Make The Smart Choice With Log Home Siding

By Joseph Barnes


Few people can resist the quaint and rustic look of old-style homes, but may not realize how easily that wood can deteriorate without log home siding. Whether made of steel, concrete, or vinyl, homeowners can have the old-world look without the old-world problems. Black mold, termites, and water intrusion are just a few ways that the old wooden structures came to be a high-maintenance ordeal for the homeowner.

Water seeping into a structure can weaken lode-bearing beams, but it also allows things like black mold to develop. Black mold can be a silent threat to a household, causing inhabitants to become ill for months or even years before the problem is identified. When found, much of the wooden parts of the structure will have to be cut out or torn down and replaced in order to make the structure livable.

Anyone who lives in the South knows that where moisture grows, so grows mold, and so swarm the termites. Both of these scourges of the South can cause even newer structures to become a home repair ordeal, and can even cause the building to crumble long before its time. Termite infestations make a dwelling both dangerous as well as unhealthy for the inhabitants.

It has been reported that actual treated logs left sitting outside for a week or more may already have termites in it. Some seasons that are especially heavy with rain and moisture cause the termite migrations to be more aggressive and widespread. The presence of these pests may not even be detected for years after the house has already been built with contaminated wood.

Dwellings which are constructed with a veneer rather than actual wood are also at a much lower risk of catching fire during a dry spell. Many old homes made almost entirely of wood are particularly susceptible to structural collapse due to fire. Concrete, vinyl, or metal have all been shown to burn much more slowly, resulting in fewer fire-related fatalities.

Naturally, anyone engaged in construction or rehabilitation of a structure is also concerned with the cost of their pet project. It just so happens that these durable materials are also much less costly than wood. Logging is viewed as a planetary shame these days, and as a result, the cost of wood to build homes and other large structures has become over-burdensome.

To further the argument on cost-effectiveness, concrete siding is an excellent insulator and will save on the cost of powering the dwelling as long as it stands. The less-expensive vinyl option provides excellent water resistance. The more water-tight the building is, the less vulnerable it will be developing mold and other fungus.

Seeking a return to an old look does not mean one has to use the same materials. Anyone can live in a rustic cabin on the outside, and only the homeowner needs to know that those logs are actually made of concrete or steel. That smart homeowner, unbeknownst to anyone else, is protecting his home from fires and mold, saving money on utility bills, and saving the Earth all at the same time.




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