Do not plant shrubs near your log walls. This helps minimize the chance of water splashing off the leaves and onto your log wall.
Stack firewood well away from the house. Stacking firewood near your home can attract wood boring insects like termites.
Install gutters on your log home. This can help prevent splash back from hitting your lower logs and causing water damage. This is especially important if you have short overhangs.
Spray borate on logs periodically (as per manufacturers instructions). Borate is a safe and effective wood preservative, you can find out more at the National Pesticide Information Center.
If you don’t install gutters, avoid deck splash back by building a splash guard, or grate, or bench that blocks water from splashing off the deck and hitting your log wall.
Place covers over any exposed log ends, specifically purlins, ridge pole, rafter Splash back from roof run-off can cause rot on your log walls. Installing gutters eliminates rainwater run-off ends. If you have any log ends that get wet every time it rains, then you’re asking for trouble — so put a ‘hat’ on those unprotected log ends.
If water tends to collect near your home install drains to draw it away. This will help reduce the moisture level right near your home.
Extend your gutter drains so water is deposited about 10′ away from your home. Again, this helps reduce moisture levels near your home.
Clean off pollen, dust and dirt that accumulates on the exterior of your log walls. Over time such things can form a thin film on the logs, which can contribute to mildew and mold growth.
