Looking into getting firewood for your home? Here are some tips from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources for buying firewood.
There are a few things you should know about wood and the laws regarding selling firewood that will help you make the best decision when making your firewood purchase.
Selecting a Firewood Dealer
When selecting a firewood dealer you should take several things into consideration.
Are They Licensed?
If the dealer is in the firewood business, they shall have a Forest Products Operators License issued by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources – Forest Service. The Maryland Forest Service can provide you with a list of licensed operators in your area. If you have found a potential dealer, you can easily check if they are properly licensed by calling (410) 260-8531 or by using this link: www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/fpo_search.asp, select “firewood” and your county.
Get References!
If you haven’t worked with a particular dealer before, they should be willing to offer you references of customers they have delivered wood to before. If they’re not willing to offer you a list of customers, those customers may not be happy ones.
Problems with a Firewood Dealer
Maryland law states that firewood must be sold by a cord or a fraction of a cord. This is enforced by the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s – Weights and Measures section. If you have a concern about the volume of wood you have paid for you should contact them at 410-841-5790. Note: they only handle matters where the volume of wood is in dispute.
