| In this day and age, there are still people who prefer | | | | removed, replaced with sound wood, and then |
| to build and live in log homes in the United States. | | | | flashed the right way. This area of your log home |
| One reason may be that log homes seem to be | | | | structure is vulnerable to roof leaks, splashing due to |
| cozy, comfortable, and quaint forms of lodging that | | | | snow or rain, and even piling up of ice, so upon |
| many people are attracted to. However, like all | | | | construction of your log home you ought to treat |
| homes built of wood, log homes require proper | | | | the wood so that it will be protected from such |
| maintenance or else their wooden parts (the logs | | | | weathering. This means doing very thorough wood |
| that make up the walls) will eventually rot due to | | | | flashing as part of the construction phase of your log |
| exposure to the elements (particularly rain and water | | | | home. |
| splatter.) | | | | Now, let's say you would like to have refinishing done |
| To know if your log home has been affected by | | | | on your log home. You should first determine if this is |
| wood rot, use a small hammer to firmly tap on the | | | | actually necessary by sprinkling water in different |
| log you suspect has been hit by wood rot. If the | | | | parts of your logs. A log that does not require finish |
| sound that you hear is that of a dull thump, then you | | | | will show beads of water on its surface. When those |
| have a rotten log in your wall. However, if the log is | | | | water beads are absent, you should apply finish to |
| still sound and stable, the sound that will be produced | | | | your log home structure. If the logs also display signs |
| will be like a clear ring instead. In that case, you | | | | of flaking and peeling, then you should really apply a |
| should take steps to guarantee that sound logs in | | | | proper coat of finish to your log surfaces. For gaps |
| your walls will not be hit by wood rot in the future. | | | | seen between individual logs, you may opt to rely on |
| This can be done through proper log home refinishing | | | | synthetic chinking or siliconized latex caulk to fill them |
| and restoration. | | | | in. |
| One of the options you may have in log home | | | | Many log homes have a chimney made of hard |
| refinishing and restoration is to replace any rotten | | | | materials like rock integrated into the walls and roof |
| logs immediately upon detection. Though theoretically | | | | of the log home. Leaks may be experienced at the |
| any rotten log can be removed and eventually | | | | base of the chimney where the roof line and the |
| replaced with sound wooden logs, the location of the | | | | flashing meet. You could also find that the rock or |
| rotten log will determine how difficult extraction and | | | | masonry of your chimney may not have been sealed |
| replacement will be. | | | | properly, or have cracked, so that moisture is allowed |
| Another common problem that is encountered with | | | | to enter. If a chimney cap is also not set into place |
| log homes is when rotting hits that part of the roof | | | | properly, that could also result in entry of water |
| where it meets the upper half of the log wall. To | | | | because the function of the chimney cap is to |
| remedy this, the rotten part has to be completely | | | | prevent water from entering the chimney. |