Passive Solar Design Tips for Log Homes

This beautiful mountain log cabin is just the thing that dreams are made of.

There are so many log house details to love about this log cabin design. From the large log trusses, log beams, and posts wherever you look, the grand stone fireplace that anchors the log house space, the log railings, cozy interior and so much more. Not only is this one of the most beautiful log house designs you will see, but it is also set in the perfect location with scenic views of mountains and forests all around. Shop Tiny Homes This stunning log cabin building is located near the crest of the Sierra Mountains, it has lovely and inviting interior log house features. There is also a back porch to enjoy a quiet, pleasant time with your loved one or friends.

If you want long-term satisfaction with your log cabin design, it is good to start with energy-efficient log house construction.

There is a good reason to consider energy-efficient log house building construction as you plan your new log home. With the knowledge that energy costs money, and is likely to cost more in the future than it does today, you want to build your log house design as energy-efficient as possible. Planning can save you money in the future and help to ensure that your money doesn't end up in the pockets of utility companies. The best and least expensive approach to conserving energy starts with your log house's design. You can start with passive solar log house design techniques that have been known for thousands of years, and can reduce heating costs by as much as 50 percent. While taking full advantage of the passive solar principles may take consulting a professional, it is while worth the effort. When considering passive solar log house design you want to consider orientation, opening, and overhangs.

Orientation.

You are want to start with the orientation of your log house design. Study your log cabin building site and note where the sun rises and where the sun sets concerning your proposed log house site. You want to note any obstructions that would shade your cabin building during the day. In a cool climate, you want to orient your cabin building, so the wall with the most windows which is usually the great room faces within about 15 degrees of south. In warmer climates, you may want to avoid direct southern sun exposure. You can swing your log house design toward the east which will allow it to capture more of the morning sun while blocking sunlight through the heat of the day and the evening.

Openings.

Next, you want to consider the doors and the windows in your cabin building floor plan. Concentrate the log house openings on the south-facing wall, followed by the east, the north, and west walls. You want to calculate the total area of openings on each wall and compare it with the total wall areas. At least half of your cabin building opening areas should face south. In a climate zone where there is more heat needed, your goal is to capture as much of the winter sun’s energy as possible while still minimizing the heat that is radiated back to the outside. In a cooling climate, you want to selectively allow in sunlight so that it won’t have an opportunity to overheat your log house.