Insulation in your log home is just as important as in a conventionally built home.
Log walls offer security as well as insulation. The R factor is generally computed as 1.41 per inch of wall thickness. An eight inch log wall would have an R-factor of 11.28. These are comparable figures and can be compromised by inferior installation of the logs. Some folks debate the effectiveness of a log wall as a real insulator. Softwood logs are better insulators than hardwood. You need to remember that there is a natural ability of log walls to absorb heat during the daylight hours and expel that heat to the inside of the home during night time. This enhances the R-factor of a log home.
Our log home has cathedral ceilings in the entire upper floor and over the great room. Height varies from 23 feet to 14 feet from the floor to the ridge. Our roof is timber framed with 2 x 6 tongue and groove over the entire roof area. There is a six inch panel of styrofoam insulation with 1/2 inch OSB glued to one side over the 2 x 6 decking. The foam has grooves cut into the surface next to the OSB for ventilation. These grooves are continuous from the roof ridge to the overhang.
We have incorporated ceiling fans high into the cathedral ceilings to circulate the warm/cool air.
You may opt for a home that has a combination of "Half Log" shaped like a letter "D" with round log exposed to the outside and conventional framing on the inside. A very high R-value is possible with this type of construction. This adds to the cost of the home obviously.
A log home on a crawl space should have vents in the foundation to allow for fresh air in the summer. Ideally there should be insulation between the floor joist. I have mixed emotions with insulation on crawl space walls. There is a certain amount of inherent moisture trapped behind any insulation installed on the crawl foundation walls.
Insulating the framed floor over a basement has some advantages but if you intend to use the basement for recreation or home office etc. I would not insulate the floor unless you wish to keep sound from one level to another to a minimum. Insulating the floor does not make the living area floor any warmer unless there is no heat in the basment at all.
A fireplace in your new log home will not operate well at all unless you provide outside air for combustion. When I was a kid our windows and doors weren't so tight. Air came through most openings enough to provide combustion air for the stoves or fireplace.
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LINKS TO FAVORITE SITES
Apple Valley Photos (Photos for everyone to use, Digital Download or Prints
Little Patch Farm (Boer Goats)