We are considering building a log home in Prescott and have a couple of questions. Is a log home energy efficient and does a log home require more maintenance than a conventional home and how long is the building process for a log home?

Log homes are energy efficient. There is a particular log home on the market that is a 5 star, energy rated home. This home is built with a solid mass wall unit which is rated as a U factor (thermal mass), not like the conventional R factor in stud framed walls. In our local climate, a high quality 6 inch log is sufficient and is extremely energy efficient. Keep in mind, it is important to make sure your home is sealed properly especially between the all of the log-to-log connections, where the roof systems meets the log wall and at the foundation where the first course of logs connects. Log Homes can be built with all of the energy standards as a normal home and can be super energy efficient. Log homes do require more maintenance however; there is a great deal of value in preventative maintenance and scheduled maintenance upkeep. When compared to a standard stucco home or a wood home, the maintenance is not overwhelming. All of the exposed fascias and eave areas require the same maintenance measures as your standard home. Any logs or wooden decks in high exposed areas need regular maintenance to keep the logs in tip top shape. It is important to keep your log home sheltered the elements and there are many good sealant products on the market to help you with maintenance. These sealant products seal cracks, they also keep the uninvited pesky pests out, they help prevent decay and they can also help with energy costs. When performing maintenance on log homes, it is extremely important to use only log home products. It is important that if you want to be a do-it-yourself maintenance guy, read the directions and make sure that you are using products that have been designed for your log home building system. The build time on a log home depends on the size of the home and the type of logs used. An engineered home with 6 or 8 inch logs (in diameter) and approximately 1800 square feet would take approximately 3-4 months from start to completion.