Shoco Home Services

Shoco Home Services We are here to help! I offer DIY advice on electrical, plumbing, gas fitting, heating, and AC. I also provide free remote second opinions.

Plus, I share tips on finding reliable contractors and protecting your home. The Shoco is a burrowing owl native to Aruba. Naming our company "Shoco" is a nod to Aruba--otherwise known as "One Happy Island"--and our own happy place. An intelligent, hard-working, and social animal, the shoco is one of the island's national symbols. And like the shoco, we work hard for the community we love. But we

put the "sho" in Shoco by *showing* you how to do things around your home. Here's what we do differently: Instead of doing mechanical work *for* you, we involve you in the process. We'll teach you what you'd like to know about HVAC, plumbing, and electrical work around your home. You'll pay for all materials, equipment, and any permits you might need, as well as for our time and professional expertise. So you'll be an active participant, learn as much as you like, be as hand-on as you like, and save money in the process. License Numbers:
Maryland HVAC 4128 | Maryland Plumbing 83735 | Maryland Electrical 8070
Frederick Plumbing PM272516 | Frederick Electrical EM272449

I’m already starting to get seasonal calls about leaking exterior hose bibs, so I wanted to share a few tips that may sa...
05/11/2026

I’m already starting to get seasonal calls about leaking exterior hose bibs, so I wanted to share a few tips that may save some of my neighbors money.

First, the good news: most leaking hose bibs do not need to be replaced. In many cases, they can be repaired for far less than the cost of cutting into walls, replacing the faucet, patching drywall, siding, brick, or trim, and dealing with all the extra work that can come with a full replacement.

One common leak point is the vacuum breaker. That’s the small backflow-prevention device that may be located where your garden hose screws on, or on some hose bibs, it may be mounted on top of the faucet. Not every exterior hose bib has one, but many do.

The vacuum breaker is there for a reason. It helps prevent contaminated water from being pulled backward into the home’s water system. But they can leak, especially after age, wear, freezing, dirt, or pressure abuse.

One of the most common summer problems I see is caused by leaving a garden hose attached, leaving the hose bib turned on, and then closing the spray nozzle at the end of the hose. When you do that, the entire hose stays under pressure. Most garden hoses are dark green or black, and when they sit in the sun, the water inside the hose heats up. Heated water expands, and that extra pressure has to go somewhere. Often, the weak point becomes the vacuum breaker, and then you suddenly have water spraying or dripping where the hose connects.

A simple habit can help prevent this:

When you’re done using the hose, shut off the hose bib and squeeze the spray nozzle to release the pressure.

You do not necessarily have to disconnect the hose every single time during the summer, but you should not leave the hose sitting there pressurized with a closed spray nozzle on the end. Taking the pressure off the hose and vacuum breaker can make a big difference.

A few other things to watch for:

If water is leaking from around the handle, it may just need the packing tightened or repaired.

If water is dripping from the end where the hose attaches, it may be a bad washer, seal, or internal part.

If the handle is broken or missing, that usually does not mean the whole hose bib needs to be replaced.

If the hose bib is loose or wobbly where it comes out of the wall, that should also be addressed. Every time you pull on the hose, twist the hose on or off, or drag the hose across the yard, that movement can stress the pipe inside the wall. Over time, that can cause leaks or damage that becomes much more expensive than the original problem.

A loose hose bib does not always mean replacement is required. In many cases, there are mounting plates, repair kits, brackets, and specialty tools that can be used to secure the hose bib properly without replacing the entire faucet. The right repair depends on the type of siding, wall construction, hose bib style, and how much movement there is, but it is often fixable.

If water only leaks when the hose bib is turned on, especially if you see water inside the house or in the wall or ceiling below, shut it off immediately. That can be a sign of freeze damage inside the wall.

After winter, it is smart to turn each exterior hose bib on and check carefully. Let it run for a minute while watching both outside and inside the house if you can. Frost-free hose bibs can split inside the wall over the winter if a hose was left attached and water could not drain properly. Sometimes you won’t know there is a problem until spring or summer when you turn the faucet back on.

Before next winter, the best practice is still to disconnect hoses from exterior hose bibs. Even frost-free hose bibs need to be able to drain.

Bottom line: don’t panic if your outside faucet is leaking, dripping, missing a handle, leaking from the vacuum breaker, or loose where it comes through the wall. Many of these issues are repairable, and replacement is not always necessary.

If you need help, feel free to reach out. I’m happy to take a look and let you know whether it’s a simple repair or something more serious.

License Numbers:
Maryland HVAC 4128 | Maryland Plumbing 83735 | Maryland Electrical 8070
Frederick Plumbing PM272516 | Frederick Electrical EM272449

Online contact form - https://www.shoco.pro/contact.html
Phone 240-415-4333

Noritz Tankless Water Heaters.
02/20/2026

Noritz Tankless Water Heaters.

How to NOT INSTALL AN EXPANSION TANK! It never ceases to amaze me what you can find out in the wild!
02/20/2026

How to NOT INSTALL AN EXPANSION TANK! It never ceases to amaze me what you can find out in the wild!

🚽 Toilet Stoppage – Not Always a Quick Fix…Most toilet stoppages we run into are pretty straightforward. A quick pass wi...
02/18/2026

🚽 Toilet Stoppage – Not Always a Quick Fix…

Most toilet stoppages we run into are pretty straightforward. A quick pass with a closet auger and we’re in and out no big deal.

This one? Not so much.

The blockage was sitting about 25 feet down the line, well beyond the reach of a standard closet auger. Once we got a camera in there, here’s what we found…

🟤 (Yes… those photos 😄)

I shared these with a professional trade group (the always classy YUK channel) and the consensus was:

Primarily toilet paper buildup

Likely caused by not enough water volume moving through the line

Possibly combined with a slight belly in the piping, allowing material to settle instead of flowing

👉 In other words not a “you flushed something crazy” situation. Just one of those slow-building problems that finally says “I’m done.”

💡 Takeaway:
If your toilet is slowing down or backing up repeatedly, it’s not always the fixture sometimes the issue is further down the line and building over time.

If you’re dealing with something similar, feel free to reach out. Happy to take a look and hopefully keep you off the YUK channel 😄

Alan
Shoco Home Services
📞 240-415-4333

🚨 Why Are Electric Bills Suddenly Skyrocketing?I’ve been seeing a lot of posts lately about electric bills doubling and ...
02/15/2026

🚨 Why Are Electric Bills Suddenly Skyrocketing?

I’ve been seeing a lot of posts lately about electric bills doubling and even tripling… and in many cases, there’s a real reason for it.

If your home is about 15 years old or newer, this first tip is especially for you:

👉 Around that time, building codes started requiring mechanical fresh air intake systems.
In simple terms… your home is tighter, so it pulls in outside air on purpose.

Sounds great in theory.
But here’s the problem:

When it’s 10° outside (or worse)…
Your system isn’t just heating 67° air to 68°…

👉 It may be trying to heat 4% to 15% outside air at outdoor temperature.

That’s a huge load.

Same thing in the summer:

Harder to cool

Harder to dehumidify

Longer run times

Higher bills

💡 What to Look For
Go to your furnace or air handler and look at the ductwork:

Do you see a flex duct that looks out of place?

Does it run to an outside wall or vent?

👉 That’s likely your fresh air intake.

⚠️ What Most Systems DON’T Have

No temperature shutoff

No humidity control

No modulation

So it’s bringing in outside air… no matter how brutal the weather is.

🔧 Other Big Contributors to High Bills

Dirty filters (hurts airflow = longer run times)

Dirty equipment

Heat pumps running in auxiliary heat mode

👉 That last one is a big one:

Your backup electric heat strips use 2 to 3+ times more electricity than the heat pump itself.

And in weather like we’ve had…
They’re running a LOT.

🧠 Quick Tip Most People Get Wrong
Thinking about adding insulation?

👉 Air seal FIRST. Then insulate.
Not the other way around.

👍 Want Help Identifying Your Setup? (Free)
If your home is ~15 years old or newer, I’m happy to take a look.

Just:

Send me 2–3 pictures of your equipment and ductwork

Not close-ups—show the full setup

📩 Message me here or on the Shoco Home Services page

I’ll point out what you’ve got and what may be affecting your bill.

💬 Bottom line:

Some of these high bills aren’t random.
They’re a result of how homes are built today… combined with extreme weather.

And once you understand what’s happening, you can start making smarter decisions.

Even as a licensed Master Plumber, I’ll be honest…the only reason I remember to check my own sump pump is because I crea...
02/15/2026

Even as a licensed Master Plumber, I’ll be honest…
the only reason I remember to check my own sump pump is because I create posts like this.

The difference? I have a backup system.
So when that backup kicks on, I know immediately there’s a problem with the primary.

Most homeowners?
They’re not checking their sump pump every 4 months, 6 months, or even once a year.
In fact, most haven’t seen it since the day it was installed… if they’ve ever seen it at all.

Meanwhile we’ve got a lot of snow melt on the ground and rain in the forecast.

This is exactly when sump pumps fail.

Take 15 minutes. Pour some water in the pit. Make sure it turns on.
Because if it doesn’t…

You’re looking at thousands of dollars in damage and there’s a very real chance your insurance won’t cover it, since groundwater intrusion is often excluded.

Don’t wait until your basement tells you the pump isn’t working.

It is rewarding to be a master of multiple trades. Here either the electrician is trying to bond the electrical system ...
02/10/2026

It is rewarding to be a master of multiple trades. Here either the electrician is trying to bond the electrical system to a plastic pipe.

02/06/2026

$40,000–$230,000 a Year
We’re Hiring ONE Person. Read This Carefully.

Let’s get one thing clear right up front:
I am only looking for one person.

Not a crew.
Not a pipeline.
Not a revolving door.

One solid human being who understands what this opportunity is and what it isn’t.

Before the upside, let’s talk reality.

The downsides of the trades (because pretending they don’t exist is dishonest)

You are on call sometimes.
That means weekends, holidays, and weather-driven chaos.

Fourth of July weekend?
If you touch air conditioning even though we do far more plumbing and electrical that weekend is usually busy.

Big freeze?
Frozen pipes. The workload follows the weather.

That also means inconsistency:

some weeks are 70 hours

some weeks are 30 hours

If you need the same predictable schedule every single week, this is not for you.

The work can be uncomfortable:

extreme heat

bitter cold

tight spaces

physical labor

Some days are easy.
Some days are not.

Anyone telling you otherwise hasn’t done this work.

Now, working with me this is not a normal company

Shoco is intentionally small.

I’ve already owned and run a company with 100+ employees.
Been there. Done that. Sold it.

This business exists because I still love the trades after almost 50 years.
It’s my passion, not my livelihood.

I don’t take a salary.
All profits are donated to charities.

I’m also semi-retired.
I travel.
I take extended time off.

Realistically, if you work with me, you should expect around eight months of work per year, not twelve. I won’t overpromise and underdeliver. Ever.

Let’s talk pay

Depending on skill level, people working with me have the opportunity to earn anywhere from $40,000 a year on the low end to as much as $230,000 a year on the high end.

You don’t move up by selling harder or rushing jobs.
You move up by becoming more capable.

We pay hourly, and bonuses are based on quality:

no callback in the first 30 days → bonus

no callback in six months → a bigger bonus

no callback in one year → an even bigger bonus

We incentivize doing the job right, not doing a lot of jobs fast.

Who I’m actually looking for (W-2 employee)

You do not need to already know the trades.

What I care about is mechanical instinct and attitude.

You might be the person who:

put the chain back on your bicycle when it came off

knows basic tool identification

changed your own oil

added water to a radiator

replaced a car battery

changed or aired up a tire

knows how to mop a floor and wring out a mop head

If you don’t have all of that, it doesn’t automatically disqualify you but you must be willing to learn on your own time. That’s how people move quickly from the low end of the pay range toward the high end.

Important logistics (read this twice)

This is not 1099 work

You will be on payroll

Taxes will be withheld

You will be covered by workers’ compensation

This is a real company, not a fly-by-night operation

You must also:

have a good driving record (no DUI/DWI, reckless driving, limited violations)

have dependable transportation

Also: Skilled tradespeople looking for occasional work

If you’re already a licensed tradesperson and just looking to supplement your current income, we are also interested in talking to you.

This is not production work.
This is not rush work.

I’m looking for people who:

do neat, clean, professional work

take pride in quality, not speed

know how to do the job right the first time

In these cases:

you must be licensed

you must carry your own insurance

you will be treated as a subcontractor

work is project-by-project, not steady employment

For the right, top-tier tradespeople, we pay up to $180 per hour.

Shoco continues to grow because more homeowners are tired of the “just throw it in” and “band-aid it” approach and then needing service again shortly after. If you’re someone who actually cares about craftsmanship and longevity, there is increasing demand for that.

If that sounds like you and you want occasional, high-quality projects, please reach out.

How to apply

If you’re interested, don’t call.

Simply message me on Facebook with your name and contact information and include:

why this position interests you

a little about yourself

what mechanical skills you have (if any)

what your driving record looks like

whether you have dependable transportation

We’ll talk.
No pressure.
No games.

Final thought

This is not an easy job.
It’s not always comfortable.
It’s not always predictable.

But for the right person, it can offer real skills, real pay, real pride and long-term security that most careers no longer provide.

Yes, I’m hiring.
One person.

01/24/2026

🏠 Want Your Water Heater to Last Longer? Start Here (Before It Floods Your House)

I’ve been getting a lot of calls lately for gas water heaters here in Ballenger Creek and unfortunately, several of those calls came after major water damage had already happened.
Multiple homes. Same neighborhood. Same root causes.

Most people are told:

“Water heaters last about 10 years.”

That’s not accurate.

If a water heater is installed correctly and maintained properly, 30 years is very realistic.

The Silent Problem Area: Expansion Tanks (Tanked Water Heaters)

If you have a tanked gas water heater, you have or should have an expansion tank.

Here’s where things go sideways:

Builders often installed them where the air valve isn’t accessible

Many townhomes don’t have enough clearance to properly service them

In most homes, the expansion tank was never set to match the home’s water pressure

If you don’t see:

An install date written on the tank

Cold household water pressure noted

Expansion tank air pressure set to that same number

…then chances are it was never set up correctly. That’s true in roughly 95% of the homes I see.

When expansion tanks fail especially combined with hard water that’s when I see:

Over-pressurization

Failed toilet supply lines

Multiple floods

$60,000+ restoration projects

The Insurance Reality (This Part Matters)

Yes most homeowners do have insurance.

But here’s how it often plays out:

Insurance approves, say, $45,000

The lowest realistic contractor price comes in around $60,000

Add even a modest $1,000 deductible

That’s about $16,000 out of pocket, with insurance.

And if you have a second flood in a short period of time, the bigger question becomes:

👉 Does your insurance company even renew your policy?

That’s a real concern after repeat claims.

One Simple Check You Can Do Yourself

I’d love for you to hire me to come out and look at your equipment.

But I also know budgets are tight.

So if you want to do something on your own, here’s the simplest possible check (there’s a short video attached):

If you can reach the air valve on your expansion tank

Briefly press the pin (like checking a tire)

What it tells you:

Water comes out → the tank has failed
👉 Act now, not later

Air comes out → it’s not set up correctly

But it’s not catastrophic at that moment

That two-second check can tell you whether you’re in immediate danger.

Anode Rods: Why Tanks Die Early

Every tanked water heater has an anode rod. Its job is to corrode so the tank doesn’t.

Typically replaced every ~6 years

Last longer with a water softener

When ignored, they completely disappear

I’ll be sharing photos and video from this past Friday and Saturday showing pulled anode rods next to new ones.
This is normal and completely preventable.

Tankless Water Heater Owners (This Applies to You Too)

Most homes here have Noritz tankless water heaters (primarily NRC-98DV and NRC-711DV). A few have Rinnai.

A few realities homeowners should know:

Tankless units do NOT use expansion tanks or anode rods.

They must be flushed every 1–2 years

Noritz specifies a 1-hour flush

We are increasingly hearing from technical services that:

The first heat exchanger warranty claim is usually honored

Subsequent claims may be denied without proof of maintenance or water treatment

Replacement cost matters too:

A properly replaced tankless water heater is often under $7,000, depending on installation details

I’ve unfortunately seen homeowners spend $12,000+ simply because the contractor didn’t stock parts or units and the homeowner had no leverage

Maintenance keeps options and costs under control.

The Bottom Line

No one gets excited about maintaining a water heater.

But it beats:

Ripping out drywall

Living with dehumidifiers for months

Fighting insurance scope disputes

Writing five-figure checks after the damage is done

Most homeowners were never told this.
Now you are.

Watch the video.
Do the simple check.
Take care of your equipment before it takes out your house.

Address

Frederick, MD

Website

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