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About Firewood |
WHAT
IS A CORD?Firewood is sold by a measurement called a "cord." A cord must equal 128 cubic feet. To be sure you have a cord, stack the wood neatly by placing the wood in a line or a row, with individual pieces touching and parallel to each other. Make sure that the wood is compact and has as few gaps as possible. Then measure the stack. If the width times the height times the length equals 128 cubic feet, you have a cord of firewood.
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STACKING A CORD FOR MEASUREMENT |
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 Always stack
the wood neatly by placing the wood in a line or a row, with
individual pieces touching and parallel to each other. Make sure
the wood is compact and has as few gaps as possible. |
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WRONG !! This photo shows an example of cross-stacked wood. Never measure wood that is stacked this way, as it results in a inaccurate volume. Crisscross stacking can falsely increase the volume as much as 50 % ! |
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WORDS THAT MAY INDICATE YOU ARE NOT GETTING PROPER MEASUREMENT |
A cord, like other measurements such as a foot, gallon, or ton, is defined by law. A seller may not legitimately use terms such as "truckload," "face cord," "rack," or "pile" because these terms have no legally defined meaning and, therefore, you have no way of determining how much firewood you are actually receiving. If a seller uses such terms, it should alert you to a possible problem. Wood can only be sold by the cord or by fractions of a cord.
GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR - GET IT IN WRITING
How to Protect Yourself When Buying Firewood -
When you buy firewood make sure to get a receipt which shows the seller's name and address, as well as the price, amount, and kind of wood purchased. If possible, get the seller's phone number and write down the license plate number of the delivery vehicle.
When the wood is delivered, ask the seller to stack it (you may have to pay extra for this service) or stack the wood yourself. Measure the wood before using any. If the cubic measurement indicates that you did not receive the correct volume, contact the seller before you burn any wood.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU THINK YOU'VE BEEN SHORT - CHANGED
If the seller can't or won't correct the problem, contact the weights and measures office before you burn any wood. It is also helpful to document the possible shortage by taking a picture of the stacked wood.
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1116 East California Avenue Bakersfield, CA 93307 |
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Phone: (661) 868-6300 |
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Fax: (661) 324-0668 |
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E-mail: villicam@co.kern.ca.us |
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TTY Relay: 1(800) 735-2929 |
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Fuelwood Characteristics |
