21 minute read
Energy Sense
from 2022-04-CHEC
Five Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector
Assess energy efficiency before buying
By Miranda Boutelle
Many factors go into buying a home. For most people, energy efficiency does not top the list, and unfortunately, houses don’t typically come with energy efficiency ratings. It can be difficult for a buyer to know how efficient a home is when viewing the listing online or taking a tour. But a home inspector can help you identify potential energy costs and energy- efficiency upgrades.
Some homes may already be efficient, while other homes may need improvements. There’s nothing wrong with buying an inefficient home, but you will want to know what you’re getting into and that you can afford the energy costs once you get the keys. Here are five questions to ask your home inspector:
1How old is the HVAC system, and how efficient is it? Has it been maintained? The typical lifespan of an HVAC system is 15 to 25 years. As the largest energy user and often the most expensive equipment in the home, you will want to know the energy, maintenance and replacement costs. If the HVAC system is old, consider the cost for a replacement.
2How old is the water heater? The lifespan of a storage water heater is about 10 years. The cost to replace a water heater ranges from $400 to $3,600, depending on the unit type and installation costs. If an older water heater is in a finished space or on a second floor, replace it before it fails and potentially causes water damage.
3What are the levels and conditions of insulation in the attic, walls and floor? Insulation is one of the easiest and most beneficial energy- efficiency upgrades you can make. It isn’t as pretty as new countertops, but it can make a home more comfortable, waste less energy and reduce outdoor noise.
To cut down on drafts and make insulation more effective, air seal before insulating. Seal cracks, gaps or holes in the walls, floors, ceiling and framing between heated and unheated spaces.
If your new home needs insulation and air sealing, make this your efficiency priority. The sooner you do it, the more energy you will save over time. Recommended insulation levels vary by location. You can find information about insulation and air sealing at energy.gov. 4What is the condition of the electrical panel and wiring throughout the home? A panel upgrade or rewiring can be a costly endeavor. An older panel and wiring aren’t inefficient, but they can delay or make some energy-efficiency projects more expensive. In several homes I have worked on, older wiring had to be replaced before insulation could be added.
Make sure the panel can accommodate any new appliances you might want to add, such as air conditioning or an electric vehicle charger.
5Are there any extras in this home that will increase my utility bills? Any motors in the home or on the property should be assessed, including pumps for wells and septic systems. When it comes to extras, remember life’s luxuries aren’t free. You will want to be able to afford the cost of operating amenities, such as pools, hot tubs and saunas.
You can also request the home’s utility bills for the previous two years from the seller or realtor. Your bill will not be the same due to your personal energy habits, but this information will give you an estimate of the home’s energy costs.
When buying a home that checks all your boxes, ask your home inspector the right efficiency questions. Understanding the condition of appliances, features and building materials can save you from hidden surprises in your home and on your first utility bills.
This column was written by Miranda Boutelle of the Efficiency Services Group. Visit carolinacountry.com/your-energy for more ideas on energy efficiency.
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On Location
Explore NC sites from the silver screen
By Leah Chester-Davis Photos by VisitNC
The filming of “Dirty Dancing” in Lake Lure resulted in The Dirty Dancing Festival.
“Nights in Rodanthe” was filmed partly at the Inn at Rodanthe.
Parts of “The Hunger Games.” were filmed in Uptown Charlotte.
Double-takes are on the rise in North Carolina. Imagine driving through the small, picturesque town of Sylva and seeing a large sign welcoming you to Ebbing, Missouri. Turns out the sign was all a part of the production for the movie “Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri.” Or how about seeing people suspended from cables between the Wilmington Convention Center and the Isabel Holmes Bridge (stuntpeople for the blockbuster “Iron Man 3”)?
Sylva and Wilmington are just a couple of the many locations across the state used by the film industry, which added more than $416 million to the state last year in terms of payroll, goods purchased, rentals and other services, says Guy Gaster, director of the NC Film Office. The state is noted for a well-trained, skilled film workforce, and many of the state’s locations can play as “Anywhere, U.S.A.,” which is attractive to filmmakers.
The true value, however, is much more. These projects help put a spotlight on our state that creates even more interest in terms of exploring various regions, local restaurants and other attractions.
The state has had a role in more than 1,000 films. Here are a few film destinations.
Wilmington
This favored port city has plenty to offer and it shows in the credits lists. Among attractions is the city’s Riverwalk and Riverfront Park. “Scream” is one of the latest to film here since the COVID-19 shutdown. The local tourism website (bit.ly/wlm-film) offers ideas for touring film sites including those used for “Sleepy Hollow,” “One Tree Hill” and “Dawson’s Creek.” Scenes from all three plus “The Choice,” the film adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks book, were also filmed at nearby Airlie Gardens.
Outer Banks and other Beach Locations
“Nights in Rodanthe,” another Nicholas Sparks’ adaptation starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane, was filmed in Manteo, at the Inn at Rodanthe (available for rent) and the Rodanthe Pier, and on Ocracoke Island. Sparks’s books seem to keep North Carolina in the spotlight. The film adaptation for “Safe Haven” was filmed in Southport. Some other credits for the coastal town include “Crimes of the Heart,” “I Know What You Did Last Summer” and “Under the Dome.” Bald Head Island was the stand-in for the Hamptons for “Weekend at Bernie’s.”
Burgaw and Wallace
The new series, “Welcome to Flatch,” which debuted in March on Fox, is creating excitement in the small towns of Burgaw and Wallace. The Pender County Tourism office (visitpender.com) is the site for some scenes, and it offers a free walking tour of various locations for this production and others such as “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” “Silver Bullet” and “Under the Dome.”
Charlotte and Concord
Uptown Charlotte, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and the U.S. Whitewater Center were all in scenes for “The Hunger Games.” McGlohon Theater and Johnson C. Smith University were scenes in last year’s “The Eyes of Tammy
Faye” starring Jessica Chastain. The Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord gets credits for “Speedway,” “Days of Thunder,” “Talladega Nights: the Ballad of Ricky Bobby” and “Stroker Ace.” Burke County Several scenes of “Last of the Mohicans” were shot in Burke County. Its Tourism Development Authority is planning a 30th Anniversary “Last of the Mohicans” Festival May 12–14 at the Courthouse Plaza in Morganton (bit.ly/lotm-30). Guided tours to film locations at Chimney Rock State Park (in neighboring Rutherford County , Hickory Nut Gap Falls was the backdrop for the dramatic climax) and Lake James are planned, along with an all-day event on May 14. The event coincides with the Catawba Valley Beer Festival on May 14. Hildebran
The Henry River Mill Village (henryrivermillvillage.com), an abandoned mill village, became District 12 in “The Hunger Games.” Tours are available and travelers can spend the night in a restored mill house. Lake Lure
Lake Lure attracts for its scenic beauty nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Several movies have been filmed in the area, but “Dirty Dancing” starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey is the one that has resulted in an annual Dirty Dancing Festival (dirtydancingfestival.com). Enjoy the beautiful Flowering Bridge if you visit early spring to late fall.
Asheville
The Biltmore Estate claims numerous film credits. “Last of the Mohicans,” “Forrest Gump,” “Patch Adams,” “Ritchie Rich” and “Hannibal” are some notables.
Sylva Sylva has a charming main street with quaint shops and restaurants and plenty to explore in the town and nearby, particularly for those who love beautiful scenery and the outdoors. The town was featured prominently, becoming a character itself as a sleepy little Missouri town in the critically acclaimed “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Several of its buildings and others in nearby towns — Maggie Valley, Black Mountain, Cullowhee and Dillsboro — were used.
Carolina Country Contributing Editor Leah Chester-Davis (chester-davis.com), loves to explore North Carolina.
Ready to scout out these filming locations and more? Numerous tour itineraries are suggested at visitnc.com (search for “filming destinations”).
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WRONG WAYWRONG WAY VACATIONS GONE WRONG
Readers share lessons learned from less-than-relaxing getaways
We recently asked readers to share tales of woe from past vacations that didn’t quite go as planned — you know, the kind of thing you hope to be able to one day look back on and laugh. You responded with some doozies, but one common thread ran through the stories: even when things were the bleakest, most could find a silver lining and make the best of it. Here are some of our favorites.
Hurricane Honeymoon
On June 22, 1996, my wife and I were married in a simple but elegant ceremony at our local church. After an evening at a local motel, we headed to North Myrtle Beach for a glorious and uninterrupted seven days of fun and sun. Well, lo and behold a fast-moving and “track-changing” hurricane decided to head our way. On Tuesday, our resort started making preparations, and on Wednesday it called a meeting for all guests to attend. They encouraged voluntary evacuation and stated that if we chose to stay they could not guarantee our safety. It was an easy decision for my wife and me. We packed up and got out of there. You see, my wife had lived in Florida and had some past experience with hurricanes, and she had been through a tornado while teaching at a school in Kentucky a few years earlier. Seeing as she came through those unscathed, we did not want to push our luck. To this day, 26 years later, she tells me I still owe her a honeymoon.
Kevin Johnson, Mooresville A member of EnergyUnited
The Lost Key
I looked forward to exploring a particular part of Australia for months. During my few days off, I rented a car for my journey to the pristine coastal area of Victoria’s Croajingolong National Park. I started having doubts about the three-hour drive, though, after I left the last point of civilization. Those doubts only grew exponentially when the road abruptly transformed from pavement to gravel. My curiosity and sense of adventure, however, outweighed any lingering questions. This trip better be worth it.
Overjoyed at finally arriving, I eagerly walked along the beach, stretching my toes in the white sands and feeling the crisp Tasman Sea breezes. The gently rolling waves distracted me, and in less than a split second, it was gone: My rental car key had vanished in the beautiful clear blue water. Shocked, I looked around only to see a handful of beachgoers (since this was Christmas Eve)! In the distance was a lighthouse — my only hope for help since this was before cell phones. Reaching the lighthouse, I was elated to meet the “lighthouse family.” The lighthouse proved to be my refuge, and I spent Christmas with the lighthouse family before being rescued the following day by the rental car company.
Mary Ellen Muesing, Huntersville A member of EnergyUnited
Don’t Feed the Wildlife
We were limited on funds, and our vacation had to be the week my workplace shut down. We decided to rent a one-room cabin in the Allegheny National Forest. My wife called to reserve a cabin and was told there were no openings the week we required. Two weeks later, we were called and told that miraculously someone had canceled the week we had requested. We couldn’t believe our luck! When we arrived at the cabin we decided to unload prior to heading to the lake. Before we finished it started to rain. It rained continuously for the next three days. Getting to the outhouse became near impossible, especially at night. (We had made the mistake of feeding the raccoons and now had to eat inside for fear of being attacked.) On the third evening, my wife slipped on the steps and got a bad bruise. The next afternoon everyone who was still in the park was told that two escaped convicts were in the area. By evening we were the only ones left. It was still raining the next morning, and now with our lives at risk, we decided to pack it in.
Richard Hastings,
Youngsville A member of Wake Electric
Unwelcome Tentmate
I was camping one summer with two of my teenage granddaughters. We were in a 10-person tent. They slept on one side, and I slept on the other. While getting up one night to go to the restroom, I felt a bump under the tent floor. I was surprised, because I knew when we set the tent up that the bump was not there. So I put my hand on the bump and discovered it was breathing. Bumps don’t breathe.
To say I was startled would be an understatement. I woke the girls up. They were very frightened. Honestly, I didn’t know what to do. So I just put my hand on the bump and slowly maneuvered it toward the tent opening. I knew it was close to being out from under the tent, so I carefully unzipped the opening — to see a skunk coming out backwards from underneath. The skunk looked around at her surroundings, not seeming one bit concerned, and slowly walked away. We had been skunked, but not sprayed!
Vicki Martin, Shelby, a member of Rutherford EMC
A Tight Spot
We were five daughters and two parents in an RV in the summer of 1972, on a family trip to the western United States. At the top of Needle’s Eye in South Dakota, described today as “a narrow roadway … sharp turns, and low tunnels” (online at dangerousroads.org), our engineer dad decided we could make it through the tiny and very dark tunnel. After all, he had measured the RV.
Yikes! We all ducked down as he drove in, saying quite cheerfully, “Here we go!”
We would have made it, except when he measured the width of the RV, he did not include the mirrors. Shattering glass and screaming kids, BUT we emerged on the other side!
Susan Shikany, Indian Trail A member of Union Power
Little Sailboat, Big Adventure
Several years ago my husband, daughter and I decided on a day trip. We rented a daysailer from Morehead heading to Shackleford Island to picnic and see the wild horses. As we passed the Morehead Harbor buoy left and right, we chose the one on the right. This led us into the sea channel. Seeing marine transport craft, we immediately started working our way out, taking all of the strength we had.
Finally the island was in front of us and we got out on the shore to eat our lunch. Mosquitoes decided we were their lunch! The sky suddenly changed, clouds and wind appeared from nowhere. We climbed back on the boat and sought to get out while we could. The powerful wind blew us into the Beaufort Harbor into an empty boat slip next to a yacht. The owner was not pleased as the wind was bumping us into him. The owner of the boat slip approaching in his fishing boat was even more displeased. We felt quite helpless until a Good Samaritan appeared. Seeing our distress, he towed us back to Morehead. Next time, we will take the ferry!
Rebecca Wroten, Supply A member of Brunswick Electric
Digital Extra Read more harrowing tales of vacations gone wrong at carolinacountry.com/extras.
Must-See Mountain Cheesemakers
Yellow Branch is a storied farm along the WNC Cheese Trail
Story and photos by Emory Rakestraw
In the early 1980s, Karen Mickler and her husband, Bruce DeGroot, found themselves owning a small farm in Robbinsville. The rolling hillside on the cusp of Fontana Lake seems chiseled within the Smoky Mountains. Named after the creek that flows down the valley, Yellow Branch Farmstead was a place the two envisioned as a sustainable farm and location for Karen’s pottery studio. But the purchase of a Jersey milk cow, Rosebud, took them on a new route.
Licensed in 1986, Yellow Branch Pottery & Cheese currently holds the title as the oldest farmstead cheese producer in North Carolina.
“We originally started making cheese in 1981, and worked on recipe development for several years. When we decided to get licensed, I went to the University of Wisconsin for two weeks and then to the University of Guelph in Canada to learn more about cheesemaking,” Karen says. “Going to school and seeing it done helped me settle on the recipe and process.”
Back-to-the-land As the two purchased more Jersey cows and built Karen’s pottery studio on the farm, the national “back-to-theland” movement had produced artisan cheese trailblazers such as Laura Chenel and her French farmstead techniques; Mary Keehn, who crafted Humboldt Fog cheese; and Allison Hooper of the internationally-recognized Vermont Creamery.
Karen and Bruce crafted their signature style embracing garden-grown ingredients to form their Yellow Branch Pepper Cheese and Yellow Branch Basil. Today, Yellow Branch is best known for their buttery and full-bodied Farmstead Cheese, which Karen describes as “not gouda, not cheddar — it’s Yellow Branch.”
While today Karen has retired from pottery and scaled back production to three dairy cows (from a peak of six before the pandemic), one can still purchase Yellow Branch from Earth Fare and French Broad Food Co-op in Asheville, and encounter it on the menu at Asheville’s Homegrown Restaurant. Yet, there’s still a lack of awareness for the diversity and presence of artisan cheesemakers across western North Carolina.
Spreading awareness To entice the public and attract hopefuls, the Western North Carolina Cheese Trail, created in 2012, boasts creameries, farms and wineries for visitors and potential cheesemakers, including Yellow Branch.
Trail stops count 10 cheesemakers, including Blue Ridge Mountain Creamery, known for cave-aged cheeses that nod to European methods developed long before modernday refrigeration. Round Mountain Creamery is home to 60 Alpine and LaMancha dairy goats that make for an eventful tour. Looking Glass Creameries’ cheese shop in Fairview lends an idyllic afternoon enjoying seasonal, Southern and Farmstead cheese and hard cider.
“All of the cheeses on the trail are so unique to the cheesemaker,” says Membership Coordinator Carolyn Frykberg. “Western North Carolina is primarily known as a beer area, so I think it’s really beneficial to spread knowledge about the cheeses produced here and even spark interest in young farmers.”
While Yellow Branch was a regional spearhead in the artisan cheese movement, the WNC Cheese Trail is eyeing its own fromage renaissance. Today, visitors can enjoy rolling vistas, the gentleness of cows in the pasture and a farmstead way of life — all in one delicious afternoon.
Emory Rakestraw is a Wilmington-based freelance journalist. Read more of her work at emoryrakestraw.wordpress.com.
Digital Extra Learn more about all the stops along the WNC Cheese Trail at carolinacountry.com/extras.
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