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Have you thought about doing a renovation on your house? Jeff is doing 3-part Renovation series of videos. Below is the first video about putting columns on a flood plane.

Renovation

Elevated Renovation –There is a concrete column in this case – this home is in the floodplain in St. James Plantation, NC. There are a couple different ways to do an elevated house. You can do it on pilings or you can do it on masonry units (concrete columns).

These are built out of block filled with masonry or concrete, so the CMU is laid with a 5/8 threaded rod in the center of it for wind hold down, then the entire column is filled with concrete.

So depending where you are in a floodplain or where you are in St. James Plantation or Eastern NC determine how high the columns need to be. The outer surface has been parged with the cement material to give it a sand finish and you can go back over the top of it with a stucco or a variety of different types of finishes.

If you have any questions regarding elevated construction or a remodel for your home in Eastern NC, please contact us at (910) 620-8883 or Jeff@gocenterline.com

As many have probably noted, the weather the last few years has been anything but normal. Thoughts of strange weather patterns came to mind last week when the Carolinas warmed up enough for folks to actually get outside and enjoy the rays for a few days.

A recent Fox News article out of Washington, stated on January 28th, “The arctic blast that gripped much of the central and eastern U.S. last week and into the weekend is on its way out and a significant warm-up is on the way to much of the eastern half of the country.” It went on to say:

“Farther to the East, the aforementioned warm front moved through Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia on Monday morning. Some snow, sleet and freezing rain fell at the onset, before a changeover to rain in these cities.

The significant warm-up will take until Tuesday to get into the Carolinas and mid-Atlantic, when temperatures rise into the 60s all the way northward to the Mason/Dixon line.

The 70s will be common as far north as Fayetteville, N.C., on Tuesday.

Even residents of central and northern New England who haven’t experienced a 32-degree temperature in over a week will turn much milder Tuesday into Wednesday.

High temperatures in NYC, Boston, and Albany will rise into the upper 50s and near 60 degrees on Wednesday.

And warm up in the Carolinas, it surely did. Temperatures along the coast reached as high as the upper 70’s. It was out of this world to see people sunbathing in bikinis on the beach in the middle of January.

According to a New York Times article dated January 8 – 2012 was ‘the year of a surreal March heat wave’… and ‘the hottest year ever recorded in the contiguous United States.’ So what does this mean for Southeastern North Carolina? That our already mild winters are just getting even warmer.

Many of the people who have relocated to NC from northern states can agree that the sun shines more often and winter is just more pleasant on the coast. Do you agree?

For Questions or Comments, contact Jeff from Centerline Development at (910) 620-8883 or Jeff@GoCenterline.com

Watch Jeff Satterwhite’s video below to learn about what LP Gas Tanks are, why we need them in Southeastern NC and what is different about them compared to Natural Gas.

Centerline Construction Chat – LP Gas tanks

In this area of NC, there is no natural gas  – most people from the north and populated cities are used to natural gas piped to your home with a big blue regulator that regulates the gas pressure in your home.

We rely on LP Gas here since we don’t have that. There is a tank under the ground, they come in different sizes from 300 up to 1,000 gallons. Most homes have between 350-500 gallon tank.

Normal system is a ½ psi for pressure for propane, sometimes it will be a 2 psi system if you have a large requirement for natural gas, if you’re heating off LP or you have a backup generator. Ther is a regulator on there showing it is filled to 85%, never filled to 100% because there is always room for expansion.

This tank has a regulator that will regulate the pressure for the entire house, your gas tank, backup generator, heating and AC, cooking, fireplace, etc. will all work off the LP just like natural gas. The only difference is that gas appliances will have to have the orifice changed, because LP and natural gas are different sized molecules that burn differently so they have a different sized orifice for the actual burner inside the item.

For questions or to learn more, contact Jeff Satterwhite: (910) 620-8883 or Jeff@gocenterline.com

To watch other Centerline Construction Chat tutorials, click here
Click Here to watch our last Centerline Construction Chat video about Painting

Congratulations to the Winners of the Tablets! Thank you for coming and entering our drawing at the 2012 Brunswick County Parade of Homes that took place in October. We had a great showing and appreciate everyone who came out to support us.

Winners of the Samsung Galaxy Tablets:

Evie Pizer – Property in St. James Plantation
Jerry Walborn – Property in Ocean Ridge Plantation

Wishing everyone a Safe and Wonderful Holiday Season this year from everyone on the Centerline Development Team!

Learn about the process of painting every aspect of your home, what types of paint are used and other important advice. (text version below)

Painting

Several tools are used in the painting process. Of courses there is a paint brush and roller, which are primarily used. Also, we use the pressure sprayer, which is mainly for priming in large areas for undercoating because it will put down an even coat of paint.

On the trim work, we use Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore oil-based paint because these lay down an even, smooth coat of paint that dries evenly, not ropy or streaky like a latex paint would do on trim materials.

On the walls, we use a flat material Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams latex and we use an oil, semi-gloss paint on the trim.

Painting could be on several different types of materials like a trim or baseboard (which is an MDF product so it comes primed from the factory) – these type of products would have the oil-based paint. Other pieces like a sheetrock wall or ceiling would have latex, flat paint.

Another important aspect of painting is using a good, high quality caulking because a cheaper one will crack open when it heats and cools in the crevices and leave a black line when the paint job is complete.

One of the other main products used is sand paper. There must be sanding done between each layer of paint because you must remove the dust and debris between the layers of paint so you can have a nice, even, smooth coat of paint at the end.

For questions or to learn more, contact Jeff Satterwhite: (910) 620-8883 or Jeff@gocenterline.com

To watch other Centerline Construction Chat tutorials, click here
Click Here to watch our last Centerline Construction Chat video about Backup Generators

Thank you to everyone who came out to the 2012 Brunswick County Parade of Homes this year. It was a great success and we appreciate your attendance!

Check out some of the photos:

For questions or to learn more, contact Jeff Satterwhite: (910) 620-8883 or Jeff@gocenterline.com

Watch Jeff Satterwhite discuss what backup generators are and how they work below.

Backup generators – The generator is about the size of a large suitcase. This one is a 20kw backup generator that runs off a propane tank in the ground, which turns on automatically if you lose power.

When the main line breaker panel loses power, the generator automatically switch changes from line power to generator power. The items on the generator circuit will be up and operational at that point. The process can take 30 seconds to one minute.

When the line power comes back, the automatic switch will change back to line power and run the generator for a two-minute cooling cycle, then turn itself off.

A backup generator is a nice luxury to have. It is not necessarily needed in Southport  and Brunswick County since we have underground power which is stable. But we do live in an electric world so it is a nice luxury to have in the case of a heavy storm.

It would have been a nice addition to the recent Sandy that swept through the Northeast.

For questions or to learn more, contact Jeff Satterwhite: (910) 620-8883 or Jeff@gocenterline.com

To watch other Centerline Construction Chat tutorials, click here
To see other videos from Jeff Satterwhite, click here

Brunswick County Beaches make up some of the most beautiful coastline in the country and are unique in that they are each islands and provide their own individual character and beauty. The Beaches of Brunswick County are made up of:

Baldhead Island – Bald Head Island is unlike any of the county’s other islands in that it is only accessible by powerboat or a pedestrian ferry. Once on the island, visitors and residents travel around the island by golf carts or bikes. Bald Head Island offers a true escape from the everyday world. This island is also home to Old Baldy, the eight-sided brick lighthouse that was built in 1818. Guests can take a tour of the lighthouse and even climb up 108 wooden steps to the top.

Oak Island – Oak Island is the largest beach community in North Carolina and features the largest commercial district of all the Brunswick County islands. This island offers more than 50 public beach accesses, several boat ramps, recreational areas and a skate park. The Town of Oak Island has an active Sea Turtle Protection Program and the beaches are a focal point for the protection of sea turtle nesting and habitats. The town’s Recreation Department also features a turtle display in their Ocean Education Center.

Holden Beach – Holden Beach boasts some of the most spectacular homes in our area and has officially received National Healthy Beach status through the National Healthy Beaches Campaign. Among its other recognitions, Holden was rated one of the best family beaches in the country by National Geographic Traveler magazine. In order to truly experience the culture of this beach, visit during one of its annual festivals, A Day at the Docks in April and Festival by the Sea in October.

Ocean Isle Beach – Ocean Isle Beach offers seven miles of family fun. Beyond the beach, there are many activities to enjoy including fishing charters, public tennis courts, kayaking on the Intracoastal Waterway and of course, golf. The Museum of Coastal Carolina also resides on the island and offers visitors information on the natural history of the region and historical artifacts. Ocean Isle is also the home for the North Carolina Oyster Festival.

Sunset Beach – Sunset Beach received its name from the beautiful sunrises and sunsets that can be seen from the island due to its unique southern exposure. Beyond the sunsets, this beach is also known for its powdery white sand. Another unique feature of the island is Bird Island, an undeveloped and secluded island that can only be accessed by land by way of Sunset Beach. The inland side of Sunset features several golf courses, Ingram Planetarium and Sea Trail Golf Resort & Convention Center. Sunset Beach is the home of the annual Sunset at Sunset Festival in October!

For more info on Brunswick County beaches, Click Here

What is your favorite Brunswick County Beach?
Contact Jeff Satterwhite: (910) 620-8883 or Jeff@gocenterline.com

Map Image credit: www.sunsetbeach-northcarolina.com/ourarea.htm
Info credit: www.brunswickcountychamber.org/pages/BeachCommunities/

The 2012 Parade of Homes is coming up in October! Jeff Satterwhite will have 2 homes in St. James Plantation and one in Ocean Ridge. Be sure to stop by!

The Dates for the 2012 Parade of Homes:

St. James Plantation POA open house: October 6th-7th

Parade of Homes: October 20th-21 and 27th-28th, 12noon – 5pm each day

Click Here for more info on the 2012 Parade of Homes

For questions or to learn more, contact Jeff Satterwhite: (910) 620-8883 or Jeff@gocenterline.com

In this video, Jeff Satterwhite explains Grinder Pumps – what they are, how they work and how to know when yours is not working! See below for the text version.

Grinder Pumps

Grinder Pump Tub – This is 6 feet deep and as wide as the circumference of the lid. It is basically a big fiberglass bucket in the ground, and when you flush your toilet, the gray water from it runs into this bucket, underground. There is a 4-inch line running from your toilet into the tank, falling to the bottom.

There is a big huge grinder pump or a macerator that sits at the bottom of the bucket with a float, when the bucket fills to a certain level, the float flips on the switch and it grinds the material like a blender and pumps it into the street through a 2-inch line.

You need to be careful with your grinder pump, because it is like a blender in that it has a large blade and it can get clogged.

The control box – Is a 220 volt controller that controls the grinder pump and the switches in the tank. If the red light is blinking and there is an alarm going off on the control box, then the grinder pump (macerator) is not working and the alarm float is to its max level since the grinder is not working.

If this happens, you must call the county (Brunswick County) for them to come over and take care of your problem.

For questions or to learn more, contact Jeff Satterwhite: (910) 620-8883 or Jeff@gocenterline.com

To watch other Centerline Construction Chat tutorials, click here
To see other videos from Jeff Satterwhite, click here