The cons? log houses require more maintenance than other types of houses, although not as much as many people would imagine. The most important thing to keep in mind is that logs deteriorate over time without care or maintenance. Therefore, you will need to clean, re-stain and re-putty your log house from time to time. According to an article in Blue Ridge Country magazine, log homes often require a lot more maintenance than people think.
This is because, over time, records are likely to change, expand, and contract with changes. Pests can be another nuisance, since the damage they cause is usually not covered by homeowners insurance. Carpenter Bees and Termites Most Common Pests, According to Blue Ridge Country. When buying a log house, learn about the best way to prevent and treat the damage caused by these pests.
Keeping logs in good condition will help keep pests away, as they are attracted to moisture and moisture. You may also need to treat your home with an insecticide every year. This is not a scam for everyone, but the heating situation in a cabin is usually very different from that of a more traditional house. Log houses generally require more maintenance than people initially take a long time to consider.
Over time, records can change and expand. However, some issues caused by this can be addressed during the construction process, so be sure to hire an experienced and reputable builder. Other concerns to consider when working with logs are pests (most commonly carpenter bees and termites) and cavities, since insurance does not cover the damage caused to your home by these. Log house maintenance guides can be useful in identifying problems and learning ways to treat logs to prevent future damage.
Log and wooden houses have different insurance than houses. Most reputable insurance companies, such as State Farm, Met Life, USAA, and others, do offer coverage. Choose an Agent Familiar With Log Home Insurance. There are three common methods for building a log house.
Many consider that the easiest thing is to work with a manufacturer to cut the logs and a builder to build the house, which is what people who work with the Log Homes Council do. Another method is to act as your own general contractor and hire individuals individually to do the work. This gives you more independence, but it can also be difficult if you're not familiar with the construction business. A third option is to be your own builder, doing most of the work yourself.
Your own building skills and budget will be the primary factors in determining how your home is built. It's also helpful to talk to someone who has been through the process of building a log house. Log House Council: The NAHB Log House Council is an organization of log house manufacturers and builders who are governed by a strict code of ethics and are dedicated to promoting the construction of quality log houses. Building a log house fulfills the dream of escaping the world's daily routine, not creating more work.
And yes, with today's technology, you can have access to the Internet, even when you're in a log cabin in the woods. One of my father's close friends and uncle of my family talked endlessly about building a log cabin on some piece of land in North Carolina once he retired. We are constantly being asked to repair these houses, designed by architects and builders who have no idea or worry that the designs of the exposed surfaces will guarantee the failure of those logs after only a few decades. Since the cabins have exposed beams and log walls, a traditional forced air system with ducts cannot be used.
The Scandinavians and the Japanese developed techniques over the centuries that modern builders have ignored in favor of making the exterior surfaces of logs look shiny and “nice” to the public, which has been led to believe that log houses should look like a Chris Craft hull. Because a log house can only be built with certain types of wood, you are not open to the full color spectrum of nature when choosing the aesthetic you want for your log house. If you choose the old way of finishing logs and build moisture barrier eaves (40″ cantilever by 8′ minimum), you'll have an exterior literally free of permanent maintenance. Steel log cladding, such as provided by TruLog, offers an alternative to achieving the real wood look of a log cabin without many of the drawbacks.
Cracks and logs should also be checked frequently for repairs and for mold and mildew that may have invaded the wood. After taking all of the above into consideration, I must say that owning a log house may not be maintenance free, but it is still a romantic choice. This is due to the massiveness of the logs and their ability to absorb heat during the day and radiate it at night. .
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