Hagerstown - Larry & Sons, Inc.

Energy-Efficient Home: Energy and Money Saver Infographic

Posted on February 3, 2015October 30, 2023 by Larry & Sons

This Energy Saver infographic by energy.gov highlights the key areas of your home that could use some attention. In order to reap the benefits of an energy-efficient home, you must be aware of the areas of your home that are most prone to high energy use.

Although using energy efficient light bulbs, programmable thermostats, and new appliances will certainly help curb your energy use, pay attention to tip number 8:

Consult a home performance contractor to achieve large savings.

Home Energy Audit: The First Step Toward an Energy-Efficient Home

A Home Energy Audit, otherwise known as a home performance evaluation, is the best thing you can do as a homeowner to seal up your drafty home for maximum savings. Before you do any major home improvements or renovations like replacing your HVAC system or paying for attic and basement insulation, you will want to make sure that you are using your money wisely.

A Home Energy Auditor will conduct a complete home assessment of your energy use and leaks using high-tech gear, such as infrared cameras, blower door tests, combustion analyzers, manometers, and moisture meters.

Certified Home Energy Auditors, like Larry & Sons Plumbing and Air, will conduct a comprehensive home energy report for you, which will cut on average 15-40% off your energy bill every month. Well, the audit itself won’t save you any money, but the recommended efficiency upgrades and improvements will! Getting the information you need is the first step on your road to an energy-efficient home.

Our energy audits can help address the following issues:

Poor insulation
Leaky ductwork
Inefficient heating system
Drafty areas or cold spots
Need for better ventilation
Moisture control issues

For a more comfortable, energy-efficient home, better indoor air quality, and lower energy bills, schedule your home energy audit with Larry & Sons today!

For a do-it-yourself home energy audit guide, visit energy.gov.

The DIY version toward an energy-efficient home is long and complicated. You must make up for the fact that you do not own the equipment necessary to perform a quick and nonintrusive assessment.

If this is all too much of a project, the next best thing is to have your heating and cooling system checked out and tuned up by a professional every year. Space heating accounts for over 40% of your home’s energy use. If your furnace or heater is inefficient, you could be losing up to half of this energy. When the technician is there, you can ask as many questions about energy efficiency as you want.

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to schedule your annual heating tune-up. We offer installation, maintenance and repair of boilers, furnaces, heat pumps, and geothermal systems. An energy-efficient home starts with your HVAC system.

With our maintenance plan, we’ll remind you of your annual tune-up, provide 15% off all repairs, and much more!

To learn about all the areas in your home where you could be saving, schedule a professional home energy audit in Maryland with Larry & Sons — 301-733-5428.

We service Hagerstown, Frederick, and the surrounding Maryland areas. We also service parts of West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Reasons to Consider a Whole-House Generator Installation

Posted on January 21, 2014December 22, 2023 by Larry & Sons

In Hagerstown, MD, many people have generators to help their homes during big winter storms. Our local power system is quite reliable, but with the increasing ferocity of the weather in recent years, it always pays to have a back-up ready. A reliable heater can keep the lights on and the heater running when the grid goes down, providing your and your family with peace of mind in the midst of a crisis. Some people prefer portable heaters that they can take with them when they move, but we’ve found that permanent “whole house” generators are usually preferable. Here are a few reasons to consider a whole-house generator installation.

Portable generators are rarely big enough to support the needs of an entire home. They force you to prioritize your appliances and leave some of them off in order to keep the generator from becoming overloaded. A whole-house generator, on the other hand, can be sized to fit the energy needs for the entire house, ensuring that you don’t need to make any tough choices in a crisis.
All generators need to vent exhaust while they’re running. With a portable generator, you have to make sure its properly vented every time you use it. A whole-house generator can have a proper venting system installed, eliminating any safety concerns in the bargain.
In purely financial terms, a whole-house generator makes a wise investment in your home. You can take a portable generator with you when you move, but what if you move somewhere where inclement weather is less of a concern? A whole-house generator, on the other hand, can boost the resale value of your house.

You have good reasons to consider a whole-house generator in Hagerstown, MD, and the experts at Larry & Sons, Inc. can help. Call us today to learn more!

Components to Consider Replacing During Your Bathroom Remodel

Posted on December 2, 2013October 2, 2023 by Larry & Sons

Having your bathroom remodeled is an excellent way to brighten up your living space and add value to your home. However, you should consider a remodeling as more than just a facelift for a single room: this is an opportunity to replace your plumbing and your fixtures and give yourself a more efficient and attractive bathroom. We’ve listed a few components we think you should consider replacing when you schedule your bathroom remodeling.

When you want comprehensive bathroom remodeling in Hagerstown, MD, look to a trusted name with a long history of service: Larry & Sons, Inc.. From tiles to tubs, pipes to showers, we have your bathroom remodel covered.

Consider replacing these components during your bathroom remodel:

Outdated piping: If you have an older home, you may still have non-copper pipes installed that are prone to corrosion and breaks. Copper pipes are highly resistant to corrosion and other damages, and 80% of all homes now have them installed. During a remodeling is a perfect time to have your older pipes replaced with durable copper ones.
Faucets: New faucets not only look pleasant, but if you can have low-flow models installed they will help you save water.
Showers and tubs with curtains: If you have a shower curtain for your bathtub and shower, you can brighten up the room—and have a more effective seal against water splashing onto the floor—with the installation of a glass door.
Toilet: Although your current toilet might seem fine, you can benefit from a new low-flow model that will add to your low-flow faucets in saving you money.
Interior lighting: Lighting is an important part of creating an attractive décor in any room of a house. Take out the harsh old fluorescent lighting in your bathroom and add an attractive new fixture to provide a warm glow.

Hire experienced professionals

A botched bathroom remodeling job is worse than not having the job done at all. But if you rely on a company with many years of experience and a reputation for quality, you won’t have to worry.

Larry & Sons, Inc. has served the community since 1960. We will work with you to deliver the best bathroom remodeling in Hagerstown, MD you could hope for. We replace cabinets, re-tile floors, fix drywall, and install many kinds of plumbing fixtures and durable pipes. You can trust us to work hard to deliver the results you want.

Signs That It May Be Time for Septic Repair in Frederick MD

Posted on October 15, 2013December 22, 2023 by Larry & Sons

You probably don’t give much thought to your home’s septic system. It does its work out of sight, as it should. But because the septic system is hidden, when it starts to develop troubles you may not notice signs of the problem—until it becomes large and expensive to repair. It requires professionals with specialized diagnostic tools to locate many septic system repair needs, so when you require help, get on the phone with a trained plumber to get the problem fixed as soon as you can.

There are some signs to watch out for that might indicate you need to get septic repair in Frederick MD. Larry & Sons has been in business since 1960, and we are familiar with the warning signals our clients have encountered that pointed toward septic issues. We’ll list a few here to help you get a head start on hiring professionals before the issues starts to get larger.

Slow drains: A simple clog can cause a drain to work slowly, and if a plunger or some basic cleaner takes care of the problem, then you shouldn’t worry about the septic system. However, if slow drains develop throughout your home, and plungers aren’t working, you may have a backup in the septic system from a damaged pipe.
Outdoor wet spots and odors: If you start to notice puddles in your back yard without explanation, the septic system may be leaking. Take special care if the puddles have a nasty sewer odor emanating from them. If you notice a strong sewer odor from your backyard after a rainfall, this could also indicate troubles with the septic tank.
Sewage backflow: A slow drain is trouble enough. But if sewage begins to flow back up from sinks and toilets in the house, the problem is almost certainly from the septic tank. Call for professional help right away.

Although tougher to detect than some other problems in your plumbing, septic tank trouble is something you’ll need repaired before it can make living in your home unbearable—and unhealthy. Contact the experienced workers at Larry & Sons for your Frederick MD septic repair needs.