Mark Johnson Custom Homes Blog

Previously, Brunswick County, NC new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes wrote about the current investigation on the adverse health effects of Chinese made drywall. Now we’d like to share an update on the investigation from Nick Bajzek, the Products Editor of Professional Remodeler. Below is an excerpt from his article and to read more, click here!

“Massachusetts-based Environmental Health & Engineering recently concluded a five-month indoor air quality study for the U.S. government and the Consumer Products Safety Commission. The study found a strong association between the presence of Chinese drywall, low-level concentrations of hydrogen sulfide and corrosion of metals in homes. (For updates on the Chinese drywall situation, check www.housingzone.com/chinesedrywall.)

The EH&E study included 51 homes in five southern states. Of that group, 41 homes where property owners had reported corrosion of wiring or piping, and there were 10 similar homes about which no complaints had been filed. The findings were presented to a Congressional briefing at the U.S. Capitol just before Thanksgiving.

‘Not all drywall is alike,’ says Jack McCarthy, president of Environmental Health & Engineering. ‘Not all Chinese drywall is alike. It depends on what it’s made of, not the country it came from.’”

Brunswick County, NC new home builder encourages everyone in the area to attend the Brunswick Stew Cook-Off January 30^th, 2010 in Shallotte, NC! From 10am-4pm in Rourk Woods in Shallotte, you can taste up to 50 different stews, check out local arts and crafts, listen to live music and more! Tasting tickets will be available for $5 for 10 tickets. For more information, visit the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce website!

Yesterday Wilmington news station WECT posted two stories on local and national disaster relief efforts for Haiti’s earthquake victims. Now Brunswick County, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes urges our readers to take advantage of the programs set up by the American Red Cross and the partnership efforts of WECT and Harris Teeter grocery stores. And if you are in the Wilmington, NC area and you like to volunteer for our local Red Cross chapter and/or receive training in local and domestic disaster preparedness and response, visit the Cape Fear Chapter’s website at www.arccapefear.org or call 910-762-2683.

Brunswick County, NC luxury builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes is excited to share the latest from the Brunswick Beacon on a new theatre in our area. Playhouse 211 is an intimate, 83-seat theatre on Southport-Supply Road and will host its first production January 22, 2010. Local plays, musical guests and foreign films are all on the horizon for the county’s latest addition. Below is an excerpt from Sarah Shew Wilson’s article and to read more from the Brunswick Beacon, click here!

“‘I’m really excited about the opportunity to bring eclectic entertainment to the area,’ [Ron] Lee said.

‘Ron has been an unbelievable help in getting the building done,’ Linda Sundman said.

She also praised his work to bring other acts to the theater.

‘The more variety, the better it is. I do think the community wants it here. It’s been a pleasure meeting all these interested people,’ she said.

Lee is quick to mention that neither his group nor Playhouse 211 are competing with Brunswick Little Theatre, based at the Odell Williamson Auditorium, nor Stage II Productions, based at the Amuzu Theater in Southport.

‘We’re just doing things that may not be right for them,’ he said. ‘We’re going to be more intimate and more avant-garde.’

Other groups, including The Winding River Players, based at Winding River Plantation, are also eager to use the new theater.”

Courtesy of: The Brunswick Beacon

Brunswick County, NC home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes is excited to share that Bosch Appliances has unveiled the Vision, an Energy Star qualified full-size front-load laundry line. Vision washers and dryers use advanced EcoSmart™ technology, a network of sensors and intelligent controls, to deliver the most efficient performance without compromising cleaning results. In Vision washers, EcoSmart continuously analyzes the wash cycle and automatically adjusts water level, temperature and suds level. EcoSmart’s water savings are amplified with ActiveWater™, a system that uses 70% less water per load than the industry average. In Vision dryers, EcoSmart senses remaining moisture throughout the cycle to lower the energy usage. Below are just some of the outstanding features from the Vision line and for more information visit www.bosch-home.com/us, call 800.921.9622 to request a catalog or follow Bosch on Twitter at @BoschAppliances

Efficiency

• The ActiveWater™ system multiplies the cleaning power of each gallon of water. Combined with advanced EcoSmart technology, Vision uses just 13 gallons of water per load while delivering the cleaning power of 400 gallons.
• The dryer’s EcoSensor® measures the moisture level of the clothes and adjusts cycle length and heat level automatically for efficient and gentle drying.
• The Bosch exclusive EcoAction® feature is available on all Vision washers and dryers. With just the simple push of a button, consumers can reduce energy use by up to 20% per wash load and 10% per dry cycle.

Cleaning Performance

• The washer’s ActiveClean™ system adjusts the number of rinse cycles for custom cleaning results.
• The exclusive Stain Removal option tackles all stain types in one convenient wash cycle.
• New specialized wash cycles such as Baby Care and Allergy Rinse are ideal for family members with sensitive skin or detergent allergies.
• The Vision Steam Dryer offers three steam cycles (Steam Touch-up, Steam Refresh and Steam Wrinkle Relax) to efficiently and quickly reduce wrinkles and remove odors from clothes – without a wash cycle.
• The Bosch Vision ActiveDry™ system utilizes the moisture sensor and intelligent controls to deliver the exact level of dryness selected by the user.
• The DynamicAir™ dryer technology provides the gentlest environment for drying your clothes by delivering a high volume of air at a moderate temperature.
• Vision features the industry’s only one-piece stainless steel drum – a breakthrough that prevents corrosion, lowers friction, and in turn, reduces wear on clothes and fabrics.

Brunswick County, NC Green home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share with our readers an article from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Green Home Guide and ThisOldHouse.com. The tips listed below are aimed to be quick and easy; to read them each in complete detail, click here!

• Lower the Thermostat
• Install a Programmable Thermostat
• It’s Closed-Flue Season: Minimize Those Romantic Fires
• The Spin on Ceiling Fans
• Move Furniture Away From Vents, Registers, and Radiators
• Stop the Draft; Close the Door
• Quick-Seal Windows
• Install a Door Sweep
• Work the Drapes
• Change Your Furnace Filter
• Adjust Your Water Heater
• Defeat Rapid Cycling

“Free Energy-Saving Info: Need more guidance on saving energy? An online publication called “Energy Savers” is available free from the U.S. Department of Energy. It features more than 100 easy and practical energy-saving tips.”

Brunswick County, NC remodeler encourages those in the Cape Fear area to attend the 30^th North Carolina Jazz Festival in Wilmington, North Carolina. From February 4^th- 6th, 2010, the North Carolina Jazz Festival will showcase more than a dozen traditional jazz artists who perform in a cabaret-style setting at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside’s newly renovated ballroom in downtown Wilmington, NC. Fans will get a chance to see their favorite traditional jazz musicians perform live and have the opportunity to meet the artists. The Cape Fear Business News published a detailed article on the Jazz Festival today, below is an excerpt and to read more, click here! Visit www.ncjazzfestival.com to purchase tickets.

“To celebrate 30 years, this year’s North Carolina Jazz Festival kicks off on Thursday night with a “Styles of Jazz” concert vocalist Stephanie Nakasian & the Hod O’Brien Trio; New Orleans style jazz by the Duke Heitger Sextet; and local favorites Grenaldo Frazier (piano, vocals) and Kevin Kolb Quartet,. On Saturday morning festival patrons will enjoy a musical birthday cruise along the Cape Fear River with New Orleans style jazz and North Carolina barbecue.

On Friday and Saturday nights the festival features 14 world-renowned musicians, including guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli (www.benedettoguitars.com/players_bucky.php), Butch Miles on drums (www.butchmiles.com), pianist Hod O’Brien (www.hodobrien.com), and Duke Heitger on trumpet (www.dukeheitger.com). Other all-star jazz musicians include: Mark Shane (piano; www.shanepianojazz.com); Frank Tate (bass; www.atlantajazzparty.com/Tate.html); Tom Fischer (reeds; www.tomfischermusic.com); and John Allred (trombone; www.myspace.com/johnallredmusic). Back by popular demand are festival favorites Anat Cohen  (reeds; www.anatcohen.com); Ed Polcer (trumpet/cornet; www.edpolcer.com); Joe Ascione (drums; www.joeascione.com);; John Cocuzzi (vibes and piano; http://www.johncocuzzimusic.com/music.html);  Herman Burney (bass; www.hermanburney.com); and Stephanie Nakasian (vocalist; www.stephanienakasian.com).”

North Carolina’s oldest lighthouse, Old Baldy at Bald Head Island, will re-open on Friday, January 22, 2010 after being closed earlier this month for routine maintenance. Brunswick County, NC new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes encourages our readers to explore Bald Head Island and the Smith Island Museum located next to Old Baldy. You can opt for the self-guided tour or take advantage of their Historical Island Tours that include a visit to the civil war fort, stories of pirates, river pilots, and life-saving crewmen, a climb to the top of Old Baldy and much more! For more information on Old Baldy, click here and for more information on what to do while in Bald Head Island, visit their website!

Brunswick County, NC custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes is excited to share that Custom Home Online’s Stephani Miller reported that housing permits, starts and overall completions have improved according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau report. Below is an excerpt and to read the complete article, click here!

“Marking a 6.0 percent increase over October’s numbers, permits for privately-owned housing units rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 584,000 in November. Permits for single-family units increased 5.3 percent in November, while permits for units in buildings with five or more units increased slightly from 85,000 in October to 86,000.

November’s housing starts also strengthened, after experiencing dramatic drops in October. Overall starts of privately-owned housing units rose 8.9 percent over October’s revised rate of 527,000, which reflected an 11-percent decline from the previous month’s starts. Single-family housing starts increased by 2.1 percent, after a 6.8-percent decline the previous month, but starts of units in buildings with five or more units rose significantly from 48,000 in October to 83,000 in November.”

Brunswick County, NC home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share an informative article by Custom Home Magazine’s Stephani Miller. Miller examined the investigation into the adverse health effects of drywall made in China. Below is an excerpt from her article and to read more, click here!

“Late in October 2009, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released preliminary findings of the investigation it has been spearheading into drywall imported from China that is suspected of damaging homes and affecting homeowner health around the country. CPSC has been leading the coordinated federal effort since January 2009, tracking complaints from homeowners, conducting interviews and field measurements in homes, performing tests on samples taken from affected homes, and tracking the provenance of the defective drywall boards to locate their source. To date, 1,900 complaints of “rotten-egg” smells and corrosion of metal components and mechanical systems in homes, as well as asthma-like symptoms, headaches, and bloody noses, have been lodged with the CPSC from residents in 30 states. Most of the complaints have come from homeowners in Florida and Louisiana, likely due to the massive rebuilding of homes following hurricanes in 2004 and 2005.

According to the preliminary findings of CPSC’s elemental and chemical testing, higher levels of two elements—sulfur and strontium—have been found in certain Chinese-made drywall products than in drywall manufactured elsewhere. More testing is being conducted to determine the relationship between the elevated levels of these elements and reported health symptoms or corrosion in homes, however, researchers have determined that the levels of strontium present in samples were not high enough to impact human health. Chamber studies conducted by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to detect chemicals emitted from drywall also determined that the Chinese-made drywall in question emits higher levels of volatile sulfur gases than drywall manufactured elsewhere. Further testing continues, including exposure and risk assessments.”