Mark Johnson Custom Homes Blog

Brunswick County, NC builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes introduced our readers to the Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry last year and encourage those in the area to help them in their fundraising and volunteer efforts. WARM will be having a Pancake Breakfast next month to raise money and hope you can attend!

WARM volunteers repair an average of five homes per month for those in need, including the elderly, in our area. Locations and schedules change frequently and volunteers are always needed. For more information, call 910.399.7563 or visit their website!

Wilmington, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes aims and exceeds customer expectations both during and after the home building process. And an important part of offering award-winning customer service is being aware of current trends in the home building industry. An article from MarketWatch outlined the five trends below to be on the lookout for in 2010 and to read more, click here!

The live-in kitchen.

Living within our means.

The Green kitchen.

The wellness kitchen.

Cooking for fun.

Pender County, NC remodeler Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share a recent article from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Green Home Guide. The Green Home Guide Staff detailed the environmental benefits and impacts of Green insulation and explained the pros and cons of each type of insulation. Below are their findings on cellulose insulation and to read more on cotton, fiberglass, foam, polyisocyanurate (polyiso), polystyrene and polyurethane, click here!

“Cellulose insulation is made primarily from recycled paper. About 75 percent of the material used to make cellulose insulation is post-consumer waste paper, giving it the highest average recycled content of all insulation types. The manufacture of cellulose insulation involves a fraction of the energy use and pollution required to make mineral wool and fiberglass insulation. Additionally, scrap cellulose generated during installation can be reused, cutting down on waste.

Cellulose insulation has no significant effect on indoor air quality. Offgassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contained in ink on newspaper waste in cellulose insulation is not a health concern, since some ink is removed while recycling paper into pulp and much of the ink used is vegetable based. The amount of boron used as a flame retardant in cellulose is harmful only if ingested.

Cellulose insulation is blown into wall and ceiling cavities as well as onto attic surfaces, though to stick to attic ceilings it must be held in by netting or sprayed on wet with an acrylic binder to prevent settling. Like all sprayed or blown insulations, it can be installed into wall cavities through a series of small holes drilled in the wall, causing minimal disturbance during remodeling. It is not suitable for application below grade (below or at the perimeter of the foundation) or in other locations where it would be exposed to moisture.

Cellulose can absorb moisture, decreasing its R-value over time, and if it is exposed to moisture for long periods it will rot and grow mold. In some instances a vapor barrier should be installed once the insulation has fully dried (typically in two weeks) to prevent moisture from reaching the insulation. Good sources of information on construction practices that minimize moisture problems are the climate-specific Builder’s Guides available from the Energy and Environmental Building Association.

Loose-fill cellulose typically costs 25 percent less than fiberglass, though installation may be more expensive. Proper installation is important to prevent undue settling. Wet-spray or dense-pack installations are typically more expensive than fiberglass installation. However, installing cellulose installation with these methods is extremely airtight, so the nominal (rated) R-values are more commonly achieved than with fiberglass batts.”

Landfall custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes encourages those in the area this Valentine’s Day to take advantage of all that the Cape Fear area has to offer! The Wilmington/Cape Fear Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau released a press release this morning detailing how you can celebrate in the Wilmington, NC area. Below is a list and for more information, click here!

• 30th ANNUAL N.C. JAZZ FESTIVAL
• 8th ANNUAL WILMINGTON CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL
• HOLD-YOUR-HONEY-TIGHT HAUNTED TOURS
• VALENTINE HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE RIDE.
• SWEETHEART CRUISES ABOARD THE HENRIETTA III
• WILMINGTON GARDEN SHOW
• BIRDING TOUR
• THAT’S A MORAY! VALENTINE DINNER
• 60th ANNUAL CAMELLIA SHOW & SALE

St. James Plantation, NC Green home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes, a proud member of the National Association of Home Builders, would like to share a recent press release from the NAHB. Two condominiums in Tennessee have received the first multifamily certification from the National Green Building Standard, the Green certification for homes from the NAHB Research Center. Below is an excerpt from their press release and to read more click here. And to learn more about the eco-friendly features of our Green home in Wilmington, NC, watch our HD video!

“The bronze-level certification was awarded to the first two buildings completed in the Park Run community at McKay’s Mill in Franklin, Tenn. When completed, the development will comprise 23 buildings for a total of 92 condominium homes. The Jones Company, a top-100 single-family builder, also has certified dozens of single-family green homes.

‘Green certification has value to all home owners, both single-family and multifamily,’ said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a builder and developers from Tulsa, Okla. ‘Growing numbers of today’s home buyers want the benefits of a home that’s built with sustainability and energy efficiency in mind.’

The National Green Building Standard is a scoring tool and certification protocol that assures projects have met stringent benchmarks in energy, water and resource efficiency, indoor environmental quality and lot and site design. In addition, the builder must provide education and a manual for home owners to help ensure the home is operated and maintained to retain its green advantages.”