SEARCHThe Importance of Overhangs and Gutters in Log Home Construction
Your log home is meant to withstand harsh winds, rainy days, and time itself. It was built to last and you maintain it the best you can in order to keep it looking great year after year. Yet despite all of your hard work, the bottom layer of logs is showing signs of rot. Why is that?
Unfortunately for you, your log home may not have adequate overhangs or gutters. You aren’t alone in this, however. There are many homeowners like you who don’t have the proper length of overhang built during their log home construction.
These overhangs are extremely important to the longevity of your home, and having shortened ones can put a serious dent in your check book. There are a few main reasons why having proper overhangs and gutters attached to your log home is important to consider during the construction phase. If you are building a new log home, this is the article for you.
Water Accumulation
When you build your log home with inadequate overhangs and improper gutter systems, you run the serious risk of water buildup on the roof. The logs will be able to hold that water for a while, but there will come a time when the logs’ integrity will be damaged and the roof will be compromised. This is something you really want to avoid from happening.
The only way to fix issues with logs on the roof is to have them replaced. This is not an easy task, if you have ever watched a log home being constructed. Proper gutters and overhangs will move that water off of your roof and onto the ground, somewhere safe where the water won’t run directly onto your home.
Rotting Wood
The main reason you need to invest in overhangs and gutters for your log home is because of the possibility of rotting wood on the home. With short or non-existent overhangs, the water is allowed to land next to your base logs. You may have seen logs on the bottom of homes that are growing mushrooms. Those are prime examples of rotten wood, and are solely caused by your gutter and overhangs improperly directing water flow.
Log homes must be properly protected against high moisture levels. If the moisture is too high, the logs will begin to retain water–something we really don’t want. If you have a decent log home stain applied, it will wick the water away in beads. If not, it will soak into the wood. If you don’t have overhangs that literally over-hang, or a sufficient gutter system in place, the water will have greater access to that wood.
Build your overhangs long enough that they hang at least 2 feet from the base of the roof. With long enough overhangs, the water won’t be able to pool at the base of your home and seep into the wood. If your gutters are working the way they should, it will take the excess water to wherever is safest.
Keep the water away from your home with proper overhangs. Replacing a roof or damaged logs will be very expensive, so take precautions today to avoid future water damage.
