Designing an Energy Efficient Home

 

Designing an Energy Efficient Home Article is Courtesy of Honest Abe Log Homes   Honest Abe Log Homes designs its log cabins, timber frame homes and log homes with energy efficiency in mind. This saves our homeowners money on energy bills and reduces the carbon footprint.   Here are a few ideas:   Orient the home to maximize solar gain: Orienting the home to take advantage of the sun’s energy can help to naturally heat and light the home. South-facing windows can be used to allow sunlight to enter the home, while shading devices can be used to block the sun’s rays during the hottest part of the day.   Use energy-efficient windows:Energy-efficient windows can help to reduce heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. They can also reduce the amount of UV light that enters the home, which can help to protect furnishings and reduce fading.   Insulate the home: Proper insulation can help to keep the home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It can also reduce noise pollution from the outside. Fortunately, log home walls do not require insulation. Even traditional chinked log homes are very energy efficient. Find out more about how our timber frame homes that utilize structural insulated panels helped one customer save money.   Added thot. The usual places that need "energy loss" attention during construction are predictable. They are [1] around windows and doors, [2] roof peaks, [3] where the roof meets the walls, and [4] in the subfloor of crawl space or basement ceilings. Be sure that your contractor pays close attention to insulating these places.   Use energy-efficient appliances and lighting: Choosing energy-efficient appliances and lighting can help to reduce energy usage and lower energy bills.   Use passive solar design principles:Passive solar design involves using the sun’s energy to naturally heat and cool the home. Strategies can include using thermal mass materials to absorb and store heat, using windows and skylights to allow sunlight to enter the home, and using strategic landscaping to block the sun’s rays during the hottest part of the day.   Consider using renewable energy sources: Renewable energy sources, such as solar panels or a wind turbine, can help to reduce your reliance on fossil fuels and lower your carbon footprint. Honest Abe’s log homes are built with renewal materials.   It’s important to carefully consider the specific needs and characteristics of your home and location when designing an energy-efficient home. There are a range of other options for energy efficiency that can be incorporated into a log home. Articles like this are founding each eblast  I send off. To subscribe to News From Jack, just send me your name and email address. Jack@LogHomesByJack.com

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Floor Plan Catalog by Honest Abe Log Homes

 Honest Abe Log Home

Floor Plans Catalog 2021

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Click Here Below

https://www.honestabe.com/get-honest-abe-floor-plan-catalog

Floor Plans

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Our floor plans are suitable for all of our "very green" Log, Eco-Panel and Timber Frame homes.

Easily Modified ... Too big? We can usually make it smaller. Too small? We can always make it larger. Want to blend in two different models? Piece of cake for us. Not possible for some other companies!

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To set up a meeting, contact: 

HutslarJack@gmail.com at 336-407-2157 [m]

Authorized Log Home Dealer since 2001**

Notes that Matter

Our material package delivery schedule is now 5-6 weeks after the 50% deposit is received.

Tariffs could affect pricing on certain wood and stain products. They are a moving target right now.

Log Home builders I know are usually working so their availability could be 4 to 8 weeks out, or more.

The Honest Abe Floor Plan Catalog and extensive Photo Gallery can be found on my blog, News from Jack at LogHomesByJack.com

SHS Scholarships Fund is now at $128,000. 2 awards made in 2025. Total awards given is up to 19. All donations are sent directly to The Springfield Foundation.

We are now using a new email system platform. I used the previous one for years and it was simple and terrific. It was sold to another company and it became less user friendly, more complex and more costly.

Jack Hutslar, a former teacher and coach, started LogHomesByJack in 2001. He is an authorized dealer for Honest Abe Log Homes and Sansin Enviro Stains.

Honest Abe Living May 2025

Honest Abe Living

May 2025

This is our FREE Honest Abe Log Homes interactive magazine, Click on the link below to learn more about all of our log home products and services.

https://www.honestabe.com/honest-abe-living/honest-abe-living-may-2025/

In this issue ...

Selecting furniture

Creating your interior spaces

Beef stroganoff recipe

Aztec model floor rendering and floor plan

News From Jack ...

This is The Blog for LogHomesByJack. It can be found at LogHomesByJack.com by clicking on the upper left corner. News from Jack contains many posts related to log and timber frame homes, stains, suggestions and Q&As. Also posted are all of our monthly e-magazines from Honest Abe Living as well as photos, floor plans, stain info and more.

Contact Jack with your comments, questions or to set up a meeting.

Always Available by Appointment

HutslarJack@gmail.com or 336-407-2157

Fireplaces

Fireplaces ... very popular options in Log Homes

and our Eco-Panel Timber Frame Homes

The options include real wood burning fire places. Pricing for stone fireplaces can go well into five figures. They look fabulous. When great room views involve large window systems, fireplaces can be placed on the side or back walls. The drawback with open stone fireplaces is that they pull heat from your home right up the flue. Hard wood burns best. It does not line the flue with that highly flammable residue.

Wood stove and gas log inserts are much more efficient than traditional fireplaces. Free standing wood and pellet stoves are more economical to purchase. They are more efficient and come in many styles. Blowers are suggested or ceiling fans to disperse the heat. Choose wisely grasshopper.

Source: LogHomesByJack.com. 336-407-2157

DIY: Clearing land for your log home

What is the nature of your property where you build your log home?

Is the property heavily wooded?

You can find someone local to do the clearing. Depending on what you want, all cleared or just make a clearing for the driveway, home and septic drain field. 

Tell the guy with the big toys what you want. Where the home goes. Where the septic fields goes!

** It is Best for you to be there while the dozer work is being done. Otherwise, they might tend to knock down everything so you can plant grass everywhere. This would be common in the suburbs but not out in forested land.

Less grass = less mowing. Grass only over the septic field is a good work saving goal. Mulch everything else.

Clearing Trees. If there are trees that you want to save, put a yellow ribbon around them.

At our place, my wife and I went in first and sawed the tops off of trees where we wanted the driveway to be cut. We left 3 to 4 feet standing for the dozer to push over. A curved driveway is nice.

When done, we brought in a wood/tree chipper guy. They made three large piles of mulch from our trees. We used up in about 12 months or so. It cost the same to have all the trees hauled off. So we took that cost in free mulch.

** Note that you can take down trees while clearing the land. However, if you come back later and want to remove some trees, you may have to jump through the usual county environmental process hoops.

Your driveway can be curved or straight. Curved offers more character.

You are welcome . . . Jack