Time to Make Your Log Home Winter Ready
Now that fall has officially arrived, with the trees changing color and the crispness in the air, it may be the perfect time to get your log home prepared for the cold weather ahead. You may be sad to say goodbye to the sunny skies or looking forward to getting your woollies out, either way you only have a month or so to get your home ready for the changing seasons. Your log home endures weather extremities, temperature changes and regular wear and tear of the changing seasons too. In order to protect your investment and avoid costly repairs later, you must undertake seasonal maintenance. Depending on your climate the fall season may be too late to prepare if it gets cold quickly. Regardless of where you live, get a jump start by doing a check-up of your roof and logs before the winter cold, with these helpful tips. With the right measures in place, you do not have to worry about what is coming your way.
Clean debris from your roof/gutters
Your roof should be checked before the arrival of winter for weak spots, cracks in your shingles, and wind damage. Remove any debris, leaves, sticks, dirt, and pine needles from the gutters and flush it with a hose. See if there are pools of standing water, which is an indicator of low spots in your gutters, which will need re-adjusting. Check downspouts for clogging or damage. Check the flashing around your chimney, pipes, skylights and plumbing vents for leaking problems and seal them tightly against water. Clean gutters will allow the snow to drain properly during the winter months.
Air Leaks
Run your hand to feel for air draft, along the inside of your log home, to locate and seal any air leaks between the logs. Caulking in time to seal the leak from the exterior of your home, will save you money in heating and cooling bills. Go through your log home windows and doors to caulk around the frames. Add heavy draperies to block outside cold air from infiltrating inside.
Wash, Reseal and Stain
You can use a log cleaner and a pressure washer to clean your log home. This will help wash off the dust, debris and accumulated pollen from the exterior of your home. For all exposed eaves and logs, you need to reseal your logs, especially in areas of high sun exposure. Every three to four years, you need to re-apply a top coat of stain to your logs. Check whether the stain on your home is in a working condition by spraying a little water on the logs to check for beading. The stain on your log home is good. if the water beads up, otherwise it may be time to re-stain.
Repair leaky faucets
If you want to prevent broken pipes in the middle of winter, you need to check for leaky faucets in the kitchen, bathroom and utility rooms, before the temperature begins to dip. Any problem with your faucets in winter will cost you more time and money to get fixed.
Checks
Log homes are prone to checks or cracks, which allow water to get absorbed into the wood. Moisture in the wood can cause log rot, so it is best to fill gaps in the log with caulk. When checks become bigger than 1/2 inch, there needs to be a backer rod placed before caulking.
Care for your fireplace
Many log home owners prefer using their fireplace more than their central heating in the fall and winter months. It feels better to see the flickering flames and enjoy the look and feel of a fireplace. Clean the fireplace by clearing out old ashes and open the damper to enable air to move freely through the chimney. When the air starts getting cold, close the damper after cleaning. Ensure the flute of the damper is operating correctly and check the damper handle for any fault. You can hire a professional chimney sweep, if need be.
Being proactive to examine your log roof and logs will help you catch small issues before they become bigger challenges. If you take corrective measures in the fall, you can settle down with your family in your log home for the winter, without a worry.
We at Performance Log Homes are here to help, with your inspection or with any essential repairs and maintenance.
