Maintenance on log homes is slightly more onerous than on conventional homes, and special emphasis is placed on annual inspections. Michael Rice with Rice Pest Control in Shorewood loves the way log homes look and feel. But as with any home, you have to take precautions. You have to make sure that wet wood is properly treated and that the foundation is in good repair. You should also walk the roof once in spring and once in fall, to check for any damage which has occurred from the summer and the winter.
Rice says there is no more of a risk for termites with a log home than with a conventional home.
Maintenance of the exterior of both new and used log homes is a critical aspect of log home ownership. Tim Cross, president of Professional Pressure Cleaning, L.L.C. in Germantown teaches log home contractors from around the country in the art of log home maintenance, whereupon they receive their Wood Restoration and Preservation Certification. According to Cross, log home companies are good at building log homes, but then they wash their hands of any maintenance issues. It is imperative that you seek professional advice before you stain or bleach your exterior logs. According to Cross, many homeowners will bleach their logs with store-bought bleach like Clorox, which tends to streak, rather than using oxalic acid, a professional wood bleach and brightener.