Evidence of water intrusion was discovered in the dining room, kitchen and bedrooms at a recent home inspection in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. Log homes are tricky because they need to be meticulously well maintained at the exterior to prevent (potentially costly) water/insect damage. Logs exhibit characteristic cracks as they move over time, which is normal, but these cracks- known as “checks”- need to be well sealed to prevent water intrusion. Oftentimes, evidence of water intrusion isn’t visible until deterioration is substantial. Log homes are expensive to repair, so maintenance is everything. In this case, I recommended further evaluation by a qualified log home contractor to sound logs where water intrusion was presenting, make necessary repairs, and ensure that all exterior elements are properly sealed.
Tag Archives: log home
Log Timber Deterioration
Deterioration was noted at an exposed log timber post at a recent home inspection in Anacortes. Natural logs will crack, or “check,” and these cracks need to be well sealed to prevent water and insect damage into the future. Oftentimes, you won’t know there’s an issue until it’s visible and the log substantially deteriorated; water gets to the heart of the log and it typically deteriorates from the inside-out. So, keep your exterior elements properly sealed to help prevent water and insect damage into the future!