Oh, The Beautiful Autumn Leaves
During the fall season, you will probably come across lots of fallen leaves in your yard… and also in your gutters. You will definitely need to clean them out! Most of the automatic guard systems only keep out large leaves while small sediment can still accumulate. You still need to routinely clean rotting crud out of your gutters, or you could have your roofer regularly come and clean your gutters every fall. You need to make sure that the drainage area around the downspout is functioning properly. Also, check for any leaks around the flashing at the chimney, around the vents for the heating or sewer system, and any holes or access spots where squirrels, raccoons, bats, or other rodents can enter and make your home a warm place for the winter. Finally, clear away all debris from around the foundation of the house.
Log Home Energy Efficiency
It is important to check for any gaps in between your logs to make sure your home is not wasting energy keeping it warm for the winter. To start, make sure you have a cool fall day when the outside temperature is at least 20 degrees lower than the temperature within the home. Next, get a small pail of warm water, a piece of chalk, and perhaps a ladder depending on how high your ceilings are. Then, immerse your hand in the water and run your wet hand over your interior walls, keeping it about six to 12 inches from the surface.
Any cold air leaks that are coming through the walls or around your windows you will be able to easily feel. You can pretty well pin-point where the leak is located as you move your wet hand closer to the wall. Use the ladder to reach the top of high walls, and mark all leaking areas with the chalk.
If you have found air leaks, call us for a consultation on what we can do to seal them up!
Giving Your Log Home a Shower
About every year, your exterior walls should have a thorough cleaning. Cleaning with a log wash will get rid of the dust, dirt, and grime on your logs’ surface, and it will also make your home look great. Once your walls are clean, go around your home looking for signs of worn stain and failing sealant. A little bit of maintenance now will prevent costly repairs next spring as freezing weather is especially hard on log exteriors.
If you have noticed that your stain or sealant is starting to fail, then contact us to have a professional company properly preserve your log home, not just for this winter, but for many winters to come!
