One of the most important things to know about log cabin is its capacity to last for decades. With proper maintenance and treatment, a log house could last for over a hundred years given the evidence of century-old log houses and wooden structures all over Europe, where the first log homes originated. Thus, if you’re thinking of a good investment that would outlast you for generations, take a closer look at the log cabin and how this simple and humble abode cheats years and nature.
A Log Cabin is Not Just Long-Lasting
One of the main benefits of living in a log cabin is that it can last for years, decades, even centuries with proper care and maintenance. However, longevity and durability are not just the main benefits of living in a wooden house. There are other log cabin features that will surely make you 100% sure of this lucrative and top quality investment.
Log Homes are Energy Efficient
Wood is a great insulator with more modern techniques designed to insulate and make your log cabin energy efficient. Thick wood or log materials keep in the heat and keep cold out within the cabin, thus not releasing air or heat from the inside. The temperature is well-regulated and maintained so that the log cabin interior temperature stays cool during hot summer days and warm during winter and days when the temperature drop below zero. You don’t need to use your HVAC system too much, helping you save on your electricity bills or fuel for your furnace.
Log Homes are Easy to Maintain
One of the most important factors that determine the longevity and durability of a log cabin is proper care and maintenance. Log homes are not hard to maintain and clean especially if you know the right ways to keep them in tip top shape and good condition at all times. One of the first steps to maintaining a log cabin is through proper design, which helps you conveniently clean every nook and cranny in the wooden house. Periodic maintenance, particularly with a good stain, is essential to provide protection to the wood and prevent any damage and infestation over time. The exterior of the log cabin should be given optimal maintenance and careful attention in the duration of the life of the cabin. Make sure that walls are maintained with varnish or interior stains to keep them in their pristine condition. Periodic refurbishment of the exterior wall paint is vital since the outside part of the log cabin is the most prone to the attacks of the elements.
Log Homes are Environment-Friendly
A lot of people who want to reduce their carbon footprint could do so with an investment in their dream log cabin. Logs are renewable organic materials that could be easily accessed in your local area. Wood also offers fresher air, as wood is known to regulate the amount of CO2 in the environment, thus the more logs you use for the log cabin construction, the better the air quality indoors and outdoors. Investing in a log house is like going back to basics, which also means that you are putting fewer hazards into the environment due to modern technology and their ecological repercussions.
Issues that Affect Log Homes over Time
Log houses are most vulnerable to certain issues that affect the overall structure of the building. Weather and other elements of nature could gravely affect your log cabin requiring you take numerous maintenance steps to preserve the wooden house. Traditional log homes that are constructed by stacking the logs on top of the other could experience problems such as shifting and shrinkage. The seams in between these logs could widen, causing leakage of water and air inside the cabin. Doors and windows may also stop working properly or crack when the logs settle.
Wood cracks as it dries and these cracks, also known as checks, are the entryway of moisture that could lead to mould, rot, and insect infestation. The entire log house exterior is made from timber which is also susceptible to mould and mildew.
The best way to deal with these problems in a log cabin is to make sure that you address the pertinent issues before going any further. Experienced log house builders and contractors are the best people to talk to in terms of identifying and applying remedies and treatment for the log cabin damages.
Advice from the Experts for Longer-Lasting Cabins
One of the top pieces of advice from log cabin experts is to keep your log dry at all times, because the moisture content in the log could drastically affect its longevity. There are various modern practices to keep the log cabin dry such as covered decks, long roof overhangs, and proper landscaping in order to keep water and moisture off the logs once they have been installed. Sprinkling systems should also be away from the logs since a malfunctioning sprinkler head could go undetected and cause irreversible damage on the cabin.
Prudent designs that prevent any moisture or water damage are practical and must-know details for a log cabin owner. Good quality designs include large overhangs, sloping the grade away from the wooden home and planning everything so that you keep both water and the sun off the house as much as you possibly can. Logs should also be at least 1½ inches away from the ground in order to keep them from getting soaked and moist. Properly protect your log cabin from the elements through the treatment and preservation of the wood or timber. Staining is one of the best ways in treating your log home while treatment to prevent insects from invading the log cabin is likewise an important and lucrative investment.
A log cabin is a long-lasting and lucrative investment that needs just the proper care and maintenance. You can also start with a remarkable log cabin design in order to prevent certain problems that may need to be addressed. Prevention is always better than cure, thus if you don’t want to deal with too much maintenance and repair, start with a hassle-free cabin design.
