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Autumn and winter – insulated log cabins and how to do it well

If you’re looking for a contemporary residential log cabin, chances are, you will be spending the cold seasons there as well. More than that, perhaps you’re even looking to move in permanently. Or maybe you’re just looking for a cozy camping pod, or a garden room that you can use as an office even in colder seasons. All these are achievable through good, well planned and well executed insulation.

At Eurodita, we specialise in bespoke garden summer houses and standard log cabins. In our production, we are able to offer quality preparation for insulating all glulam log cabins. We even offer wholesale of insulated camping pods. With our 27 years of experience, we can share what we learned and go through several insulation aspects that you definitely need to know.

Insulation efficiency 

First of, insulation turns your log house energy-efficient. Although wood in naturally a good insulator, it’s not as efficient as it would be. Especially in colder seasons, when there’s also increased moisture to consider.

Insulation efficiency is calculated by 2 values. The R-value, which refers to the measurement of the heat flow resistance through the log home materials. There is an ideal thickness of log cabin materials that ensures a higher R-value. A higher R-Value offers more thermal resistance to the materials used. A higher R-value for the log home materials, like glulam planks or full logs, means they are better insulators.

Then there is the U-Value, which measures the material’s heat loss in watts. A lower U-value is better as it would mean less heat lost. There are other factors that are connected with U-values which also help to determine the insulating ability of a log home material.

These two values help determine the best timber materials to use when selecting your log home supplier. Without good insulation in addition to quality materials, you might be loosing up to 70% of your cabin’s heat. Which is why we recommend asking your log home manufacturer to prepare the log house to be insulated with cavity insulation.

Insulation types

Walls of course are the primary insulation target. Its huge surface are where you loose the most heat. But other than that, there are a few other important parts to consider. Corners and joints of your cabin must not be looked over during insulation procedures. They’re vulnerable to drafts and are huge contributors to heat loss. They have their own specific insulation procedures that professionals will always take into account.

Roof insulation is bears extra importance. Not only safeguarding against heat loss, but also against unwanted rainwater and moisture. Rooftop tiles do not insulate any log cabin as well as timber naturally does. That is why it’s very important to insulate your roof, to stop the heat from evaporating upwards.

Another important insulation aspect that is sometimes forgotten is the floor. When placing your bespoke residential log cabin on a stone or cement foundation, a lot of people will automatically assume that their log home is protected from the elements. This cannot be further from the truth. No type of foundation will insulate your home fully. That is why, an extra layer of material is absolutely necessary to be placed before putting on the final timber planks.

Window glazing 

Final point to fully secure your bespoke log cabin home is double-glazing your windows. Inform your log home supplier that you would like your windows glazed twice to make sure you don’t loose any more heat than necessary. This will increase the energy efficiency of your log home significantly and all heating measures you take will be much more efficient. While these double-glazed windows might be an additional investment, it’s truly worth your while.

Final question that we get often is if it’s worth insulating your log home if it’s only used in summer. We always answer yes. Insulating your log cabin not only increases its energy efficiency. It also protects the inner wooden walls from destructive moisture. If you keep your log home dry by securing the heat inside, there is lower chance of contracting mould and fungus. These invaders like warm, moist environment, so if there’s a lot of moisture in your cabin and you will heat it up only occasionally, mould will not have the chance to dry out and die off. We always recommend keeping your log home evenly dry throughout all seasons and this is easily achieved through proper insulation.

Whichever level of insulation you choose, always make sure your log home supplier is ready to make professional insulation preparations. If you’re looking to sell insulated log homes, Eurodita might be a great partner for you. Good luck!