Wooden modular houses are becoming increasingly popular nowadays, as most people feel safe in them and in touch with nature. The construction of a wooden modular house is very efficient in terms of long-term existence.
We certainly want to focus on ensuring a comfortable and pleasant stay in our wooden houses.
Winter is not an obstacle to building a wooden modular house, as we have special machines that enable high-quality production. Every wooden house is custom-made.
The importance of choosing the right wood for maintaining a wooden house
When choosing wood for wooden construction or home furnishings as a natural raw material, it is essential to inform ourselves about the type of wood that meets our needs and expectations.
Wood is a material that provides a pleasant climate in a home. In winter, it cools less than traditional construction materials, and in summer, it heats up less. Certainly, the chosen wood is one of the most important elements of the wooden modular house, which greatly influences the look we want to achieve and, of course, how it will behave in the future. Therefore, we always ask ourselves which type of wood will have the best long-term durability.
For the facade, larch (heartwood) is most often chosen. For good heat retention in the space, we need to research the choice of wood for windows and doors, which are most often made of larch, spruce (if the structure is protective), or oak. Oak is generally considered one of the higher-quality types of wood for interior furniture, which is also used for floors and stairs. Of course, for furniture, it all depends on the intended use.
Maintaining a wooden house and chemical factors
We are all aware that every natural material is subject to wear, even though it may not always be noticeable. External factors such as weather conditions, material wear, and various damages certainly affect the condition of the wooden house and require regular maintenance, repairs, and general care. When we consciously realize that it is necessary to care for and monitor the house, the wooden modular house will also work in our favor. This saves us a lot of money, as we prevent more severe consequences in advance. Manufacturers guarantee that with regular and proper maintenance, a wooden modular house can provide a home for more than two generations.
A quality building system and materials, properly processed wood, correctly dried, and later regularly maintained, are factors for the long lifespan of a modular building. Homeowners should ensure proper ventilation and heating, and over the long-term residence, we should also pay attention to external damages. Proper maintenance of the wooden house especially emphasizes that the tightness of the sewage, plumbing, and heating systems should be regularly checked and maintained. To preserve the wooden structure in the long term, it is particularly important to prevent moisture from entering the inside of the building. Therefore, we must pay attention to the correct and tight placement of vapor barriers and seal the joints in wet areas. These places should be inspected regularly, and damages and mistakes should be fixed as soon as possible.
How gutters affect the maintenance of a wooden modular house
We should especially pay attention to gutters on rainy days. Gutters carefully collect water from the roof to protect the walls and ceilings of the house from moisture. Metal gutters have so far been considered the best. However, for them to be truly long-lasting, they must meet several conditions. It is important to carefully consider what to choose, how to install gutters, and how to maintain them.
It is generally proven that there are no more durable gutters than those made of metal: steel, copper, aluminum, or titanium-zinc. In addition to the raw material from which they were made, which indicates their durability, reliability, and long lifespan, several other factors also affect their longevity. Winter is the greatest test for gutters. They deal not only with precipitation but also with snow and water freezing in the gutters. To avoid excessive pressure on them, it is worth helping them in their fight against winter inconveniences. The first thing you can do to prevent gutters from lifting too much from the roof due to snow is to install snow fences or snow tiles on the roof.
The impact of ventilation on the durability of a wooden house
For the long-term existence of a wooden modular house, ventilation is of utmost importance, as maintaining a good climate inside the space is key to preserving the entire structure. The term thermal stability refers to the ability of a construction to maintain a constant temperature inside the space despite external temperature changes. The larger the mass of the building, the greater its thermal stability.
Thermal capacity plays a crucial role – it is the ability of the material to absorb heat, store it, and then release it.
Humidity in the space:
The greatest enemy is mustiness in the entire space, as poor and damp air is harmful not only to the people living in the house but also to all the materials used in the building. Condensed moisture can cause material decay, and the same applies to dry air.
Dry air: In this case, hairline cracks can appear on the walls, and the wood can shrink, which can cause cracks in the parquet and furniture.
Many modular houses are equipped with a ventilation system that ensures fresh air inside the space, but in general, you need to ensure fresh air supply by opening windows.
It is good to maintain humidity between 40% and 60% at a temperature of 22°C through active ventilation, thus ensuring a pleasant living climate. If you are or will be the owner of a more modern modular house that already has a ventilation system, there is no need to open windows for ventilation, as the system automatically exchanges the air. It also allows you to set the system in advance for times of day when humidity is highest in the house, especially in the afternoon and evening when family activity is highest and humidity increases due to cooking and showering.
House maintenance and protection from moisture
Those who own a modular house often face similar problems as owners of brick houses. According to conversations with experts, they reportedly have fewer problems if the wooden house structure was correctly planned and constructed. The biggest problem is excessive humidity, which can penetrate both the exterior and interior walls. Moisture can enter the walls in various ways, finding its way there due to various reasons.
A greater challenge than drying wet walls is drying the screed and floor slabs. If moisture has already penetrated from the floor into the interior walls, corner trim should be removed, and air circulation between the walls and floor should be allowed. This is necessary due to the shrinkage and expansion of the screed and floor coverings.
Additional thermal insulation and new windows
Most wooden modular houses built several years ago need to undergo energy renovation. Improving the thermal properties of the house will result in lower heat losses and, therefore, less energy required for heating.
For the installation of new larger windows and other interventions during energy renovation, the static of the building needs to be carefully checked.
How do maintenance costs of a wooden house increase over time?
The costs of maintaining a wooden house completely depend on how much effort and attention we dedicate to the house. The modular construction of the house lays the foundation for long-term living. The better the quality, the longer it will serve us. Of course, we also pay attention to all seasons and behave accordingly with proper maintenance. With average maintenance, a wooden modular house can last for several generations, and sellers typically offer 20 to 30 years of warranty.
The costs include many aspects of house upkeep. The house should be protected against mold by constant ventilation. After some time, the facade should be repainted, usually every 10 years, and all finishing elements should be inspected for wear and tear. It is also advisable to consult with specialists in wooden houses.
Heating costs of a wooden house
In wooden houses, we feel comfortable at an average temperature of 18°C. Heating requires less energy than in traditional buildings. A modular house is definitely a smart investment. We save time, energy, and are satisfied with the unique appearance of the modern house.
You can only talk about the house using numerous calculations and dry data until the residents move in. Once they do, it becomes a home. At that point, it’s not just about square meters, the type of roofing, or kilowatts of energy. What matters then are the people. It’s then that we start feeling at home.
Will I sleep better in this house, will I feel more relaxed after a hard day at work? Will the children have fewer allergies and enjoy playing in the house? Will I smile every time I drive up to the yard and enjoy the beauty of my home?
This cannot be calculated. Choosing to live in a sustainable home built from natural materials, aesthetically placed in the environment, is, among other things, a statement of our relationship with ourselves, our descendants, and our respect for nature.
The durability of a wooden house in earthquakes and other natural phenomena
Some people have a wrong idea about living in wooden houses. It is not true that wooden houses are fragile. On the contrary, although wood is flammable, properly measured wooden construction is often much more resistant to fire. Modern wooden houses are built in a way that they do not burn like a “matchbox.”
Natural phenomena such as earthquakes, winds, and floods
When talking about natural phenomena, we can say that wooden modular houses are the ones that withstand and suffer much less severe damage. There are several cases of brick houses that had problems in earthquake situations. The load on a wooden house is lower than on a brick one. Proper construction of wooden houses ensures that no major problems occur.
Floods and water spills are difficult factors, but they can be resisted.
Almost always, the cause of flooding is poor construction protection against moisture or poor maintenance, where owners fail to clear gutters or maintain plumbing properly, allowing water to flow into and onto the walls. In the case of flooding, it is important to act quickly to avoid major financial damage.
Living in a wooden house is generally not much different from living in a brick house, but maintenance is key. The biggest enemy of modular houses is water, so we are particularly attentive to these issues.
All water spills and moisture issues must be addressed promptly.
