Preserving Your Log Home

Log homes are a tradition rooted in America's history that bring to mind country living and affordable luxury. Though a log home is a comparatively cheap and easy construction choice for the home builder, steps should be taken to protect your investment. Preserving the logs of your home is perhaps one of the most important processes in building. Insects such as termites and wood boring beetles consider log homes just another food source and can cause structural damage. The holes left from the insects' tunneling will also collect water and promote water damage. To prevent water damage to a home that has already had an insect infestation, sealing the holes and coating with a water repellent after treating the wood is necessary. Another enemy of log homes that can cause damage is fungi. If moisture is allowed to seep into the wood or a nutrient rich stain is used, mold will grow and cause decay. Borates are a commonly used preservative that have been deemed the safest treatment for humans to be around. Other preservatives such as those derived from copper can cause heavy lead poisoning. Another preservatives is linseed oil. This is also considered safe. However, it does contain nutrients that mold and mildew like to feed on and can therefore cause the logs on your home to rot and create unsightly discoloration. Whichever means you use to preserve your home, the treatment should be applied first and then a water repellent should then be added. This creates a twofold protection. Preserve your own piece of history and enjoy many years of memories.