AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Now that summer is over, at least according to the school calendar, many people are turning their focus on getting ready for winter. Many homeowners across the state take deliveries of firewood to heat their homes this time of year. Once that wood is stacked and stored, some people may realize that they are short the full amount that they ordered, but what can you do once your wood has been delivered and your order paid for?
According to the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's Bureau of Weights and Measures, firewood is treated like any other fuel source you use to heat your home. According to State Metrologist, Brad Bachelder, dealers are required to provide you with a receipt that lists more than just what you paid for.
"When you receive firewood, you also by law have to receive a delivery ticket which includes addresses for the vendor and the purchaser and the wood you are getting in the most descriptive of terms - whether it is hardwood or mixed, or green, or seasoned, and how much wood you got. How many cord and also what the price per cord was," he explained.
Bachelder says there are a variety of factors that can influence the amount of firewood received and how it is measured. He says a standard cord of 16-inch firewood is roughly four feet, by four feet, by eight feet and is equal to 128 cubic feet. He says the dimensions change with 18-inch firewood. He says bark needs to be accounted for when measuring a delivery as well.
"I am absolutely positive there are people who are getting shorted, because they just don't know," said Bachelder.
He says the majority of firewood dealers are reputable, and many have approached the bureau to have their trucks and trailers measured to make sure they are providing customers with the full amount of firewood they paid for.
He advises homeowners who feel they have been shorted to stack the wood separately from any other firewood they have on site. He suggests they not cut the wood into smaller pieces and keep any bark that was delivered on-hand and contact the bureau at 207-287-3841 to schedule a time for an inspector to verify the amount of wood received.
He says inspectors will carefully measure the amount of firewood to determine if a customer has been shorted and provide them with a report once the measurement process is complete. He says inspectors often will contact a seller if they determine a customer has been shorted to inform them and provide them an opportunity to either provide a refund or to deliver the amount of wood owed. He says if this does not work, consumers can try to recoup their loses through small claims court or possibly even contact law enforcement.
