Summer Maintenance

There?s just something about Summer that makes you want to do a little ?self-maintenance?. Your log home is no exception ? is your home?s exterior begging for a little attention?

Early summer is the perfect time for a routine maintenance check of the stain on your log home. We?ve provided some easy tips to guide you. Your log home will thank you, you?ll save money, and you can spend the rest of the summer working on your tan ? not your home!

Good log home maintenance is vitally important to keep the structure of your home in tact, and prevents major problems from developing. We encourage you not to neglect or put off this important aspect of owning a log home.

Professional log home contractor Dave Santee of Top Notch Log Works in Colorado explains why good maintenance is so important, ?Almost every structure we visit that is more than seven years old seems to have some sign of decay problems. Even my own home in Rifle has had some decay problems. I wasn?t even aware that there were products to treat logs at the time I built my home, like many people, I thought that because my area is so dry that just keeping the horizontal beams stained well would be enough. I wish I had known that I should have filled the upturned cracks (checks) with sealant and flashed them. I also should have applied borates. I didn?t, and now, I will have to replace them this year. If rot is caught and treated early it can be cured and stopped indefinitely. Unfortunately if not identified and treated, log rot will quickly spread in every direction and can infect everything it touches including framing and trim work. There?s opportunity to address the causes of the rot by chinking, filling cracks, flashing, installing gutters, extending eave lines, adding porches, or deck reframing. If these steps are done during construction or as a preventative measures our customers would have saved up to 50 thousand dollars.?

Before you begin visit Sashco Log Home Products new website at www.sashco.com/log - it?s a valuable resource with expert tips, video instruction, product information, and much, much more.

Where to begin?
First, determine if the whole home just needs a refresher coat of stain, spot maintenance (maybe only a couple walls need to be done), or if more extensive work might be necessary. To do this:

- Walk around your home and identify any areas of faded stain or bare wood.

Download a copy of the Log Home Inspection Guide for even more help determining your next step.

Next steps:
You need a refresher coat: This is necessary when the stain on the home is in good shape overall but showing some fading and wear. (These steps may apply to 1 or 2 walls only, usually the south and west that get the most assault from the sun.)

You need spot maintenance: This is necessary when the stain has faded significantly or eroded off, but only in a few areas (usually the lower courses of logs on the sun-drenched sides and/or on the upper curve of highly exposed logs).

You need more extensive work: More extensive work may be necessary if large areas of significant fading and/or bare wood are present, mold is present, or the log?s overall condition is severely worn. Contact Sashco?s customer service at 1-800-767-5656 or email them for individualized advice on how to handle extensive work and how to get it done RIGHT!

Still not sure? Call Sashco?s customer service representatives at 1-800-767-5656 or email them. They?ll be happy to talk you through more details on what to look for and how to go about keeping your dream home looking beautiful for years to come. Didn?t use a Sashco stain? While some of these recommendations apply to many stains, it?s always safest to check with your stain manufacturer for their maintenance recommendations.

Want a contractor to do it for you? Maybe you?ll decide you just want to sip iced tea and watch the work being done. If that?s your plan of action, call our Customer Service reps at 1-800-767-5656 or visit the Contractors section of our website for references to Sashco?s Zero Failures contractor training graduates. They will work with you to get the job done right.