and sold as a certain type of wood, the load must contain at least 90 percent of that species.

Be aware of different firewood movement regulations in place concerning invasive species such as gypsy moth and Asian long-horned beetle. It is always good practice to not move firewood long distances and to buy local and burn local.

When burning firewood for heat, the State Fire Marshal advises to follow all necessary safety practices to avoid any serious problems.

If you have questions or concerns with purchasing firewood, and the seller will not correct the problem, contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Division of Weights and Measures at (614) 728-6290 or contact your county auditor’s office.