Although wood is in itself recognized as a material that provides excellent heat and sound insulation, it is no secret that good insulation of a log cabin requires special attention. This is because a wooden log cabin built of individual parts, unlike a brick house, is not made of a solid material, which in itself ensures tightness. It is also important to mention that the thermal insulation of log cabins depends not only on the insulated walls – according to general calculations, as much as 25% of heat loss is due to windows and doors, and 15% to the ceiling. Therefore, before undertaking the insulation of an already built log cabin, it is recommended to find out the weakest points of the cabin in terms of thermal insulation, and when building a new log cabin – to follow the tips to ensure the highest level of thermal insulation in your wooden log cabin.
We asked Maestro Cabins experts to give advice on how to properly insulate and later on heat a log cabin in order to have keep your cabin warm and cozy all year round.
Correct orientation of a log cabin
Although not always obvious at first glance, it is confirmed that the energy efficiency of a log cabin is also affected by where it stands: on a hill, in a ravine or on a level surface. For example, when designing a log cabin on a hill or in a flat, open place, it will not have a shelter, so it will need particularly good thermal and professional insulation to retain the heat. Another important architectural solution in terms of heat is the well-chosen position of the building. Maestro Cabins experts advice that efforts should be made to have as many windows as possible on the south side of the house, thus taking advantage of the heat emitted by the sun. It is true that because of this decision, the temperature in a log cabin in the summer would not be too high, climbing-type plants can be planted near the windows of the cabin. Experts also advice to plan the layout of the premises – on the south side should be provided residential, most frequently used premises.
Quality insulation of a log cabin
Considering the fact that a log cabin is often used only in the warm season, the airtight wood construction in itself ensures relatively good thermal insulation, thus reducing the need for insulation of the log cabin itself. However, if you decide to insulate a log cabin, first of all, we recommend to do all the insulation work from the outside, because the insulation of the house from the inside is not very practical. In order to insulate the interior walls of a log cabin that has already been built, it is very often necessary to dismantle the floor, and if the work is not of high quality, insulation provides a great breeding ground for rodents or mold. Insulating a log cabin in this way also reduces the temperature load on its walls – the wall temperature remains stable all year round. In order to preserve the unique look of a log cabin, insulation work can also be done from the inside, but in this case, it is recommended to use only ecological materials, as this is the only way to maintain a healthy microclimate.
When choosing materials for log cabin insulation, it is especially important to pay attention to the thermal conductivity coefficient – the lower the coefficient, the less insulation materials will be needed, and in the long run the conductivity will also affect heating costs. It is also important that the material used for insulation is vapor permeable – it does not “breathe”, it is not blown by the wind, it does not accumulate moisture, and it is also resistant to the growth of microorganisms. It is important to keep in mind that before starting any insulation work in your log cabin, it should be assessed that the built house will be occupied for at least a few years. If this process is not properly calculated, the materials used for insulation may be damaged and the work may need to be re-done.
Proper floor insulation
Cold floors can be identified as one of the most common problems in log cabins, which are rarely solved by placing carpets on the floor. In particular, the insulation of the floor should ensure that no “cold bridges” are formed during the process. For example, when using polyurethane for insulation, it is especially important to pay attention to the fact that the insulation layer rests on the walls by placing at least 10-15 cm on them. It is worth noting that to ensure a high level of floor insulation, polyurethane is a particularly suitable material for insulation of your log cabin. This material is homogeneous, so it does not require additional sealing, and it adheres perfectly to the insulating layer, so it usually allows to achieve much higher thermal insulation than when using other materials as well.
Choose the most suitable heating system for your log cabin
Although all log cabins have many common features, there is no single, best heating method that would be most suitable for all types of log cabins. The choice of heating can be determined by many factors, such as the type of construction of a residential log cabin, insulation, and finally how much time will you spend in it on other seasons than summer. For example, if you do not plan to use log cabin all year round, it is not worth investing in a full water heating system, in which case you will need to maintain a temperature of about 6-8 ° C throughout the winter to prevent water from freezing in the radiators/pipes.
If you plan to stay in log cabin only periodically, it is worth choosing a heating system that does not require large investments, but ensures minimal heating needs. An example would be an electric heater. In medium winter conditions, 70-80 W / m² appliances should be enough to heat an insulated log cabin. To ensure the highest level of electric heating efficiency, you can use thermostats in the heaters that allow you to control the temperature automatically. Depending on the temperature recorded by the sensors, the heating will switch on or off automatically. This encourages cost savings and streamlining the system.
Another, probably the most common heating option is a fireplace, which ensures efficient heating of a log cabin and can only be used as needed. They will additionally ensure the heat distribution system in all rooms – you will heat the whole house quite quickly and inexpensively. The biggest disadvantage is that when the fire has died down, the premises cool down quite quickly, therefore, by choosing this heating option, the highest level of insulation of the building is necessary.
