Issue: There is a lot of upkeep and maintenance to a log home.
If moisture is not kept in check, then the wood of your home is going to get dry rot. Symptoms of dry rot include fungus growing on the logs, or insects such as carpenter ants, termites and beetles burrowing in the wood.
Solution: Check your home twice a year for moisture and make repairs as needed.
Log homes are usually built in the country or woods. The great outdoors by their very nature are very hard on a home. Stay on top of any leaks and repair them immediately. Make sure all decks and gutters stay clear and do not accumulate debris that can cause splashes or hold moisture up against the logs. Re-stain the logs when water droplets no long bead up on the surface.
Issue: Pests, like woodpeckers and mice are damaging the wood of the home.
Log homes built near wooded areas are more prone to woodpecker damage when they root for carpenter bee larvae. Mice and other rodents are prone to chewing through the wood of the home to make an opening to get to the food and warmth inside your home.
Solution: First, do not set the poor woodpeckers on fire.
Remember, you used to like them before you became a log homeowner. Keeping the dry rot at bay prevents the carpenter ants that the birds are fond of from burrowing in the logs. No food = no woodpeckers. Control rodents the same way you do in a regular house: set traps inside, seal all wall and door penetrations and call an exterminator if you cannot control them yourself.
Issue: Log Homes may be harder to sell.
Remember that nostalgic feeling we discussed earlier. Not everyone gets that feeling when they view log homes. The uniqueness of a log home does appeal to some people, but only about one out of ten people usually want to buy that type of home. You can be saddled with a home that is very hard to sell if you find out later that you want to move out.
Solution: A different marketing strategy is needed when trying to sell your log home.
The marketing pitch to sell a log home has to be geared toward the niche of people that like that type of home. Many potential buyers can see the perfect vacation home or secluded acreage they want in your log home that is up for sale. A realtor can help you with this. A lot of homeowners seem to think if they put their unique touch and great home decorating ideas into their home that the house will just automatically sell. Unfortunately, that is not always the case, and the seller will need to concentrate on plenty of common styles and features that are similar to others in the area. Keeping the same number of bedrooms and bathrooms as those in the surrounding neighborhood is always a good idea.
Issue: The cookie cutter approach of log home kit providers leads to dry rot.
Many homeowners that want to save money over the traditional log home opt to buy DIY flat-pack log cabin kits. The trouble with that is that most of the manufacturers smooth out the logs on a lathe to make a uniform size, so that the logs fit together better. Although they fit better, it cuts down on the wood’s natural protection against the elements, leading to trapped moisture and dry rot.
Solution: Treat the wood annually with a chemical sealant.
You will have to protect machine peeled walls with a chemical sealant. The sealant fumes can cause respiratory problems, though. This is not a good solution if anyone living in the house is prone to respiratory ailments.
Aside from never looking at a woodpecker the same way again, many conscientious people can apply these solutions to their log home and be able to have a very satisfying experience living there. All homes come with some upkeep, and the log home is no different.