Pros and Cons of owning a log home in Grand County, CO - by Julie White

When talking with people I often get the question - what are the pros and cons of owning a log home in Grand County, CO? So, I made some lists and may have missed a couple items, but I think I got the main ones. And there are pros and cons to owning a typical wood framed home, too - no home is without maintenance. Also, we don't have termites & carpenter ants (that I know of) in Grand County, CO - if you are looking at a log home in other areas in the county think about the local insects and climate. Colorado has dry weather and logs may shrink more and may need to be stained more that wetter areas. Cons of a Log Cabin or Log Home - Insects could make their homes and/or feed on the wood. - Woodpeckers, need I say more. - Cracking, shrinking and popping when the logs are new. - Complicated to wire with electricity, plumbing etc. - A log wall is a solid mass and since there is no insulated space, difficult to calculate R-Value. - Logs shrink and expand. - Shrinkage can be from 1/2 inch to 3 inches or more. -They have to be stained and sealed every 3-5 years to protect the wood; to fight moisture buildup or prevent the wood from drying out to avoid the logs from decaying or splitting. -May need to re-chink from time to time if it starts to crack. Pros of a Log Cabin or Log Home - Log walls are natural sound insulators. - The inside walls can be finished with wall board to enable surfaces to be papered or painted. - Greener - Beautiful aesthetic appeal. - Energy efficient with conventional heating and air conditioning in place 2.5% to over 20% more energy efficient if built and caulked properly compared to an identical wood-frame home. (FYI - no one has air conditioning in Grand County). - Cozy,warm and relaxing home.