Austin is the place to be during the spring months. Flowers are blooming, the sun is out and temperatures are still usually mild. Take advantage of this time of year to make some subtle improvements and to conduct home maintenance so that you can enjoy your home for the rest of the year.
Austin Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017
For over 60 years, ABC Home & Commercial Services has been making life easier on Texans. Our Austin Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017 provides you with tips and other information to help you take care of your biggest investment.
The 9-page Guide includes:
- Ten things to do in Austin this Spring
- Spring Home Maintenance Checklist
- Spring Cleaning List of Where to Donate or Dispose of Common Household Items Locally
- Advice on How to Mosquito-Proof Your Yard
- Spring Gardening Tips
- 6 Signs You May Need to Repair Your AC
- Pool Opening Checklist
- Easy Home Improvement Projects
Download the guide here. Get a preview of the information you’ll find in the Guide below.
How To Mosquito-Proof Your Yard
Spring is such a lovely time of year to enjoy spending time outdoors in Austin. Unfortunately, mosquitoes can sometimes spoil our fun. Here are a few ways to prevent these biting insects from hanging out in your yard.
Take Preventative Measures
Mosquitoes thrive in areas with long grasses, unkempt plants and shrubs and piled up branches and other debris. Keep your grass cut short, and regularly trim back plants and shrubs so they don’t harbor mosquitoes. If you’ve got branches or other wood sources piled up in your yard, make sure to clear it away and keep it from piling up again.
Remove Standing Water
Mosquitoes depend on standing water to reproduce, so take a stroll around your yard a few times a week to make sure there is no water that has accumulated in pots, wheelbarrows and in other areas of your lawn. If you have a birdbath, you can purchase disks which contain a bacteria toxic to mosquito larvae but safe for birds.
Use Natural Deterrents
Incorporate natural deterrents into your yard such as citronella, lemon thyme, lemon balm, catnip and feverfew. Natural treatments such as Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis and garlic spray can also help deter mosquitoes.
Invite Natural Predators In
Bats, purple martins, dragonflies, toads, and damselflies are natural predators of mosquitoes. They won’t do the job on their own, but in combination with other efforts, they can help reduce the mosquito population. You can encourage these mosquito-eaters to visit your yard by creating a draw, like bat and purple martin houses where they can roost.
Try DIY Mosquito Control
Many chemical treatments, traps and bug zappers can help eliminate mosquitoes. Mosquito traps attract mosquitoes by imitating human characteristics, like producing heat and releasing CO2. Bug zappers use a combination of light and electricity to attract and kill mosquitoes.
6 Signs You May Need To Repair Your AC
Are you unsure about whether your air conditioner will make it through another Texas summer? Here are some signs that you may need to consider repairing your unit.
Do you hear a strange noise?
You probably don’t notice the regular hum of your HVAC unit, since you have become accustomed to the noise. Banging sounds coming from your compressor, a persistent buzzing or rattling, hisses and whistles, screeches or squeals or grinding sounds can indicate a range of problems, some of which may require quick attention to avoid longer-term damage.
Do you detect a strange odor?
Strange smells can indicate that insulation has burned out and is in need of repair. More earthy odors may signal that mold is inside of your ductwork or unit, which should be addressed immediately.
Is your house taking too long to cool down or not cooling evenly?
You may have noticed that the air coming out of your vents is not as cold as it used to be or you may be experiencing poor air flow. You may need to have your ducts cleaned or to check your compressor, thermostat or refrigerant level.
Have you noticed moisture or leaks near your HVAC unit?
You shouldn’t see an accumulation of moisture close to your AC unit. If you do, the problem could be linked to a refrigerant leak or a blocked or broken drain tube.
Does your unit switch on and off repeatedly?
If your HVAC unit keeps turning on and off, you may have an obstruction in your condenser unit. A thorough cleaning can remove debris that can be causing the problem.
Are your electric bills higher than expected?
A spike in your electric bill could indicate a problem with your air conditioning unit. If you switch your air filters and still experience problems, have diagnostic tests run on your unit to help determine why your AC is working harder than normal.
ABC Can Help Homeowners During Springtime
Our homes provide us with a place to relax, to entertain and to spend quality time with friends and family. Our Austin Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017 provides you with a starting point of what you can do this spring in and around your home so that you can better enjoy your indoor and outdoor living spaces. Many of us are so busy that keeping up with home maintenance and thinking about making improvements can seem overwhelming at times. It’s good to know that ABC Home & Commercial Services is there to lend a helping hand, whether it’s to help get that pollen off windows and patios, put in a new flower bed, install mosquito control misting stations, give the air conditioner a tune-up, clean your pool or take over another item on our seemingly never-ending to-do lists.
