Firewood purchasing

• It is unlawful for a seller of firewood to advertise or sell the firewood by terms such as “face cord,” “rack,” “pile,” “truckload,” etc. 
  
• If the firewood is sold and delivered to your house, the seller of the firewood is required to give you an itemized delivery ticket or sales invoice containing at least the following information:

• The legal name and address of the seller, and the name and address of the buyer of the firewood;

• The date the firewood was delivered, and the price for the amount of firewood delivered;

• The quality of the firewood delivered and the quantity upon which the price is based, if it differs from the delivery quantity;

• The identity of the most descriptive terms commercially practicable, including any quality representation made in connection with the sale (for example, seasoned mixed hardwoods); and

• The serial number of the delivery ticket or invoice.
  
• Packaged firewood, which is generally sold in hard- ware stores and supermarkets and contains less than four (4) cubic feet of firewood, must show the net weight of the firewood and the number of pieces of firewood in the package.
  

If you feel that you have been shorted, contact the seller to correct the problem. If the seller will not correct the problem, you should call Bergen County 201-336-6424 or Passaic County  973-305-5750, Weights & Measures or the state Office of Weights and Measures at 732-815-4840.   

Do not burn any firewood sold and delivered to you in that transaction until the firewood has been examined and re-measured by a N.J. Weights and Measures officer.  

FIREWOOD STORAGE AND PREVENTING INSECT INFESTATION

Firewood often houses insects both under the bark and in- side the wood. The majority of these insects are harmless to people and to houses. However, firewood also harbor ants and termites - the ones that you do not want to bring into your home. To eliminate the problem of insects in your fire- wood, follow these tips:

■ Harvest your wood during the winter when most insects are not active. Do not leave the wood in the forest. Cut it into small logs so the wood can dry quickly. The drier the wood, the less chance for infestation by insects.

Store the wood aboveground, outside and away from your house, and keep it cov- ered. Keep some air space under the cover and under

the pile to keep the air flowing.

Buy wood locally. Invasive
insects like the Asian Long- Horned Beetle, which attacks maples and 12 other types of
trees, and the Emerald Ash Borer, which attacks ash trees,

can be transported to new areas inside firewood and can destroy the local trees.

Never spray the wood with pesticides. Burning wood that has been sprayed with chemicals is a health hazard.  

PREVENTING CHIMNEY FIRES

In the case of a heater, check it for broken parts and cracks before firing-it-up each autumn. Periodically recheck and clean the heater during the course of the heating season. Any damage should be repaired as soon as it is found.

The chimney should be checked at least once a year for creosote build-up. Creosote accumulation is the main reason for cleaning a chimney.

Call a professional chimney cleaner and check with the Division of Consumer Affairs to see if complaints have been made against the company.

Repair cracks or holes in the flue. Sparks gener- ated by the fire could go through the cracks or holes and start a fire in the attic or the frame of the house. This can result in the loss of property and possible loss of life.