Milled log homes such as ours have a much broader appeal than the handcrafted log homes, constituting about 90 percent of log homes sold on the market today. In addition, nearly nine out of every 10 log homes that are sold today are primary residences. Of course, the “ log cabin vacation hideaway” is still a favorite.
Log Homes in general are known for their incredible stability under extreme conditions. Wind and earthquakes have been known to devastate whole frame structures while a log structure can remain intact.
As in Homestead, FL where hurricane Andrew ripped through the town and virtually destroyed all property, except for just outside of town in the middle of an area totally flattened stood one home – a log home. And in Kobe, Japan, a winter’s earthquake flattened huge city blocks, except for a log building still under construction - the walls not even tied together by the roof system. Another outstanding example of the hardiness of the log structure is Yellowstone’s Old Faithful Inn, constructed in 1903 and until recently the world’s largest log building, it stands smack in the middle ofon of the country’s most active seismic areas. What’s more, the building is often subjected to heavy snow loads and windstorms, and still it endures. The stability and endurance of the log home is unquestionable. (facts taken from "“Log Home Illustrated,” 1996 annual directory, “Why logs stand the test of time.”)
Myth: “Log homes are energy guzzlers, and heating costs are tremendous.”
The Study: In 1990, a study was done on heat loss due to air leakage, assumed to be a problem with log walls because of their many joints. The study found that improved joint construction and the use of expanded foam sealants and gaskets on joints and corner intersections substantially reduce air infiltration rates. The test home leaked at vaulted ceiling peaks, around door and window frames and along the tops of walls – the same places that frame walls leak. (facts taken from “Log Home Living,” 1996 Annual Buyter’s Guide, “Log Homes and Energy Efficiency.”)
Conclusion: Air leakage in a well-built log home is not due to its log walls. Even in cold winter weather, log homes are as energy efficient as frame houses. Overall, log homes are energy efficient in heating and cooling.
