4 Spring Home Maintenance Tasks You Shouldn’t Skip

Posted on March 17, 2017May 19, 2020 by Larry & Sons

We just changed the clocks last weekend, and this is the perfect time of year to take care of some of those home maintenance projects that need to be done twice per year. It may not feel like it with some of the storms we’ve had recently, but spring really is just around the corner, and now is a good time to tackle a few spring home maintenance tasks.

Spring Home Maintenance Tasks

Test your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. According to the National Fire Protection Association, you should test your alarms twice yearly around the same time when you
“Dirty Air Filter” flickr photo by Ivy Dawned https://flickr.com/photos/ivydawned/4020166274 shared under a Creative Commons (BY-SA) license
change your clocks. Test all alarms, replace the batteries, and replace any alarms that are more than 10 years old.
Replace appliance filters. Filters in appliances, HVAC systems, etc. need to be replaced often to ensure that the equipment functions properly. Dirty filters decrease performance and cause appliances to use more energy. Replace HVAC, vacuum, dishwasher, refrigerator water, air purifier and humidifier filters each spring and fall.
Drain your water heater. Over time, sediment builds up in water heaters and reduces efficiency. Flush your system a couple times per year to keep your system in good working order.
Schedule an AC check. A lot can happen when cooling systems aren’t used for several months. Parts can break down, and you may find that your system may not switch on on the first warm day of the season. Avoid this problem by having your air conditioner serviced now. Scheduling a tune-up early in the spring means that your air conditioner will be ready to go when warm weather arrives.

Spring Home Maintenance in Hagerstown

If you need a hand with spring home maintenance in the Hagerstown, count on Larry & Sons! We’ll help you make sure your home is ready for the warmer months ahead. To schedule service, please contact us today by calling 301-733-5428.

Is Your Home Ready for the Holidays? Check Out Our Interview on WTOP!

Posted on December 22, 2016August 11, 2022 by Larry & Sons

Christmas is just a few short days away, and even if the first guests have already arrived at your home, there’s still time to make sure your home can handle the extra strain. Having additional people in your home puts extra stress on your home’s plumbing and heating systems, and no one wants to deal with a broken down water heater or a furnace failure during the holiday season.

Getting Your Home Ready for the Holidays

From checking your HVAC filters to flushing your water heater and taking steps to prevent your pipes from freezing, there are several steps you can take now to make sure your home can handle the strain of the Christmas season.

Not hosting Christmas at your house this year? It’s just as important to prepare your home if you’re heading out of town. In addition to preventing disasters like burst pipes while you’re away, and it’s crucial to ensure that your home isn’t an obvious target for would-be thieves.

Eric Corbett, owner of Larry & Sons, recently took the time to share some helpful advice on WTOP. From preparing your home’s plumbing and HVAC systems to handle the strain of additional guests to helpful advice on how to prevent criminals from knowing you’re out of town, Eric shared several tips and tricks to help you keep enjoy a safe and happy holiday season.

Protecting Your Home While You’re on Vacation

Posted on July 4, 2016August 11, 2022 by Larry & Sons

Are you planning a vacation this summer? As you’re preparing for your trip, it’s important to make sure your home is ready for your vacation as well. You already know it’s important to secure your home against criminals, but it’s just as critical to check on your home’s plumbing and HVAC systems.

Preparing Your Home for Vacation

With these pro tips, you can protect your home and conserve energy while you’re away. Keep them in mind anytime you’re getting ready to leave your home for more than a day.

Turn off the Main Water Supply

A water leak can cause major damage over the course of a few days. Before you leave for your trip, turn off your main water supply to ensure that you won’t have any nasty leaks while you’re away.

Check Your Sump Pump

Make sure your sump pump is working properly to ensure that, if a storm blows in while you’re away, you won’t end up with a flooded basement. If the pump isn’t working, have it repaired before you leave.

Clean Your Gutters and Downspouts

Cleaning your gutters and downspouts ensures that rainwater is diverted away from your home. You may want to check floor drains in your basement as well.

Turn Your Water Heater Off

You won’t be using hot water at home while you’re away, so why leave the water heater turned on? Turn your water heater off before you hit the road to save a considerable amount on your energy bill while you’re away.

Other Things to Consider When Going on Vacation

Don’t share your vacation plans on social media. Wait until you’re back home to post pictures and let people know you were away.
Stop your mail and newspaper deliveries or have a neighbor pick them up daily.
Trim your bushes to eliminate hiding spots around doors and windows.

Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway, a journey around the world or anything in between, don’t get so caught up in packing your bags and planning your itinerary that you forget to get your home ready for your time away. If you need help with plumbing or HVAC maintenance before you leave, contact Larry & Sons now.

The Preventative Maintenance That Will Save You the Most in Hancock

Posted on September 26, 2011August 11, 2022 by Larry & Sons

Having a high performance, energy efficient HVAC system will save you a good deal of money in terms of your monthly heating and cooling bills for your Hancock home. But that efficiency will not last unless you also take the necessary steps to keep your equipment in good working order. While regular maintenance visits from a professional HVAC technician are an important part of this, there are also several things you can do on your own to keep your equipment running at peak efficiency.

Keep it Clear – The first thing you should do is to make sure that there is plenty of space cleared around your outdoor unit. Whether it is the condenser and compressor for your air conditioning system or part of your heat pump, that outdoor equipment needs to have plenty of space to vent hot air. Also, the space will mean that debris is less likely to develop inside the unit.
Clean the Condensing Coil – While your technician will do this when they make their annual visit, it is best to clean your coil more than just once a year. Just make sure that the power is turned off to your unit before you begin. This will help the unit cool air more efficiently and can prevent a whole host of other problems from developing.
Check on the Blower – If your blower is not working right or the blade is clogged, your HVAC unit will not work properly. Make sure your blower fan is free of all debris and that is turns freely once you have cleaned it. If you are still having a problem with it, you may have to call a technician for repairs. Cleaning the blower out on a regular basis, however, should keep this from becoming a problem you need a professional for.
Air Filters – You should also make sure you change your air filters regularly. This can help to keep your indoor air clean and healthy and it will also enable your HVAC system to run more efficiently.
Clean it Out – Clean out any debris that you can reach from any part of your system. Just make sure any time you work inside your HVAC system that you have all of the power turned off. Anything from leaves to dust can get in there and cause a problem if it is allowed to build up over time. As long as you are on top of things and keep to a regular schedule of maintenance, none of this should take you very long.