Is this a danger?

[Teachme]

So many almost all of the ppl that sell fire wood around here don't really season it. They call as soon as the log hits the ground as time down then use a meter like this. I just got this off a real add in my area. clear that this is bad wood I've tested most of these guys at between 34 and 50 % You would think the chance of a house fire would inspire the town to shut them down or say its green.
"TM Firewood sells SEASONED firewood(oak, locust, maple be

ech wood and ash) at a great price! Right now we're selling 1 cord for $300! We’re also running a special on a trailer full! We can cut the wood to whatever size you’d like and our moisture content is always under 20%. We DO NOT SELL PINE. If you have anymore questions please message me our goal is to keep our customers happy and coming back! 😊"

 

[peakbagger]

I guess I am confused by the title. The photo is obviously misleading or a sign that the seller does not understand how to take a moisture reading. It also could just be advertising by a clueless person. I do not know if its "good wood" or bad. Custom cut to length is also a potential sign that they are cutting tree length wood to order. Tree length wood takes far longer to season than wood that is cut to length then seasoned. It does reinforce that the only reliably dry wood is the wood that has been cut and split and sitting in the burners yard for two years. If someone has to buy wood, they need their own moisture meter and splitting maul to knock off a few fresh faces.

 

[marty319]

Looks like moisture reading taken from the end of the piece of wood

 

[zmender]

I've noticing about 3%, 4% difference in reading between edge and center.

What I've started doing over course of summer is randomly sample 5, 6 end-of-log readings different locations of my wood shelf without splitting them. Gives me a pretty good idea of overall condition of my wood and whether I need to tweak my heating plan with the results.

 

[stoveliker]

I've noticing about 3%, 4% difference in reading between edge and center.

What I've started doing over course of summer is randomly sample 5, 6 end-of-log readings different locations of my wood shelf without splitting them. Gives me a pretty good idea of overall condition of my wood and whether I need to tweak my heating plan with the results.

Only if you do know the difference between such "old surface end-readings" and what is actually present inside the split. Otherwise, you'll only see an improvement, but have no clue what reality is.

 

[clux]

Whoever posted that needs to be careful handling firewood, they might break a nail.

Nothing says "I know firewood" like lime green glue on fingernails.

 

[stoveliker]

nothing says... : and not inserting the pins at all into the wood - even the easy way (with the grain) from the cut end...

 

[Teachme]

I guess I am confused by the title. The photo is obviously misleading or a sign that the seller does not understand how to take a moisture reading. It also could just be advertising by a clueless person. I do not know if its "good wood" or bad. Custom cut to length is also a potential sign that they are cutting tree length wood to order. Tree length wood takes far longer to season than wood that is cut to length then seasoned. It does reinforce that the only reliably dry wood is the wood that has been cut and split and sitting in the burners yard for two years. If someone has to buy wood, they need their own moisture meter and splitting maul to knock off a few fresh faces.

There calling un seasoned wood seasoned thus ppl are burning or trying to burn wet wood. if what ever one says about wet wood is true it should be more likely to start a chimney fire. So why is there no recourse? if Its a public danger. Like you said its cut to size. Most leave it as a trimmed full tree on the ground. The ones that don't put it in a Big pile with a wall on 2 sides for 90 days at best.

 

[stoveliker]

It is still the home owners responsibility to ensure the fire in (a box in) their home is had in a safe manner.

There is recourse to factually incorrect information - but "seasoned" is not well-defined. And showing the moisture meter pic and reading is factually correct. It's not the right way, but they show *exactly* what they are selling.

In advertizing much is allowed. Even if of debatable veracity - unless it's statements about competitors that are demonstrably incorrect.

 

[Teachme]

It is still the home owners responsibility to ensure the fire in (a box in) their home is had in a safe manner.

There is recourse to factually incorrect information - but "seasoned" is not well-defined. And showing the moisture meter pic and reading is factually correct. It's not the right way, but they show *exactly* what they are selling.

In advertizing much is allowed. Even if of debatable veracity - unless it's statements about competitors that are demonstrably incorrect.

That's to bad because around here most ppl have no idea what the difference is.

 

[stoveliker]

That is bad indeed.
But doing something in ones own home, one better make sure one knows how to do it safely.

 

[clux]

Firewood by it's nature truly is a buyer beware market, kind of like used cars. You better know what you're doing if you're going to build a fire in your living room.

 

[Eman85]

Around here you'd be hard pressed to find anyone with a moisture meter. Most are cutting an splitting the wood they will burn this winter right now. Most won't buy "old wood", it burns too fast. You also won't find any firewood sellers with nail polish, if you did they might have a moisture meter.

 

[patrickk222]

its kinda funny to me in my area theres quite a few ppl in my area theres alot of ppl that will not cut and split there wood the day they need it which kinda drives me banana's and at the same time i kinda get it that they aint got time for it earlier in the yr .... now me personally i could care less if the wood i get in is green or not because my 2yrs worth of wood is stacked by the end of apr at the most

 

[peakbagger]

I had a lady friend who was married to farmer for 20 years, firewood got cut in the late fall and burned soon after. The concept of getting ahead a couple of years was foreign to her and her friends in VT.

 

[Eman85]

I find it interesting the OP wants the town to shut them down. There was a time where burning wood for heat was only for the people that could cut and split their own and it was a self reliance thing like growing your own food. Natural selection and only the strong survived.

 

[sneefy]

lime green glue on fingernails.

Yeah, those things are gross.

Also, most forums require a vendor membership in order to post ads. Is that not the case here?

 

[Jags]

A member (teachme) posted that add, not the vendor.

 

[sneefy]

A member (teachme) posted that add, not the vendor.

Ah, I see. The formatting leaves something to be desired...

 

[Beer Belly]

I had questioned a guy selling at $300 a seasoned cord that "Before he drops the load, I will take a couple splits, test the moisture on the face of a fresh open split, and if it measures 20% or less, he can drop the load".....never heard back from him

 

[weatherguy]

I had questioned a guy selling at $300 a seasoned cord that "Before he drops the load, I will take a couple splits, test the moisture on the face of a fresh open split, and if it measures 20% or less, he can drop the load".....never heard back from him

That's what I do when I occasionally buy wood, too bad a lot of people don't know any better and take then sellers word for it. I remember even members here over the years taking the sellers word for it and buying wet wood. The seller said it was cut last year so they figured they were good, what they didn't ask was when was it split.

 

[kborndale]

I don't need a moisture meter to buy wood. I go under the assumption that it will not be ready to burn and will need a year to season before burning. Nobody should expect wood they buy in October to be ready to burn in November. My only concern when buying wood is that I get the correct amount.

 

[ohlongarmisle]

So many almost all of the ppl that sell fire wood around here don't really season it. They call as soon as the log hits the ground as time down then use a meter like this. I just got this off a real add in my area. clear that this is bad wood I've tested most of these guys at between 34 and 50 % You would think the chance of a house fire would inspire the town to shut them down or say its green.
"TM Firewood sells SEASONED firewood(oak, locust, maple beView attachment 302450ech wood and ash) at a great price! Right now we're selling 1 cord for $300! We’re also running a special on a trailer full! We can cut the wood to whatever size you’d like and our moisture content is always under 20%. We DO NOT SELL PINE. If you have anymore questions please message me our goal is to keep our customers happy and coming back! 😊"

Any wood stored out of the weather will give a reading like that , split that in half and ny guess 15% to 17%.Plenty good.

 

[joop]

i know the wood i buy is wet it looks to pretty.but no place to build up cordage trying this year but not much yard.my wife gives me sh it for being cheap with the fires but only way to age the wood

 

[lml999]

I don't need a moisture meter to buy wood. I go under the assumption that it will not be ready to burn and will need a year to season before burning. Nobody should expect wood they buy in October to be ready to burn in November. My only concern when buying wood is that I get the correct amount.

Exactly.

Here's the bad news - most people don't know that wood needs to be seasoned.

Here's the good news - most people buying firewood use it in a fireplace, rather than in a stove, where moisture content doesn't really matter.