How Winter Affected Your Wood Home

Published on | Log Homes | Coleman Kelleghan

Log homes are beautiful, and they take some maintenance to keep them looking great. After a long, hard winter, you're going to need to ensure that your home is up to par, and didn't suffer too much damage. There are a number of ways that winter can affect your home, and several ways to fix any problems that arise.

Rot

One of the biggest concerns after winter is that melting snow can lead to rot in the wood of your log home. While you have your home coated with water-resistant stain and possibly other water-resistant products, these fade over time. This can cause water to get to the wood itself, causing rot in the exterior of your home. If you find rot on the wood of the home, make sure to fix this immediately. You can cut out the rotted sections and replace them. Make sure you coat the home in water-resistant materials to keep rot at bay.

Mold and Mildew

Melting snow combined with warmer temperatures can lead to mold and mildew build up on the logs of your home. If you have vegetation around the home, this can increase the problem. Make sure that you cut back vegetation. If you find mold or mildew on your home, you'll need to clean this off. On top of that, getting a protective seal over the wood is helpful. There are treatments you can use on your home that will decrease the likelihood of mold, as well as products that help kill off any buildup you already have.

Insects

As the weather warms up, you're going to start seeing more insects in and around your home. However, the biggest problem you may face is an insect infestation within the wood of your log house. The water buildup over the winter makes for a great environment for many different types of insects. However, with the proper preservatives, you can decrease how often you'll see infestations. A wood borate treatment can be used as an insecticide on the wood of your home, and it helps preserve the wood at the same time.

Splitting

As water gets into small cracks, then freezes, it can cause severe splitting in the wood around your home. While cracks, splitting, and log checking are usually not a structural concern, it adds to your problems by inviting mold, rot, or leakage. The best way to defend against splitting is to ensure that the logs are water-resistant and are protected against the elements as much as possible. Proper caulking and sealing between logs also helps ensure that splitting doesn't happen, or is at a minimum. If you find that logs in your home are splitting, you can either replace these logs or seal them up to decrease problems.

Winter can wreak havoc on your wood home. However, with proper preventative measures and maintenance, you can help keep your home looking great. Make sure you spend the time to keep your house is at its peak every season. 

Featured Image via Flickr by Land Between The Lakes