Cabins blur the line between the rugged outdoors and a luxury hotel, delivering a wood-framed splendor that’s matched by homely interiors and stylish exteriors. As traditional as these rustic homes can be, it’s surprisingly tough to ensure a cabin is kept warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Let’s look at a few guidelines to keep your wooden home comfy and cozy this winter.
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Use the Natural Surroundings
A builder orients the house to follow the route of the sun, so you can feel the heat of the sunrise first thing in the morning. Take up this line of thinking by using the land as your ally. If there are trees all around the cabin, keep them. They’re a natural defense, keeping the building shaded and protected from the elements. They’re a windbreak during a strong storm, and a dark shelter when the sun is blazing high in the sky. Try to keep West facing windows in partial shade from blazing sunsets in the summer.
Locking Wooden Walls with Technology
The cabin itself has to present a united front against inclement weather. Advanced locking systems are used in modern structures, creating precise seals between each wooden board. It’s no longer enough to prop sections of wood on top of each other and use a sealant, not when the building has to take on the role of family defender. Opt for a modern design that uses notched and caulked locking, mechanical sealing that employs the latest techniques in the industry, and feel peace of mind at knowing a cold breeze can’t find its way inside.
Modern Portal Designs
The age-old problem of plugging the obvious weak spots is high on the list of cabin designs. The solution lays in fitting new windows that are armed with high-tech insulating technology. Opt for windows that include an extra pane of glass, and designs that seal the weather out by focusing on energy efficiency. The same approach extends to the walls, to the wood conducting the day’s heat or leaking the homes precious energy. Modern cabins solve this wooden conundrum by spraying closed-cell insulating foams that protect and enhance the R-factor characteristics of the cabin wood.
Dealing with Cabin Roofing
The materials and the way those wooden parts lock together is of critical importance when making a cabin energy efficient, but heat has a habit of rising, which means the roof is at least as important as the walls and windows. You always want to consider how to protect yourself from outside elements, but when it comes to the roof, knowing how to keep the inside elements in is just as important. Dark shingles absorb the heat of the sun, blocking harsh wind and rain. Meanwhile, insulation on the interior of the roof stops energy from escaping. According to Century Roofing Ltd, you should leave at least two inches of air space between the sheathing and insulation. Flat roofing contractors can make sure your cabin is the best protected from the elements before you even step foot inside.
Modern cabins look much like their older relations, but they’re actually weatherproof shells. Protected by modern materials and innovative seals, those seals employ the latest standards in energy-efficiency. Structurally sound design ethics aid in connecting us to a simpler time without compromising our need for inner comfort.
