Duinkerken Homes Newsletter

April 2012 www.duinkerkenhomes.com

In This Issue
2012 Home and Garden Expo: This Weekend! Women Build 2012 Useless Information Quiz New Homes Month in April Home Cleaning Tips for Allergy Sufferers

2012 Home and Garden Expo: This Weekend!

Join us for the 2011 Home & Garden Expo at the WNC Ag Center, April 21st from 10-6 and April 22nd from 12-5. We are excited and proud to not only have a booth, but we are sponsors of the show as well!!! The Asheville Home Builders Association, your homebuilding resource since 1966, is proud to present the 3rd Annual Home & Garden Expo specifically targeting your homebuilding needs! Imagine a single level facility, over 45,000 square feet filled with products for building, remodeling, gardening, and the knowledge and service from professionals who specialize in these fields? The 2012 Home & Garden Expo offers that conveniently all under one roof! You can rest assured that time spent at this expo will leave you inspired and educated on the newest products, latest homebuilding trends, services and much more! You wont want to miss this years expo in the brand new Davis Arenaalso featuring over 5,000 square feet of garden products, services and plants for salejust in time for your spring landscaping! This years exciting event will feature Celebrity Guest Josh Temple from the DIY Network, host of House Crashers and Disaster House. Make plans to visit with Josh and see his live stage demonstrations from 10am until 6pm on Saturday, April 22! Learn more about Josh and check out some of his top projects by clicking here! Come out and support our local building community and stop by to see our booth!! We had an absolute riot last year and will have lots of fun things to give away Duinkerken Homes pencils, magnets, and t-shirts, along with a big ticket item to raffle. We have four free tickets to give away to the first 2 people who answer this months Useless Information Quiz (2 tickets per winner is a $10 value). Please email Kate @ dhomes@charter.net with the correct answer to the Quiz and to redeem you tickets!

Contact Us
Duinkerken Homes 10 Lakeview Lane Weaverville, NC 28787 828-645-2728 828-450-9395 Brandon 828-450-5690 Kate Dhomes@charter.net Visit us online! www.duinkerkenhomes.com

Contact Us
Duinkerken Homes 10 Lakeview Lane Weaverville, NC 28787 828-645-2728 828-450-9395 Brandon 828-450-5690 Kate Dhomes@charter.net

The following is a list of the Education Seminars offered at the show: Saturday, April 21st 11:00 - Live Stage Demonstration: Josh Temple Learn to Build an Outdoor Storage Bench with DIY Network host Josh Temple. 11:45 - Edible Landscaping Sheila Dunn NC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Learn about the different creative methods for adding perennial edibles to any landscape, such as fruits, nuts, vegetables and mushrooms to grace trellises, walkways and decks. 1:00 - BEYOND Applied Building Science...An Affordable Path to Net Zero Energy Homes Aaron Davenport BASF Near-zero can be complicated, who knew! Aaron will offer an affordable approach that greatly simplifies high performance homes ready to meet the challenge of near-zero energy homes. 2:00 - Live Stage Demonstration: Josh Temple Create sleek lines building floating shelves with with DIY Network host Josh Temple. 3:00 - Remodeling in Todays Economy Steve Wallin Custom Homes of Asheville, Inc. In todays economy, more people are choosing to remodel and/or add on to their current homes. This educational session will cover the steps for successfully planning and completing a remodel or addition, even in todays challenging environment! 4:00 - Live Stage Demonstration: Josh Temple Learn to Build an Outdoor Storage Bench with DIY Network host Josh Temple. 5:00 - Using Roses in Your Landscape: Beyond Knockouts Judy Deutsch, NC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Homeowners love the beauty and fragrance of roses but fear taking care of them. This talk will identify easy-maintenance roses and tell you how to incorporate them into your landscape. Sunday, April 22nd 1:00 - Designing Your Home Around the Sun Ben Edson First Light Solar Learn how to harness the power of the Sun. Join First Light Solar in this depth information session covering passive solar design, solar electricity and solar water heating. Explore how you can save money and secure your energy needs with solar. 2:00 - Decay of the American Landscape Billy Styles Organic Plant Health Asheville local, President and CEO of Organic Plant Health, Backyard STYLES radio host will be discussing the benefits of low impact landscaping, and planning your outdoor spaces to benefit generations to come. 3:00 - Working with a Builder: The Why, When, What and How Everyone Should Know Sean Sullivan Living Stone Construction, Inc. Building or remodeling a home is a huge task. Many homeowners have been through this process and can tell you how challenging it can be. When done right, building a home can be the best decision that you have ever made. 4:00 - Rise Above the Mess - Maximizing your Space without Sacrificing

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Design, Beauty or Function Nancy McGraw Monkey Bars of WNC & The Upstate How to Make the Most of your Garage Storage, Kitchen design, & Closet Space providing access, efficiency and value, enhancing the look of your home in the process.

Contact Us Duinkerken Homes 10 Lakeview Lane Weaverville, NC 28787 828-645-2728 828-450-9395 Brandon 828-450-5690 Kate Dhomes@charter.net

For more information or to purchase tickets, please click here to go to the Asheville Home Builder Associations Home and Garden Expo page.

Women Build 2012

Thank you to everyone who participated in Women Build 2012 with the Habitat for Humanity.

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Diane Holmes and Kim Basham with 800- Water Damage Dana Bergstedt with Bella Hardware and Bath Maria Aponte with Salon Blue Ridge Angela Ramsey with High Tech Design Nancy Thompson with Thompson Properties Caroline Sutton with the Asheville Home Builder Association Tracy Rouch with Final Touch Cleaning Jan Coleman with Coleman Waterproofing Tami Maybin with PSNC Energy Carla Meadows with Flooring America LeAnn Bound with Greencraft Donna Reeves with Hometrust Bank Katherine Morris with Stone Gallery Granite Jennifer Duvall with Asheville Savings Bank Candice Childers with Sun Mountain Door Judy Dinelle with 84 Lumber Sara Pacifici with Shepparrd Insurance Group Ashley McElreath with Ashleys Kitchen and Bath Design Studio Amy Connor-Murphy with ACM Design Stephanie Wallace with ArtSpace Charter School
Contact Us Duinkerken Homes 10 Lakeview Lane Weaverville, NC 28787 828-645-2728 828-450-9395 Brandon 828-450-5690 Kate Dhomes@charter.net

For more pictures from the Wall Raising Ceremony please click this here! We all had a really nice time framing this house for the Chapman family and look forward to doing this again next year. *Special thanks to Tami Maybin with PSNC, LeAnn Bound with Greencraft, Caroline Sutton with the Asheville Home Builder Association, and Tracy Rouch with Final Touch Cleaning, and Cara with the Hendersonville Home Builder Association for providing lunches! If you would like to join others in our community by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity to build homes, email Laura Ivey or call (828) 210-9383. For Women Build 2012, volunteer dates are still available Tuesday - Saturday, through June 2nd.

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Useless Information Quiz!

The first person to answer the Useless Information Quiz will win a $5 gift card to Subway! I realize with the easy access to technology, the Useless Information Quiz answer might be found without much effort! So, we ask that you PLEASE do not to Google the question! Send your reply and address to dhomes@charter.net! Again, the first person to correctly answer the quiz will get a $5 gift card to Subway!

****Aprils Special Quiz: We will provide 2 lucky winners with 2 tickets each to the Home and Garden Expo hosted by the Asheville Home Builders Association**** What Greek god was April named after? We will announce the winner on our Facebook and LinkedIn pages.

New Homes Month in April

North Carolina Home Builders Association Highlight New Home Advantages During New Homes Month in April The home building industry is celebrating New Homes Month in April, just as many families begin to think about buying a home that better suits their needs during the spring home-buying season. The advantages of newly-constructed homes and condominiums extend beyond the features enjoyed by the home buyer to also support the community itself. Not only do new homes feature modern floor plans and superior energy efficiency for the family to enjoy, but they also increase the property tax base which generates revenue that supports local schools and communities, said Erik Anderson, President of the North Carolina Home Builders Association. The National Association of Home Builders estimates that three jobs are created for each new single-family home that is built, with about half being in the construction industry and the rest in other industries that are needed to outfit and sell a home such as furniture, appliances, textiles, loan officers and lawyers. A total of $90,000 in government revenue is generated $67,000 in federal taxes and $23,000 in state and local taxes. A newly-constructed home or condominium offers outstanding benefits to the home owner as well as to the community. The energy-efficient features that are often included in new homes such as tankless water heaters, ENERGY STAR appliances and HVAC systems make the home more comfortable and can save the home owners significant money over the long term. New home floor plans are designed with modern lifestyles in mind, and include open layouts, high ceilings, walk-in closets and conveniently-located laundry and home office accommodations. New homes are also wired to safely accommodate the usage of modern appliances and components technology home components such as highdefinition televisions, and sophisticated lighting, audio and security systems. Duinkerken Homes would be happy to talk with you about your new home plans. Please contact us via email or phone to get the planning and pricing process started and see our website at www.duinkerkenhomes.com!

Contact Us Duinkerken Homes 10 Lakeview Lane Weaverville, NC 28787 828-645-2728 828-450-9395 Brandon 828-450-5690 Kate Dhomes@charter.net

Visit us online! www.duinkerkenhomes.com

Home Cleaning Tips for Allergy Sufferers

Keeping a clean home can reduce allergens, but some cleaning products can actually trigger allergy-like symptoms.
By Krisha McCoy, MSMedically reviewed by Christine Wilmsen Craig, MD Home cleaning should be an important part of your allergy management plan. Cleaning can reduce the amount of allergens (substances you are allergic to) in your home, which should help to alleviate your allergy symptoms. But you have to be careful that your cleaning efforts don't backfire, since many cleaning products are known to cause allergy-like symptoms in some people. "The cleaning product does not trigger an allergy, but it is an irritant," explains Julie McNairn, MD, an allergist and immunologist in private practice in Middletown, Ohio. "And an irritant can cause the same symptoms as an allergy."
Contact Us Duinkerken Homes 10 Lakeview Lane Weaverville, NC 28787 828-645-2728 828-450-9395 Brandon 828-450-5690 Kate Dhomes@charter.net

Home Cleaning: Symptoms of Irritation Symptoms of irritation that can be caused by cleaning products include: Sneezing Itchy, watery eyes Congestion Asthma attack, wheezing Skin rash Home Cleaning: Who Should Clean The best way to avoid irritation from cleaning products is to have someone in the household who does not have allergies do the cleaning. Even the act of cleaning, especially doing things like sweeping, can trigger an allergic reaction, because dust and other allergens can be stirred up. However, if you suffer from allergies and must do the cleaning in your home, it can help to use products that are less likely to cause allergy symptoms. First, a word or two on what not to use. Home Cleaning: Products to Avoid It's best to avoid using cleaning products that contain harsh, potentially irritating chemicals. Common home cleaning chemical ingredients that can be irritating include: Formaldehyde Ammonia Sodium lauryl sulphate D-limonene Sodium hypochlorite These chemicals are found in many cleaning products, including: Furniture polish Disinfectants Mildew removers Dish detergents Dish soaps

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Laundry detergents Fabric softeners All-purpose cleaners Drain, oven, and glass cleaners Learn to read labels and stay away from cleaning agents that have these ingredients. Home Cleaning: Products to Use For allergy sufferers, the best types of cleaning products are those that are non-toxic. "Green" cleaning products can be better for those with allergies, but read the labels carefully, as some of these products still contain irritating substances. "The bottom line is that baking soda and vinegar can get just about anything cleaned, in different concentrations for different uses," says McNairn. "You can use white vinegar and baking soda almost anywhere, really, and it doesn't have that 'off' odor that a lot of cleaning supplies have." But, warns McNairn, "You should never mix bleach with vinegar or bleach with ammonia." McNairn suggests:
Contact Us Duinkerken Homes 10 Lakeview Lane Weaverville, NC 28787 828-645-2728 828-450-9395 Brandon 828-450-5690 Kate Dhomes@charter.net

Vinegar and salt for a surface cleaner Baking soda and water to clean baby bottles Baking soda on carpeting to remove scents or odors Olive oil or lemon juice with vegetable oil for furniture care Ventilation, cinnamon and cloves, or steeped tea for air freshening Home Cleaning: Tips to Reduce Allergens There is no need to obsess about home cleaning, since there is really no way to completely eliminate allergens in your home, McNairn says. Over cleaning doesnt help; in fact, researchers think that too clean of a house can actually trigger allergies in children. That said, allergy sufferers can benefit from regular home cleaning to reduce indoor allergens, including molds, pollen, pet dander, dust mites, and cockroach droppings. Here are cleaning tasks you may want to add to your regular routine: Reducing dust-collecting clutter Regularly vacuuming carpeted floors with a double-bag or HEPA filter vacuum Regularly washing blankets and throw rugs Washing all bed linens in hot water every week Keeping counter surfaces clean and dry Not leaving food around, and storing food in sealed containers Taking a few simple steps to keep dust to a minimum, preventing molds from growing, and controlling cockroaches and other pests may help minimize your allergy symptoms.
Reprinted with permission from Everyday Health

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