(Photo: FirewoodResource.com)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - We have a consumer alert for you. Arkansas consumers who heat their homes with firewood should know that a "cord" is more than just something attached to an electrical appliance.
It's actually a unit of cut wood by which firewood can be sold in Arkansas.
It may sound a little bit hard to understand, so Aaron Sadler with the Attorney General's Office stopped by "THV 11 News This Morning" with more to help you not get burned when buying fire wood.
All firewood sold in the state must be sold as a cord, a fraction of a cord, or in terms of cubic feet. You increase likelihood of overpaying or even being scammed if they buy wood by the truckload or other imprecise measurements. A cord is defined as 128 cubic feet of firewood.
Avoid advertisements for wood sold in hard-to-define quantities like "truckload," "rick," "pile" or "face cord".
Get a receipt that shows the price, amount and kind of wood purchased, as well as the seller's name, address, phone number
Also consider the type of wood for sale.
Some quick safety tips, stacked wood should be kept away from the home to prevent termites and other pests from making their way from the wood into the house. Also use a protective covering like a tarp to keep the wood dry and usable.
For more on Arkansas consumer alerts, check out GotYourBackArkansas.org.