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LOG HOME DREAM GONE BAD

AFTER MUCH HOMEWORK AND PLANNING....WE PURCHASED A FINELY CRAFTED AND VERY TIGHT 1800 SQ FOOT "RIPPLE CRAFT" LOG HOME 10 YRS AGO.THE HOUSE ITSELF IS GORGEOUS, INSIDE ALL SOUTHWEST AND WESTERN FURNISHINGS WINCHESTERS AND NAVAJO ITEMS ABOUND. THIS OWNERSHIP HAS TURNED FROM DREAM TO NIGHTMARE. ONE POINT IS MAINTANACE. LOG HOME MAINTANACE IS A NIGHTMARE IN ITSELF, AND COSTLY TOO (HOUSE WAS ALWAYS STAINED WITH TWP A VERY GOOD PROCUCT) PROBLEM IS SOMETHING ALWAYS NEEDS STAINING.LARGE DECK SEEMS TO NEED STAIN YEARLY AS DOES THE GAZEBO ROOF (CEDAR SHAKES) SECOND POINT IS A HOUSE MADE OF WOOD WILL BE ATTACKED BY EVERY KIND OF CRITTER KNOWN THAT LOVE WOOD. BATS,(BAT DROPPINGS ARE TOXIC) CARPENTER ANTS, CARPENTER BEES (WHICH I HAVE YET TO CONTROL EVEN WITH PROFESSIONAL HELP)..COONS, POSSUMS, WOODPECKERS DRILLING FOR BUG LARVAE., WASPS, NESTING BIRDS AND SPIDERS (BROWN RECLUSE TOO) OF ALL VARIETY. MICE GALORE AND ALL THE FILTH THEY BRING REARING THIER FAMILIES.AFTER BEING BITTEN BY A BAT AND A WOLF SPIDER (BOTH SENT ME TO THE ER), I RARELY GO OUT AT DUSK. I KILL BATS WITH RAT GLUE BOARDS, BUT THEY JUST KEEP COMING AS DO ALL THESE PESTS YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, EVEN WITH NUMEROUS CHEMICAL TREATMENTS.... BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR, YOU MAY GET IT AND REGRET IT...... GIVE ME BRICK OR VINYL ANYDAY. I WANT OUT !

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Permalink Reply by shanny on June 13, 2012 at 2:42pm

What a thoughtful posting.

Thats an excellent idea.

I will pray too. As someone who has personal experience with family and cancer...this is the least I can do.

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Permalink Reply by don sigler on June 13, 2012 at 3:33pm

SHANNY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND THOUGHTS...IT'S RARE TO FIND SO MANY HELPFUL FOLKS ON A SITE LIKE THIS ..........................REGARDS DON

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Permalink Reply by don sigler on June 13, 2012 at 3:03pm

RACHELLE, THANKS FOR YOUR KIND THOUGHTS AND HELPFUL PRAYER......I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED IN THE POWER OF PRAYER AND CHRISTIANS ARE OBLIGED TO "KNOCK ON HEAVENS DOOR" .............REGARDS DON

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Permalink Reply by Kavephish on August 7, 2012 at 7:51pm

How about praying that the animals and bugs leave you alone then?

Good luck.

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Permalink Reply by Toni Mancuso Smith on September 16, 2012 at 4:23pm

Hello Don, Yes, I too pray. I lost my Tom to Glioblastoma Multiforme stage 4 brain cancer 2 years ago, and no, NEVER sick a day in his life! Married 47 years, very active travelling and scuba diving whenever and where ever we could. WE built our log home here in Clinton, Ct in 1987, Tom GCd. He worked for a restoration and renovation company in New Haven, Ct for 42 years , special projects manager and estimator. Did the usual care along the way but now, since I am feeling more like I can get back into life in general, I'm needing to figure out if I can do any of the work on the house myself with the help of children and grandchildren or TRY to find reputable people here in southern ct to help out. I have been attending webinars, etc., to learn all I can. I am afraid to think that my home is beginning to look a lot like driftwood! I did contact Perma-chink so I'll see what they have to say as far as the size of the job! Tom always used Perma-chink products...we'll see. As you've noticed I tend to babble, so I'll close now with a prayer in my heart for you and your family, too. Regards, Toni Mancuso Smith

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Permalink Reply by shanny on September 16, 2012 at 6:08pm

So sorry for your loss.

In life we just never know.

Our daughter had a brain tumor too.

I still have been praying for Don.

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Permalink Reply by shanny on June 11, 2012 at 9:17pm

This is awful.

I am sorry you have such a horrible situation.

I do like the ripplecraft antique log design.

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Permalink Reply by EZMARY on September 16, 2012 at 5:06pm

I use permachink products and if you follow the manufacturers directions, your house should not need staining, every year, but every 5 to 7 years. Wood Peckers are easy to get rid of, hang aluminum pie pans around and they leave. I have bats, occasionally, up by my eaves, they generally don't bother anyone, they fly around at dusk, but they don't bother anyone. (I hear they eat spiders, which I like) Do you have cats, I use to have a problem with mice and a outside cat works wonders. I also have a dog, I let run around, and it generally keeps the racoons, possums, etc... away. Carpentar bees, we had a metal roof put on, and had our facia boards wrapped, so they are no longer a problem. Generally, when we maintain our log home, the bats leave, but they eventually come back. We spray for wasps, there is always a can of raid on our front porch. These are just some ways I have dealt with the above pests. I love my home. Even vinyl and brick homes have problems, bats hide in them also, wasps are everywhere, if your in the country, you have to deal with racoons, possums, etc...Bees, spiders, insects get into vinyl and brick homes also. Country living is hard sometimes. This year I had to redo my whole well system, (23 years old, got wore out) electric goes out, gotta get the generator out, heat with wood gotta get wood, so whatever, life is just not easy, just got to deal with it. I also bought those decorative metal things that you can hang on your porch, and doing that keeps the birds away. So hopefully some of my ideas may help you. Try different things before you give up, cause I think log home living if the way to go!