Members of the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) Log Homes Council are celebrating National Log Home Open House Month in July. Council members will host model home tours, log raising demonstrations, factory tours, seminars and much more.

"These events will allow potential home buyers to discover everything they need to know to make their dream log home a reality," says Log Homes Council Chair Nicole Robinson. "Many log home owners tell us that living in their log homes provide them with a sense of sanctuary and comfort. Coming home feels like going on vacation."

There are several benefits of owning a log home, including their inherent "green" nature. The modern manufacturing process utilizes every portion of the log, for example, and pre-cut log home packages go up quickly and leave less waste on the job site compared to conventional construction. Log homes are also energy efficient--the massiveness of the logs plays a vital role in conserving energy. According to numerous scientific studies, logs absorb heat energy during the day and radiate it at night to even out the temperature, which can make the occupants feel more comfortable while using less energy over the life of the home.

"As great as log homes are, they are not all built to the same standard. The Log Homes Council is the preeminent national organization that represents log home manufacturers, and our members are held to the highest standards," says Robinson. "Our members abide by a strict code of ethics, grade their logs and timbers by third party agencies to ensure quality and provide construction manuals to guarantee correct construction techniques. They also sponsor scientific studies that advance log building technologies and provide free information to help consumers make smart choices about purchasing a log home."

Visit www.loghomes.org to learn about local events during the month-long open house.