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Our Log Home’s Survival Story from the Fire


Our Log Home’s Survival Story from the Fire

Surviving the South Fork Fire

I wanted to share our experience and express my gratitude for your incredible products and support.

Hi! My name is Brent Kriegel. We own a log home in Ruidoso, NM, which we purchased in September 2020. In July 2021, we fully restored the exterior—sandblasting off the old oil-based stain and using 100% Perma-Chink Systems products for Prep, Stain, and Energy Seal. The results were fantastic!

South Fork Fire

South Fork Fire & Home Impact

Fast forward to June 17, 2024, when the South Fork Fire devastated our area. The fire, which was declared a national disaster, burned 17,000 acres and destroyed 21 cabins in our subdivision, including our guesthouse and carport.

Amazingly, our log home—the primary residence—is the only structure still standing in our neighborhood.

The damage to our cabin was minimal:

We lost the first couple of steps to our front porch and a pier from the back porch.

SouthForkFire damagedstairs med

Six windows on the west side cracked from the heat.

South Fork Fire window damage
South Fork Fire window damage

 

Repairing the Damage

After utilities were restored, I connected with Dakota Zeman from Perma-Chink Systems for an inspection. We reviewed photos, FaceTimed for a closer look, and tested the exterior gloss. The solution was simple:

One coat of exterior gloss topcoat

Touch-up of the Energy Seal between the logs

The Completed Project

Four months later, we are back in our cabin, and everything is great. We experienced minimal smoke damage inside, which I credit to the Energy Seal sealant protecting between the logs. After applying a new coat of Lifeline Advance top gloss and fixing a few small Energy Seal areas, the cabin looks brand new again.

SouthForkFire restored1 med

I’ve received multiple phone calls from locals, all asking how our cabin survived the fire. My answer is always simple:

"We are incredibly thankful—and I recommend building with solid logs and using Perma-Chink Systems products."

Thank you and your entire team for your support during this difficult time.

Gratefully,

Brent K.

Ruidoso, NM

South Fork Fire restored

 

Closing Notes

We at Perma-Chink Systems thank Brent for being a great customer and we're happy that the home was not severely damaged. As much as we would love to claim it, our products are not fireproof. Please mitigate fire risk by clearing around the home any flammable materials or foilage. 

Last modified on Thursday, 20 February 2025 18:42