How
does a Yellowstone at Deep Creek Lake Log Home save me money?
Answer:
Thermal Mass Effect
What's the R-Value of the logs
used in my log home? This is the most often asked question among
prospective log home clients.
The answer is Thermal Mass.
Thermal Mass Effect is an energy saving characteristic of dense
material, like the logs used in log home construction. Simply
put, it takes a long time for temperatures outside a log home
to change the temperature inside. Your heating & cooling
equipment does not have to run as often. Thermal Mass Effect,
in the long run can save the log home owner money on their energy
bills.
National Bureau of Standards Test Confirm
Energy Conserving
"Thermal Mass Effect" For Heavy (Log) Walls in Residential
Construction.
Conventional homes have an open space between the outer wall
and interior wall. Usually, fiberglass insulation is used in
this space to improve the R-value of the home and increase its
energy efficiency. Log homes however, don't have this space,
so they cannot be insulated in the typical manner.
A study conducted by the National Bureau of Standards and The
Department of Energy shows the energy conserving "Thermal
Mass Effect" of the log home is superior to standard insulated
walls.
A 28 week test conducted by the National Bureau of Standards
found that a log home's "Thermal Mass" is a very important
factor in energy efficiency and will reduce a home's overall
energy needs. This means it costs less to heat and cool a home
built with logs.
The test was performed by building 6 identical 20' buildings
on the Bureaus testing grounds in Washington, D.C. The only
difference in the 6 buildings was the material used in the exterior
walls. As an example, the insulated wood frame house was built
with 5/8" exterior wood siding, 2"x 4" stud walls,
fiberglass insulation, plastic vapor barrier, and gypsum dry
wall, giving the walls a nominal R-value of R-12. The log home
however was built with 7" solid wood logs with no additional
insulation, no vapor barrier and no interior dry wall. This
wall had an R-value of 10.
These tests have proved log homes are about 30% more energy
efficient than other insulated "stick built" or wood
frame homes. Even though the insulation value of the wood frame
home was 20% higher, the log home was still 30% more efficient
over the course of a year.
Contact Us At: 1-888-ALL-LOGS To Receive a Copy of this Complete
Study.
