What is a cord?
128 cubic feet, stacked typically in a 4x4x8 foot space, or in any three dimensions with a volume of 128 cubic feet. Considering air space between the pieces, a cord will usually have about 80 cubic feet of solid wood. It is your advantage to buy wood split in larger pieces to maximize the solid volume.
What is creosote?
Creosote is a flammable deposit on the inside of the chimney, formed by the combination of smoke and water vapor. It is extremely important that any wood, resinous or non-resinous, be allowed to completely dry before burning. Chimney fires are dangerous! Burn only dry wood, and keep the chimney clean!
Different woods yield different amounts of heat. If dry, here are some heat values per cord:
| Wood Type | BTUs (British thermal units) |
|---|---|
| One Seed Juniper | 21,958 |
| Gambel Oak | 21,163 |
| Utah Juniper | 20,149 |
| Piñon Pine | 18,737 |
| Alligator Juniper | 17,288 |
| Douglas Fir | 15,330 |
| White Fir | 14,212 |
| Ponderosa Pine | 14,085 |
| Aspen | 12,576 |
| Engelmann Spruce | 10,880 |
Poorly-seasoned (damp or wet) wood will yield about 18% less heat, because water must be driven off (water vapor and smoke make creosote!) before the wood can burn!
New Mexico Statutes Annotated 1978, 68-2-22 (cutting and removing woody material without written consent) requires that any wood product transported or offered for sale must have proof of ownership accompanying that wood. A valid bill of sale can be demanded by any law enforcement officer and should be demanded by you, the purchaser, to be sure the wood for sale was legally obtained.
Using wood as a heat source is part of the active carbon cycle, its carbon dioxide recaptured by the living biomass. Fossil fuels are not part of the active carbon cycle. Wood is an infinite, renewable source of heat. Using dry wood in high-tech wood stoves is a wise choice for heat energy.
Source: New Mexico Energy Minerals & Natural Resources Department