The Brunswick Blueprint

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1 The Brunswick Blueprint Volume 12, Issue 3 March Things to Know About Your Home s Water Use Inside this issue: Home Water Use Calendar New Members Brunswick Growth Curb Appeal Builders Mutual Code Contacts Golf Sponsors Brunswick County HBA 64 Union School Road Shallotte, NC phone/fax bchba@atmc.net Most home owners are lucky enough to be able to start each day with a hot shower and a fresh cup of coffee. You might even take a few minutes to water your lawn or garden before heading off to work. This is all second nature, and you probably don t spend much time thinking about your home s water consumption. In fact, you may be surprised to learn a few fact about where and how your home uses water. Indoor Water Use The majority of indoor water is used in your home s bathrooms. Toilets are the biggest water users inside the house, with each flush requiring gallons of water. Shower faucets land in second place. Luckily, innovations in water-saving technology for showers and toilets have exploded in recent decades, so it s fairly easy to cut down on your bathroom water use with a few updates. After bathrooms, laundry rooms consume the most water by far. Though they ve also been getting more and more efficient over the years, clothes washers still need gallons of water to clean just one load of laundry. Leaks Are Your Enemy After bathrooms and clothes washers, leaks are actually the third highest consumer of indoor household water. Make sure you re not throwing money down the drain by ignoring seemingly small leaks. Just one dripping faucet wastes gallons of water per day and could have a sizable effect on your water bill. It s worth the time and effort to find a professional to come in and fix the leaks you know about and ask them to check out all your pipes to make sure everything is sealed tight and working properly. Kitchens Are Actually Pretty Efficient You might be surprised to learn that when it comes to water use, kitchens are pretty low on the list of consumers. Dishwashers are extremely common in modern homes, and they use far less water than washing dishes by hand. You can save water, time, and ultimately money, by filling and running your dishwasher regularly. Lawns, Gardens, and Swimming Pools A recent study found single-family homes used an average of 276 gallons of water per day, with almost exactly half of that water is used outside the home. Though this consumption largely spent watering lawns and gardens, particularly in hot climates that get very little rainfall, the increased prevalence of home swimming pools also contributes to high rates of average outdoor water use. Before 1960, homes with swimming pools were extremely rare. The REUW found that only three percent of homes built before 1950 had swimming pools, while 12 to 15 percent built after 1959 have them, and they understandably take a lot of water to clean, fill, and maintain. Knowing more about how and where your home uses water will not only give you a better understanding your monthly water bill, but it can also help you to prioritize what energy updates will give you the highest return on investment.

2 2018 BCHBA Calendar of Events January 9 th Win Big/Installation Banquet Sponsors: Shallotte Electric, CresCom Bank, Garris Evans Lumber Co. February 6 th Uniting Contractors & Br. Co. Inspection Department/Staff Sponsors: Tyvek, SmartVent, Bob King Auto, WireTab and BCHBA March 13 th HydroShield Coastal Carolina, Sherwin Williams, Triangle Brick April 10 th Garris Evans Lumber Co., Capital Bank, Fulford s Heating & Air May 8 th NORBORD, Guy C Lee, South State Bank (Robert Privotte) June 8, 2018 Golf Tournament at River s Edge/Shallotte June 12 th Contractors Building Supply, Palmetto Brick, Majestic Kitchen and Bath September 18 th CWS Insurance, Builders First Source, BKB Home Design, Ford s Fuel (Builders Mutual Insurance) October 19, 20, 21 & 26, 27, 28 Parade of Homes October 23 rd Parade of Homes Banquet November 9 th Sporting Clay event for BUILD-PAC November 13 th Ferguson, Pella Window and Door, Strand Termite All meetings will be held at 101 Stone Chimney in Supply Social 5:30pm with Dinner and meeting at 6:00pm (3) Vendors each have a table for product display during the social to meet and greet with members and after the meeting for any inquires, etc. (3) Vendors each get 8-10 minutes to address the group during the meeting to introduce their company, demonstrate a product etc (3) Vendors are entered in a drawing for a FREE 2019 sponsorship to be drawn Nov. 13 The BCHBA handles all the details, food, table set up etc. and will invoice your company after the event.

3 New Members Integrity Landscapes Plus 105-A Portwatch Way Wilmington, NC Marty Presley Triple Tree Construction LLC 2275 Covey Lane SW Supply, NC Michael Goad Atrium Homes Inc. 315 Friday Drive Wilmington, NC Mike Blackburn It's Better Built, Inc Greenfield Road Supply, NC Adam Childers

4 BRUNSWICK COUNTY GROWTH - North Carolina saw growth in 66 out of 100 counties last year and the fastest growing county is right here in our area. According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released today, since April 2010 to 2017, Brunswick County was the fastest growing county, increasing in population size by 21.8 percent, or 23,466 people. Brunswick County is a part of the Myrtle Beach, SC metro area, the second fastest growing metro area in the country from 2016 to 2017, according to the Census Bureau. Census estimates show that as of July 1, 2017, 10.3 million people called North Carolina home and the state remains the ninth most populous in the country. North Carolina is a wonderful place to live, work, start a business and raise a family, so it s no surprise that our state continues to welcome new residents, Governor Roy Cooper said. We want to encourage growth for all parts of North Carolina-urban and rural, from the mountains to the coast. Pender County also saw a jump in growth. They came in fourth overall, growing by 16.7 percent behind Wake and Mecklenberg Counties. According to the latest population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 10.3 million people in North Carolina as of July 1, North Carolina remains the 9th largest state in the nation. 5 Simple Ways to Give Your Home Curb Appeal Spring is the perfect time to give the outside of your home a fresh facelift. Even if you aren t trying to sell your home, there s a real benefit to enhancing and maintaining your home s curb appeal. Exterior upgrades consistently rank among the best home improvement projects for their strong return on investment. That s because many of these strategies are fairly simple and relatively affordable solutions. While some homes may benefit from more extensive and expensive updates, like repaving a damaged driveway or replacing old windows, there are many simple, low-cost updates that you can tackle yourself. The first step is to assess your home s appearance, but this time, look at it from a home buyer s perspective. Imagine that you are seeing it for the first time, and then make a list of the characteristics that stand out immediately, and which ones you want to highlight. To help get you started, here are some areas to evaluate: Lighting A dimly lit walkway is not only dangerous, it s also uninviting. Pathway lighting products are available in a wide variety of designs and price ranges, but even some of the more economical options can be visually appealing at night. Also consider upgrading the lighting on your front porch. There are many light fixtures that will complement the style of your home and can give an immediate boost to your home s entrance. Paint You ve probably heard it many times before, but the power of paint cannot be overstated. A fresh coat of paint on the front door, garage door and window trim can make a huge difference. However, if your front door has seen a lot of use and abuse over the years and it s beyond repair, it might be time to have it replaced. A new door can be sometimes be costly, but it s a surefire win when it comes to instant curb appeal, especially if you select a bold color. Grime The effects of moisture from snow and rainfall from the winter months likely means an accumulation of dirt that has set in on your driveway, front steps, walkways and vinyl siding. Invest in (or rent) a highpowered pressure washer to clean these areas with relative ease. The high-pressure water spray removes mold, grime, dust, mud and dirt from surfaces around the exterior of your home. Grass If you re looking to sell your home in the near future, having a well-maintained lawn is critical. The National Association of Realtors studied the outdoor features are most appealing to prospective buyers, and having a nice lawn was at the top of the list.

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7 Do Business With a Member! Code Contacts: Listed below are 2 important contacts you need on hand. Both Robert and Michael are available to answer questions you may have on codes or inspections. Robert A. Privott Director of Codes and Construction North Carolina Home Builders Association 5580 Centerview Dr. Suite 415, Raleigh, NC phone fax toll free Michael Slate Brunswick County Code Administration Michael.slate@brunswickcountync.gov

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