Whatever the case, if you’re a new or aspiring yurt operator with more questions than answers about maintaining your yurt, we’re here to clear things up. Keep reading for answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about yurt maintenance that we get from operators, as well as a step-by-step guide to keeping your yurts beautiful and comfortable for your guests.

How is yurt maintenance different from cabin maintenance?

If you’re an experienced cabin operator, you likely have a well-established maintenance protocol that involves things like cleaning out gutters, power-washing the siding, touching up the paint job, and, depending on your region, applying zinc to the roof for moss prevention. With yurts, most if not all of these steps are unnecessary. In fact, there are some, like power washing, that we strongly advise against.

Overall, the biggest difference between yurt maintenance and cabin maintenance comes down to time and cost. Due to their typical size and the complexity of thoroughly cleaning them, cabins typically take much longer, and are more expensive, to maintain than yurts.

How long will my yurt have to be closed for maintenance?

Many yurt operators might be dreading or postponing their maintenance work for fear that it would require their yurts to close for an extended period, undercutting their income and the vibrancy of their site. But because yurts are so much easier to maintain than other lodgings like cabins, this fear is largely misguided.

Cleaning our 16-foot yurts typically takes a two-person crew about an hour and a half to complete, while a three- to four-person crew can usually clean our 30-foot yurts in about three hours, if not less. These time commitments are short enough that, if you have the right sized crew, you could likely do a proper cleaning in the time between one party checking out and the next checking in, resulting in no lost business at all.

If you have a large volume of yurts and don’t have enough staff to clean them all simultaneously, or if you haven’t done maintenance in a while and your yurts need more work, consider closing a few at a time for maintenance while the rest remain open and operational, minimizing the business slowdown.

From our customers:

“My guests love the convenience of not having to bring any equipment and having the ambiance of an outdoor hotel. The quality has been outstanding and we have not had any maintenance issues since installation over three years ago.”

How can I keep yurt maintenance costs under control?

Another reason operators may put off doing necessary yurt maintenance is that they’re worried about the cost. They don’t want their lack of experience to cause them to pay for something they don’t need or, conversely, not buy enough of something they do need.

The best way to prevent overspending or return trips to the supply store is to know, in advance, all the materials you need to do your maintenance.

Recommended yurt maintenance tools

Here’s the inventory you’ll need to complete a well-rounded maintenance project and get your yurt looking great for guests

• Ladders: For small yurts, two 8-foot ladders. For large yurts, one 8-foot ladder and one 12-foot ladder. 
• Cleaning brushes: One or two long-handle brushes, depending on yurt size, for cleaning the roof (a swimming pool brush works great for this purpose). One or two medium-handle brushes, depending on yurt size, for cleaning walls. One medium or stiff-bristle handheld scrub brush is used to clean the door.
• Mild soap or enzyme cleaner.
• Wood cleaner or TSP.
• Plastic polish and rags for cleaning the dome.
• Paintbrush for staining the door.

Do I need a specialized cleaning team?

No. As long as you have the right materials and a basic understanding of the steps involved with No. As long as you have the right materials and a basic understanding of the steps involved with maintaining your yurt, you or your existing crew should be able to handle maintenance without specialized contractors.

Can I skip maintenance if my yurt looks fine?

It’s understandable to feel that, if your yurts look pretty clean, there’s no need to spend time on maintenance. Still, we suggest doing maintenance at least once or twice a year.

The longer you wait, the longer your maintenance will take when you do finally get around to it, potentially requiring you to close your yurt for a day or more and lose revenue. And even low-level, twice-yearly maintenance can go a long way toward making your yurts even more attractive to guests. 

Besides, the last thing you want is for a paying customer to find a fabric tear or a stain that you missed because you weren’t looking closely. That’s how you end up with bad reviews and requests for refunds. Keeping a regular maintenance regimen is the best way to avoid these headaches.

Learn more about cleaning your yurt covers.

Steps for cleaning your yurt

1. Remove dome skylight and clean it
2. Wash roof (top cover)
3. Wash walls (side cover)
4. Rinse everything well
5. Reinstall dome
6. Scrub exterior of door
7. When dry, restain the exterior of door and door frame

Beyond cleaning, what kind of maintenance does my yurt need?

Cleaning is just one aspect of good yurt maintenance. Here are a few other things to incorporate into your maintenance regimen:

• Inspect the lacing cords on your yurt to ensure they’re in good condition and are tight. Replace as needed.
• If any horizontal wrinkles have formed on the side cover, tighten the roof-to-wall lacing to remove the wrinkles.
• Lubricate the keyway on the door locks using a graphite lubricant.

For more on additional maintenance, check out our spring maintenance checklist.

Easy Yurt Maintenance for an Unforgettable Guest Experience

Routine yurt maintenance may seem daunting at first, but with the right approach, it’s a breeze, even for new yurt owners and operators. Sticking to a maintenance schedule keeps your yurts in top condition and provides a comfortable, enjoyable experience for your guests year-round.

If you have any further questions about maintaining your Pacific Yurt or need replacement parts get in touch with us today and take the first step towards becoming a yurt maintenance pro. Have more yurt-related questions? Check out our customer support pages for answers to all your yurt questions.

The post Yurt Maintenance: What Operators Need to Know first appeared on Pacific Yurts.

The longevity of your yurt depends on a number of factors. First, where will your yurt live? A yurt in the hot California desert will hold up differently than one that weathers long winters in snowy Colorado. In fact, UV rays are more detrimental to a yurt than snow and wind, so keeping your yurt shaded can make a difference in how long its fabric covers hold up.

Next, what sort of features does your yurt have? Do you have a porch cover or awning to protect your door from sun or rain exposure? What type of fabric is your exterior cover made of? We prepare our yurts for year-round exposure to the elements by using long-lasting architectural fabrics, as well as custom hardware, in their construction. Recycled billboard and other lesser quality fabrics don’t measure up, and neither do natural organic fabrics that aren’t treated for mildew resistance, fire safety and water resistance.

The life of the yurt’s exterior covers can also be extended by following a consistent yurt maintenance and cleaning schedule.

Wood Frame

The frame of a yurt can last as long as any other wood structure. Constructed out of sturdy kiln-dried Douglas fir, a Pacific Yurt frame may last indefinitely if the exterior parts are properly maintained. An exterior wood door requires minimal, but regular maintenance to protect it from the elements. A fresh coat of stain or paint should be applied at least once a year. Before doing so, you may need to do some light sanding or use a wood cleaner.

Depending on your location, maintenance schedule, and how much use your door gets, you may need to replace it if it wears out.

Outer Covers

We offer several fabrics to choose from for the yurt’s outer covers. All of the fabrics used by Pacific Yurts have been carefully chosen for their durability and ease of maintenance. For instance, our standard side cover is made of an acrylic coated polyester fabric that has proven to be superior to heavier polyester/cotton blend fabrics. The average life of our standard fabric covers (roof and wall) has been ten to twelve years. Our premium top cover has a 15 year manufacturer’s material warranty, but typically lasts twenty years or more.

To get the longest possible life from your yurt’s exterior covers, you should try to place the yurt in a shaded site to reduce UV exposure and wash it regularly to remove any dirt or debris buildup (at least 1-2 times a year). A UV protectant could also be applied regularly to reduce the sun’s effects.

Eventually the exterior coverings will wear out and need to be replaced. It’s a good idea to inspect your covers regularly for signs of wear, so you can repair any damage or order a replacement cover before the need is dire. Indications that the fabric is simply wearing out would include pin holes, cracking and weak or broken threads.

Windows

People love the openness and energy that windows can provide, so often they have lots of our fabric windows. The UV resistant removable clear windows typically last for the life of the side cover itself, but can easily be replaced if they are damaged or wear out. Cleaning the windows using mild soapy water and a soft cloth will minimize the chances of scratches and keep them looking good. For warmer weather–when the clear windows will not be installed–UV web frames can be installed to protect the side cover Velcro.

Dome Skylight

The dome at the peak of every Pacific Yurt is made of very durable ‘cell cast’ acrylic, built to withstand adverse weather and other stressors. However, as with most materials, it will not last indefinitely. Although the dome could last twenty or more years, it may have to be replaced after twelve to fifteen years.

To keep your dome in good condition, wash it regularly with mild soap and a soft cloth. Never use paper towels and window cleaning sprays or solvents—using those can lead to scratches and cracking. A common reason for dome replacement is damage caused by an improperly installed dome opener spindle. When not installed properly this could allow the dome to be overtightened.

How long your yurt will last boils down to where the yurt is located, how well you maintain the structure and the quality of the materials it is constructed from. When a yurt is made well and cared for properly, it will last far longer.

Pacific Yurts has been the leader in the industry since 1978 when we pioneered the modern yurt, so we understand longevity. Design the yurt of your dreams today that you can enjoy for years to come.

The post How Long Do Yurts Last? first appeared on Pacific Yurts.

This is a common problem for some yurts, but it’s not typical for all yurts. For example, yurts made from cotton fabrics are more likely to experience moisture problems in wet environments compared to our yurts. In fact, our yurts stay very dry. The most common reason for moisture problems is due to a lack of proper ventilation in conjunction with bad habits that could bring moisture inside the yurt.

We know it can be frustrating to find condensation forming on the interior of your yurt and dripping onto your belongings. Luckily, there are a number of solutions to resolve moisture problems that may happen.

What Is Condensation?

Simply put, you’ll often find condensation when too much moisture is brought into a yurt and it doesn’t get vented back outside. When the moisture content of the air inside becomes too high, and the air temperature cools, the air cannot hold as much water vapor. Therefore, water is released onto the coolest surface it can find, resulting in condensation. Think of it as adding a cup of water to a pitcher every time you walk into a room. If you never empty the pitcher, it will eventually overflow. Excess moisture and poor air circulation can lead to the formation of mold and mildew over time.

Humidity in your yurt can come from bathing, cooking, hanging up wet clothing, and even breathing. Inspect the following places for water droplets, damp patches, or mold regularly:

•      Windows
•      Interior ceilings
•      Corners and places with little air flow
•      Cupboards
•      Interior walls

If dripping or puddles are found inside your yurt the first thing that should be done is to trace the water to its source in order to determine if a puncture or tear in the top or side cover is the cause. If there is no visible damage to the exterior, a close inspection of the fabrics should be done, particularly if the yurt is over ten years old, to rule out deterioration of the fabric or degrading seams. After ruling out leakage through damaged or degraded fabrics, look to see if there is condensation on the inner surfaces of the fabrics.

Combat Condensation in Your Yurt

After identifying that condensation is indeed an issue in your space, pat yourself on the back. You’ve now taken the first step to correcting the problem. The next step is to keep a few other key points in mind when moving forward.

First, you can reduce moisture on surfaces by circulating the air inside your yurt. Consider running a fan to increase air circulation and opening your dome skylight occasionally to vent moisture. If you vent excess moisture from the interior of your structure regularly, changes in temperature are much less likely to leave condensation in the future.

Watch out for water if your yurt includes a cook stove or an interior shower. These are both activities that introduce large amounts of water vapor, so installing an exhaust vent in these areas will help expel the majority of moisture created. When installing an exhaust vent keep in mind that they do not necessarily need to exhaust upward and it would be more beneficial to run the venting out through the floor.

If your yurt is not insulated, or only has partial insulation, adding the full insulation package can also reduce the chance of condensation by not allowing the air to cool as rapidly once it reaches the exterior fabrics. Even with the insulation, don’t forget to ventilate regularly, particularly in very wet environments.

If you’re still struggling with humidity, try your best to avoid introducing new moisture when indoors. Avoid hanging wet clothes inside to dry. And be sure to run an exhaust fan during, and 10 minutes after, cooking or showering. Keep air flow in mind: Don’t push your furniture directly against the walls. Having a little space allows air to flow easily behind furniture.

Products such as Dry-Z-Air and dehumidifiers can help reduce the moisture content of the air inside your yurt, as well as charcoal briquettes, rock salt and DampRid.

If your yurt is heated using a mini-split (ductless heat pump), they often include a ‘dry mode’ setting, which will help to remove excess moisture.

Additionally, if black mold is ever found on any surfaces, be sure to thoroughly clean the areas.

Pacific Yurts has been the leader in modern yurts ever since we created the industry. If you have any further concerns about how to deal with moisture inside your yurt, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

The post How to Deal With Moisture in Your Yurt first appeared on Pacific Yurts.

In fact, yurts are very resilient structures—especially when upgraded with snow and wind support kits. Their round shape means high winds can flow around the outside, putting less wind pressure on the structure than a rectangular building. Even Pacific Yurts‘ largest yurt can be enhanced to withstand roof snow up to 100 pounds per square foot and wind up to 142 miles per hour.

Our customers put our yurts to the test in some of the harshest climates from off-the-grid snow covered mountains, to intense sun soaked deserts. Their yurts withstand even the most severe weather conditions, and with the proper care and maintenance, they’ll continue to thrive where they live as safe places to stay.

Yurt Homes Are Built Strong

In general, yurts are very safe during storms. Many interconnected points in their structure, along with an aerodynamic shape, provide a high level of stability and flexibility. Pacific Yurts, in particular, are built to the highest standards for quality design and manufacturing, meaning we engineer them to be the strongest in the industry. We don’t just engineer our yurts for safety in perfect conditions. We engineer them to survive the demands of real-life weather conditions.

In addition to excellent design, quality materials are essential. Our yurt’s entire wood framework is made only from machine stress rated kiln dried Douglas fir and the proper grade of lumber is chosen for each individual component. For example, clear vertical grain lath is used for the lattice wall, which is fully riveted together and our rafters and center ring are made from select structural-grade lumber.

Of course, yurt users can take a number of preventative measures to stay out of harm’s way even further.

Making Yurts Even Safer During Storms

Before all else, make sure your yurt is properly assembled. We provide a detailed installation manual to keep the process easy, as well as a toll-free number in the United States to field any questions. If you prefer to hire a contractor or carpenter to do the set-up, but be sure they follow the instructions carefully and have them call us to answer any questions.

In areas prone to heavy snow or high winds, the Pacific Yurt can be upgraded for higher load conditions. Our snow and wind kit includes high-quality, kiln-dried supports, hardware and a cable blocking system to add rigidity and strength. We also offer perimeter blocking, made of prefinished 2×4’s installed between the vertical supports. Our cable tie-down provides even more protection from high winds by securing the center ring directly to the floor. Rafter, ring and hardware upgrades, as well as a central column of powder-coated steel, can provide increased snow load capacity.

A yurt doesn’t attract lightning any more than any other structure in the same location. We are only aware of one yurt that’s been struck by lightning. The strike melted some of the insulation, but didn’t harm anyone. We recommend consulting with someone who specializes in avoiding lightning strikes in your area.

Pacific Yurts has dominated the industry since 1978 with strong structures that last. The resilience of our yurts should leave you confident about taking that backcountry ski trip or staying by the ocean during rainy season. Contact us today for a quote.

Research Your Local Weather and Regulations

For business owners planning to start the yurt building process, doing some research beforehand can help your build go smoothly and avoid any weather-related issues for years to come. Be sure to research the local structure regulations in your area, as well as the up-to-date structural wind and snow loads. Snow load can vary greatly depending on how wet the snow is or whether it’s frozen, and local engineers will have the most accurate data for your area. 

Regarding lightning, a yurt doesn’t attract lightning any more than any other structure in the same location. We are only aware of one yurt that’s been struck by lightning. The strike melted some of the insulation, but didn’t harm anyone. We recommend consulting with someone who specializes in avoiding lightning strikes in your area.

Build a Yurt That Lasts Today

Pacific Yurts has dominated the industry since 1978 with strong structures that last. The resilience of our yurts should leave you confident about taking that backcountry ski trip or staying by the ocean during the rainy season. Contact us today for a quote.

The post Are Yurts Safe in Storms? first appeared on Pacific Yurts.

Of course, even the best-built homes are subject to the weather. So, how do you keep your yurt in tip-top shape all year round? How many times a year should you clean the top and side covers, the acrylic dome, or the door and frame?

Our video and infographic provide expert tips on when and how to clean your yurt. Plus, you’ll learn more about the proper tools and cleaning products to use (never use window cleaner!). Check out these step-by-step instructions and helpful details below, or visit our yurt maintenance blog post and checklist for more details.

Download the full infographic, “Care and Maintenance Tips for Your Yurt”

The post Yurt Care & Maintenance Tips first appeared on Pacific Yurts.

An accumulation of dirt or soiling can create an ideal environment for bacteria to grow and cause staining of the fabric. It is important that this be removed regularly to maintain the appearance and longevity of the fabric. Both top and side covers should be cleaned at least twice a year with a mild soap and warm water. We have found this to be the least aggressive to the fabric. In areas where tree sap and leaves are a problem, it may be necessary to clean the yurt more often. Recommendations for cleaning include hand scrubbing with a soft bristle brush using a ladder around the lower perimeter areas and using the dome opening for access to the top areas. A swimming pool brush with an extension handle would be a good investment for this purpose. Be sure to protect the top cover with a blanket or cardboard before attaching a rope or strong cord to the dome and sliding it down off the roof to someone at the perimeter who can ‘catch’ it and carefully set it to the side.  If mildew is ever found growing on the cover, it should be removed with soap and water. In the event the top or side cover ever becomes torn or punctured, it can be repaired with a patch kit available from Pacific Yurts.

If the side cover has any horizontal wrinkles, it can be smoothed out by simply tightening the cord that connects the top and side covers.  If the side cover has any vertical wrinkles this means that it should be pulled tighter around the circumference of the yurt. To do this the screws at the bottom of the side cover should be removed and any excess fabric pulled toward the door, where it can be moved around the door sticker and re-secured. The screws at the bottom of the side cover can then be re-installed. Having a nice tight side cover will improve aesthetics, reduce wind noise and provide a better seal against air infiltration.

Check to make sure the top cover valance cord is pulled tight and secured to the door frame.

The door handle should be lubricated regularly with graphite or Teflon based lubricant.

The exterior of the door & door frame should be re-coated with a cedar semi-transparent stain (or equivalent) every year. If done regularly this requires minimal effort and keeps the beautiful appearance of the wood door. Applying a few coats of Tung oil over the door’s finish is inexpensive and helps to protect the coating.

If the fabric of your top or side cover has become stiff, brittle or tears easily the cover is likely at or near the end of its usable life. Replacement covers are available from Pacific Yurts. Pricing information can be found on our website. You can contact our customer service representatives by email or by calling +13612367660.

Consistent yurt care ensures that your circular abode looks fantastic. Maintenance also extends the lifespan of a yurt’s exterior, so investing your time in upkeep will pay off. In general, yurts are low-maintenance living quarters. They require far less preservation elbow grease than traditional brick-and-mortar homes. Still, some upkeep is necessary to keep your yurt looking as amazing as it did when first assembled.

If you utilize your yurt year-round, take advantage of the warm weather to preserve your abode. Alternatively, if you only use your yurt seasonally, plan a warm-weather visit to focus on maintenance. This spring, give your circular abode some TLC with the following yurt maintenance tasks.

Click here to download the Yurt Spring Maintenance Checklist

The post Yurt Spring Maintenance Tips first appeared on Pacific Yurts.

If a tree falls in the forest, and the yurt underneath it is made with quality craftsmanship and durable Douglas fir, does it cause damage? 

A question that is often asked about the Pacific Yurt is, “what if a tree limb falls onto the yurt?” Well, Mother Nature has decided to answer that question not with a limb, but with the entire tree. As Pacific Yurts employees arrived for work one summer Tuesday, they were greeted by a fallen sixty foot oak tree. Sometime early that morning the mighty oak had given up trying to hold itself vertical, fell over on its side…and landed on top of one of the display yurts on the property.

From the initial inspection around the yurt it didn’t look too bad, but we were a little concerned about what it would look like when we went inside. But a close inspection of the interior had surprising results: Not a single piece of the framework was cracked or damaged in any way. In fact, the only damage was four punctures in the top cover and roof insulation. 

After making a few calls, we hired some local professionals who carefully and methodically removed the tree piece by piece. By Tuesday evening, the entire tree had been removed from the site. By the end of Wednesday’s work day the insulation and top cover had been repaired and visitors who stopped by had no idea that just one day prior there had been a sixty foot oak tree resting on the yurt. Amazingly enough, the total cost for repair items, including a top cover patch kit, liner patch kit, and roll of foil tape, was only $27.50. 

Durability and Craftsmanship That Pay Dividends

When a sixty-foot tree falls on top of a lodging structure, owners of the structure would probably expect the repairs to take longer than a day or two to complete. They would probably also expect the material cost to be more than a bleacher ticket at a baseball game. So what made repairing this Pacific Yurt so quick and inexpensive? 

Basically, it all comes down to the durability of our materials and the craftsmanship with which we make our yurts. 

Thanks to our location in the heart of Pacific Northwest timber country, we’re able to hand-select the finest kiln-dried Douglas fir from sustainably managed forests to make the strongest wooden yurt frame in the industry. Our use of Douglas fir is non-negotiable – we never substitute with lesser grades or species of lumber. Our custom Snow and Wind hardware (you can now probably add “tree” to that list of elements) is designed for long-lasting beauty and strength, and made exclusively for Pacific Yurts. Finished with an attractive, durable coating, it blends naturally with the warm color of our fine wood components. Exterior bolts and screws are always stainless steel, and our lockset is warranted for life. 

As a complete assembly (the only accurate way to test strength), our yurts are professionally engineered to meet strict Uniform Building Code and International Building Code structural standards. All of our engineering includes combined and uneven loading to ensure user safety. We engineer to worst-case loads instead of “perfect conditions,” which don’t reflect real life but are still the standard some manufacturers rely on. In fact, this is the policy that may best explain why our yurt so easily withstood the impact of the oak tree.

Whatever Happened to the Tree?

There’s one bittersweet aspect of this story: We loved that tree, and we wish it were still around to provide beauty and shade. But all is not lost: The tree provided our guests with firewood through the winter. For that, we’re thankful for it. And to remember the graceful old oak, we saved a mossy section of the trunk and used it to create a bench for our visitors. 

Big thanks to the tree, to the repair crew, and to the Pacific Yurts team who built the yurt with the craftsmanship and quality of materials that allowed it to stay in good shape after breaking a big fall. 

Take a look at the quality, durable yurts we currently have in stock. To design your own, try our Yurt Builder. 

The post Just How Tough Are Pacific Yurts Anyway?: A Test of Yurt Durability & Craftsmanship first appeared on Pacific Yurts.