One of the more significant things that you have heard us mention is that water is not a friend to log homes. Log homes are indeed very strong homes, when properly built and maintained. They are meant to withstand harsh climates in many different geographical areas, both domestic and abroad. However, water can cause serious damage to a log home, which is why proper gutters and downspouts hold so much importance to the longevity of your log home.
Water accumulation is something to be aware of as a log home owner. Despite the strength of log homes, it is very important to keep water from settling and staying stagnant on a log home, especially near the bottom of the home. Water that is not properly set up to flow away from the log home has the potential to cause severe damage. Water can cause the wood to rot, damaging the structure and overall integrity of the home. Along with wood rot that can happen because of poor gutters, the roof is something else to watch for. You want to make sure that the water falling onto the roof can properly wash off and not stay on the roof for long periods of time. This can cause leakage into your home, causing more damage to the inside of your home and to the roof. Replacing logs in a log home is not a simple task, especially when it comes to replacing them on the roof. Proper staining of your log home will also offer some protection to the logs of the home. Quality stain will help with keeping moisture off the logs. However, you do not want to rely on this too heavily, as even the best stained logs should not withstand water on them for long periods of time. This is especially true in areas with heavy rainfall and an overall moist climate. This will shorten the longevity of your stain, and it will ultimately require more upkeep. It will be much better in the long run to invest in proper gutters and downspouts.
There is maintenance required when it comes to gutters and downspouts, but if done regularly it should not be too much trouble to keep up with. Here is our list for how to properly maintain and what to look for on routine inspections of gutters and downspouts.
- This is something to inspect at least a couple of times per year. One of the best times to clean out debris from gutters is after the leaves fall in Autumn. Leaves, twigs, sticks, are the biggest culprits for clogging gutters. If you think about it, if your gutters are completely clogged with leaves the water will not be able to move freely through the gutters. This also applies to snow and ice that is common during winter. Make sure your gutters are ready for harsh Winter climates.
- Are the gutters properly installed? Harsh weather could potentially cause gutters to loosen from the roof. If there is a gap, this could cause water to leak through and fall closer onto the house.
- Slope in the right direction? Make sure that wherever the water is coming down to the downspouts, that it is sloping in a direction that is appropriate. You do not want water to back up and cause overflow
Contact the team at 888 Log Guys for any question regarding log water damage.
