Log home owners want to know how to check for rot on their log cabin or home. It’s an important part of the annual check up and routine maintenance. Sometimes logs look solid but it’s not until you physically tap on them when you discover you have a problem with rot.
This type of inspection process may require you getting out the ladder in order to tap on logs that are out of reach from the ground. If your home has crowns (log ends) that are not well protected by the roof overhang, it’s a good idea to check the top sides of them every year. That is a classic place for logs to rot since they are so exposed to the elements.
If you see dark areas on logs, that may be a sign of decay. Another telltale sign are holes in the logs made by carpenter ants or bees and powderpost beetles. Click here for more information about wood boring insects that are common in log homes in the midwest.
So what if you DO find rot? Then what? Here are some links to our site that talk about our process for replacing rotten logs.
Replacing half-logs
Replacing vertical logs
Replacing log posts
