Firewood "Tips" according to the State Of Ohio

[TedyOH]

Gotta love Government and their "tips", no wonder this country is in the state it's in......so who's going to call first!?

 

[Ctwoodtick]

It sounds like that info could mislead wood buyers into thinking anything below 50% mc is good to go. I will say this, a call to this dept could be productive. Sometimes you get the right person on the phone and they may consider changing the info they are putting out there.

 

[AmbDrvr253]

YIKES! 50% is just a lil on the high side.

 

[Aranyic]

Lol I read the same thing earlier today on whio. Was coming to share the same.

 

[Poindexter]

I sent an email to the fellow listed as the media contact at the top of the .pdf.

 

[firefighterjake]

Thinking it might be a typo ... sometimes 2 and 5 get mixed up as the 2 sits right above the 5 and a person proofreading this quickly who may not be all that knowledgeable about seasoned wood may have let this slip by.

 

[blades]

major muck up - I have sponges dryer than that after they have been rung out.

 

[Poindexter]

I heard back from the state via email. copy/paste of relevvant portion:

as it stands the 50% figure is currently in Ohio Administrative Code Rule 901:6-7-03, however we are currently undergoing rule review and will be looking to change that rule.

 

[jb6l6gc]

I should hope they would be looking to change that rule, what the moisture content on a living tree? Cant be much more than that lol

 

[saskwoodburner]

I prefer my wood to be 45 % moisture. That way, it's drier than it is wet.

 

[hamslam42]

50%? Geez...I think I need to water my firewood!

 

[FaithfulWoodsman]

Government..... "rule review" and "looking into it", next thing we'll see is a committee to discuss it. Some things need procedures and administration, firewood just needs some knowledge and a little common sense.

 

[Ashful]

Thinking it might be a typo ... sometimes 2 and 5 get mixed up as the 2 sits right above the 5 and a person proofreading this quickly who may not be all that knowledgeable about seasoned wood may have let this slip by.

Agreed... if you're typing on a phone. if you're using a computer keyboard number pad, the 2 is below the 5. ;-)

 

[CountryBoy19]

I heard back from the state via email. copy/paste of relevvant portion:

I looked that code up... at least they're "good" on parts of it...

(3) Quantity: Wood, of any type, for use as fuel may be advertised, offered for sale and sold by measure, weight and count, insofar as wood, advertised, offered for sale and sold by measure shall use the term "cord" and fractional parts of a cord or the cubic meter; except that wood, natural or processed (including flavoring chips), offered for sale in package form shall display the quantity in terms of cubic feet, to include fractions of cubic feet or cubic meters, to include decimal fractions of cubic meters. Wood advertised, offered for sale and sold by weight shall be sold in terms of price per ton, the sale based on a net weight determined using an appropriate scale sealed by a weights and measures inspector, and in no case shall a scale be used for net loads that weigh less than fifty minimum divisions. A single log shall be sold by weight, and packages of such individual logs containing less than four cubic feet (one thirty-second of a cord), if sold by inch-pound volume, or less than one-tenth cubic meter if sold by metric volume, may be sold by net weight plus count.
(4) Prohibition of terms: The terms "face cord," "rack," "pile," "rick," "truckload," or terms of similar import shall not be used when advertising, offering for sale, or selling wood for use as fuel.

 

[maple1]

I looked that code up... at least they're "good" on parts of it...

Got a link to the code? Can't believe it would have seasoned = 50% m.c. in it.

 

[maple1]

Never mind. I found it. And it does.

(Shakes head....)

 

[iamlucky13]

I heard back from the state via email. copy/paste of relevvant portion:

Here's the link:
http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/901:6-7-03

I suspected as much. 50% is really high, even for an outdated, pre-high-efficiency stove era standard.

Hopefully that's a code the Ag Department has the authority to revise themselves. If it requires a legislative bill, it will be a lot harder to resolve, especially since some of the firewood sellers are likely to raise a ruckus if a bill to fix it shows up in the legislature.

As is, it may still need some (polite) letter or email writing to get it updated.

 

[brenndatomu]

Aye aye aye! I don't think the wettest piece of wood I have ever checked was even up to 50%! Heck, I'm not even sure my meter goes that high.
If I was buying "seasoned" wood and it showed up reading higher than 25%, it would get a return trip unless it was WAAAY cheap...and even then I would be buying it for 2 or 3 years from now.
I'm sure if the state changed their rules to say that seasoned firewood must be below 20% that all these firewood hacks would just shape right up and tow the line!

 

[Oldman47]

Administrative rules are often the result of "industry" input on the subject. My guess is the guys who cut in June, split in August and sell in October helped them write that rule. That way the "less professional" wood sellers who cut on Monday and sell on Wednesday couldn't claim it was seasoned.

 

[DoubleB]

I also get a chuckle that:
-"...firewood must be sold by the cord or fractions of a cord."
-"It is illegal to sell firewood by any other unit of measurement such as a...face cord..."

10-to-1 here on hearth we call it a "face cord", not "1/3 cord."

In my mind it mostly reinforces that I don't see much value in firewood laws. Why can't a buyer and seller agree to their own terms? If a buyer and seller agree to terms, exchange happens. If they don't agree to terms, no exchange. Don't pay a seller until he meets terms. Pretty simple and it works in most of the rest of our lives; I don't see why it has to be any more complicated than that.

I'm not trying to start any squabbles, and I know some members have gotten the short end. Just not sure that any firewood laws helped do anything that reasonable terms and conditions would do anyways.

 

[Aranyic]

I also get a chuckle that:
-"...firewood must be sold by the cord or fractions of a cord."
-"It is illegal to sell firewood by any other unit of measurement such as a...face cord..."

10-to-1 here on hearth we call it a "face cord", not "1/3 cord."

In my mind it mostly reinforces that I don't see much value in firewood laws. Why can't a buyer and seller agree to their own terms? If a buyer and seller agree to terms, exchange happens. If they don't agree to terms, no exchange. Don't pay a seller until he meets terms. Pretty simple and it works in most of the rest of our lives; I don't see why it has to be any more complicated than that.

I'm not trying to start any squabbles, and I know some members have gotten the short end. Just not sure that any firewood laws helped do anything that reasonable terms and conditions would do anyways.

Yeah I chuckled a little at the terminology requirements. I have purchased a 'heavy truckload' gasp because I looked at the wood and the truck ahead of the time and was good with the price. Turned out to be a out 2/3 cord stacked, had no idea I am such a rebel I'll have to let my wife know. Who knows where the slippery slope will lead next.

 

[DoubleB]

Turned out to be a out 2/3 cord stacked, had no idea I am such a rebel

No, you're ok. You got 2/3 cord, not two face cords. You're not egregious enough yet to be a rebel.

(Yes I'm completely sarcastic right now.)

 

[jb6l6gc]

Again I ask what is the moisture content on a fresh cut live tree???

 

[jb6l6gc]

Would 50% even burn?

 

[Aranyic]

Again I ask what is the moisture content on a fresh cut live tree???

I've never seen over 39% or but not sure if that's actual content or just as high as my cheap little meter reads.