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Living Stone Construction, Inc. Newsletter
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Greetings!
 We hope you enjoy receiving our Newsletter with updates on what's happening in our area. When you get ready to interview contractors, remember that we're an approved contractor for The Settings of Black Mountain and Lake Rhodhiss, the Village of Cheshire, Creston, 1780, the Ramble, Mountain Air and numerous other developments. We've been building in these mountains since 1995 and we know that you are not only our potential clients, but also our neighbors.
Sincerely,
Sean Sullivan
Living Stone Construction, Inc. |
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Average Seasonal Temperature in Black Mountain
Winter Spring Summer Fall
35° F 54° F 72° F 62° F
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 What does Energy Star really mean?
To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30% more efficient than standard homes.
And with homebuyers increasingly interested in green building, energy efficiency is the place to start. That's because the energy used in homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and risks of global warming. So, the less energy used, the less air pollution generated. And the easy way to make sure a new home is energy efficient is to look for the blue ENERGY STAR mark, the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency. Learn more about how Green Begins with ENERGY STAR Blue (130KB).
1. Effective Insulation
Properly installed and inspected insulation in floors, walls, and attics ensures even temperatures throughout the house, reduced energy use, and increased comfort.
2. High-Performance Windows
Energy-efficient windows employ advanced technologies, such as protective coatings and improved frames, to help keep heat in during winter and out during summer. These windows also block damaging ultraviolet sunlight that can discolor carpets and furnishings.
3. Tight Construction and Ducts
Sealing holes and cracks in the home's "envelope" and in heating and cooling duct systems helps reduce drafts, moisture, dust, pollen, and noise. A tightly sealed home improves comfort and indoor air quality while reducing utility and maintenance.
4. Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment
In addition to using less energy to operate, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems can be quieter, reduce indoor humidity, and improve the overall comfort of the home. When properly installed into a tightly sealed home, this equipment won't have to work so hard to heat and cool the home.
5. Efficient Products
ENERGY STAR qualified homes may also be equipped with ENERGY STAR qualified products - lighting fixtures, compact fluorescent bulbs, ventilation fans, and appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines.
6. Third-Party Verification
With the help of independent Home Energy Raters, ENERGY STAR builder partners choose the most appropriate energy-saving features for their homes. Additionally, raters conduct onsite testing and inspections to verify the energy efficiency measures, as well as insulation, air tightness, and duct sealing details.
Special note: BE SURE YOUR HOUSE GETS RATED! Many builders are claiming to build Energy Star and Green, but are not actually getting them certified.
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About Living Stone Construction, Inc.
Living Stone Construction is a first-tier builder of fine custom homes in Western North Carolina. Our mission is to provide our customers with a new or renovated home that exceeds their expectations. We do that with an attention to detail and adherence to our five core values: quality, integrity, value, timeliness and communication. Recognizing that each home represents a significant investment with the potential for substantial capital appreciation, we aim to provide our customers with a home that will be a delight to their families for years to come.
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Homeowner Tip of the Month 
Here is a short list of things that you can do to make your current home more energy efficient:
- Douse drafts. Caulk around windows, doors and any penetrations to the envelope of your home. Check the insulation in your attic to make sure that it is covering all ceiling spaces. (Vented attics tend to blow the insulation in towards the center of the cieling.)
- Replace furnace filters. Clogged furnace filters compromise the flow of air through the system and can cause the unit to work harder equating to more energy usage. (You should have your units serviced at least annually to keep in optimum performance.)
- Turn down the thermostat if you have a tanked water heater. Most water heaters are set at 140 degrees F and the heat is rarely needed. You can lower the temperature to 120 degrees and save some $!
- Watch the thermostat. Statistics show that for every degree you lower the thermostat during heating season, you save between 1 and 3% of your heating bill. (You can use a programmable thermostat to help with this, especially when you are not at home.)
- Beef up your insulation. You can always add extra insulation, especially to your attic. Insulate pipes fo radded energy savings.
- Switch ceiling fan direction. Enable ceiling fan blades to spin in a clockwise direction. This will force warm air that is trapped at the ceiling down to the living area.
Source: Black Mountain News
If you already own a home in Black Mountain and would like to schedule a maintenence contract with us, please contact us by clicking here. |
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You can now find Sean on LinkedIn.
All of us at LSC wish you and your family a "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"
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It's no secret that recycling is considered one of the best ways to live green in our modern world. Would you believe that Geothermal Heat Pumps can heat and cool your home through recycling? Geothermal or Ground Source Heat Pumps are one of the most efficient systems used to condition residential homes today. In many cases, energy costs for heating and cooling are up to 60% less. Where traditional, air to air heat pumps extract heat from the air outside, geothermal heat pumps extract heat from the ground or ground water. Through the concept of specific heat, we know that the ground and ground water stores up to 3000 times more heat per cubic foot than air. Also, the ground retains a much higher temperature for a longer period of time. When it is zero degrees outside, ground source heat pumps extract heat at the same rate as traditional heat pumps do when it is 60 degrees outside. Because of the earth's ability to retain heat energy for long periods of time, a Geothermal Heat Pump acts to recycle heat energy from your home. During the summer, the system removes heat from the air in the home and stores it in the earth; when winter comes along, it takes some of that same heat energy and uses it to keep you warm! With the enormous tax incentives now available to residential homeowners (see www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm) Geothermal systems are a great way to reduce your energy bills and also preserve our planet. Duane Gentry President Gentry Heating and Cooling |
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What to do this month!
Dec. 15 - Pottery Demonstration
6:30-8:30pm Free & open to public. At Sally Jones Pottery and Wilbur Hoke Currrie Craft Center - Montreat Conference Center. See resident artists Martha Nelson, Jennings White, and Hannah Legerton creating art from clay on the potters wheels while enjoying refreshments
Contact: Martha Nelson
(828)215-2435
Dec. 16 - Live Jazz @ The Cellar Door
(Every Wednesday)
Featuring Bob Willoughby (Piano), Cheri Cagle (Vocals), and Jeff Rhinehart (Saxophone). No Cover Charge.
Contact: The Cellar Door
(828)669-9090
Dec. 18 to Dec. 19 - "Rediscovering Christmas" Play
By Acts of Renewal. 7:30 $15 Reservations recommended.
Contact: Black Mountain Center for the Arts
(828)669-0930
Dec. 19 - Pet Adoption Day
12pm-4pm at Bone-A-Fide Bakery & Pet Boutique
Contact: Bone-A-Fide
(828)6698-0706
Feb. 27 - Black Mountain Marathon / Mt. Mitchell Challenge26 and 40 mile races starting in downtown Black Mountain. Contact: Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce (828)669-2300 www.blackmountainmarathon.com |
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Join Our Mailing List
We are always looking for new contacts, leads, and prospects to communicate with. If you know someone who might be interested in hearing from us, please forward this email, or send us the contact information. Thanks in advance!
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What is a HERS Rating?
RESNET Ratings provides a relative energy use index called the HERSŪ Index - a HERS Index of 100 represents the energy use of the "American Standard Building" and an Index of 0 (zero) indicates that the Proposed Building uses no net purchased energy (a Zero Energy Building). A set of rater recommendations for cost-effective improvements that can be achieved by the Rated Building is also produced. | |
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Completed Project of the Month
The Houston Residence located in the Settings of Black Mountain
HERS Rating of 61
(that's 39% more efficient than code!)
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"Our first criteria for a builder was honesty and integrity. Second was experience. Given those, we wanted to work with someone who would listen to us, be responsive, and be focused on quality and cost. Sean and Living Stone did all of that for us. Also, the fact that Living Stone weathered the housing market of 2008 and 2009 is a tribute to his tenacity and business acumen." - Wayne Houston | | |
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