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How To Hang Christmas Lights On A Metal Roof

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
Lights laid out for holiday decorating, which has led a homeowner to wonder how to hang Christmas lights on a metal roof

Homeowners with a metal roof don’t have to worry when the holiday season comes around. Even though many outdoor lighting systems are designed for typical shingles or gutters, it’s still possible to hang Christmas lights on a metal roof if you do your research and learn what works and what doesn’t.

Before you get started, you’ll need to gather all the tools you’ll need to hang your lights, so you can avoid having to constantly stop and restart to find another essential item. Here are the main steps involved in getting your home adorned with festive holiday lighting:

  • Gather your strands of lights, as well as other electronic items you might need, such as extension cords and timers.
  • Test each string of lights to make sure they’re working before you start hanging them. There’s nothing more frustrating than spending hours putting up lights, only to find that a bulb is out in the … Read Full Post »
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How Far Should Tree Branches Be From a House?

. Posted by in • Austin
A house surrounded by oak trees that have been trimmed back

Surrounding your house with trees can lend visual appeal to your entire property. Unfortunately, this gorgeous greenery can spell disaster. When trees are too close to your home, the roots can destroy your foundation, and branches hanging over your roof can cause a whole range of problems.

As a general rule, trees should be at least 10 to 20 feet from your home, but the exact distance depends on the size of the tree, its canopy and its root system. Ideally, no part of a tree should touch your home, and branches that hang over your roofline should be trimmed regularly. These limbs can be responsible for serious damage if they break and fall. Not only can your roof or other property surrounding your house be impacted, but your family or houseguests could be put at risk for injury.

At the very least, any branches that hang over the house should be … Read Full Post »

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Do Christmas Lights Use a Lot of Electricity?

. Posted by in • Austin
A home that has been decorated with multiple strands of lights, which may make the homeowner wonder if Christmas lights use a lot of electricity

Do you dream of creating a holiday wonderland at home at Christmastime, complete with lights galore to capture the warmth of the season? Many of us do, but that heartwarming vision of twinkling lights might immediately be followed up with questions about what your electricity bill will amount to if you go with an extensive festive display. After all, with people coming and going, and running your heater during the wintertime, you may not know exactly how much electricity Christmas lights use.

With the holidays already being an expensive time of year, a high electric bill can certainly dim the festive cheer of an extensive lights display. Fortunately, a home Christmas lights display might be more affordable than you think, and there are several ways to limit your electricity use while still putting on a show the neighbors will remember for years to come.

It’s to be expected that a few weeks’ … Read Full Post »

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How to Hang Christmas Lights from Gutters

. Posted by in • Austin
Christmas lights attached to gutters with plastic clips

The holiday season brings lots of fun, but it also takes quite a bit of planning. You have to make time for family, friends, holiday parties, shopping and much more. Decorating your property so that it looks beautiful and festive for the season takes some forethought, as hanging Christmas lights incorrectly can cause damage to your home and the lights, and even harm a visitor. A popular and attractive method to hang lights is to string them across the top of your garage. This is why it’s important to learn how to hang Christmas lights from your gutters correctly.

The first step to decorating with Christmas lights the right way is to gather your tools and get prepared before you get started. Every homeowner can decide among different types and brands of lights and fasteners. By getting everything ready before you start, you’re less likely to have to run to the … Read Full Post »

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Texas Evergreen Shrubs: Which Are Best?

. Posted by in , • Austin
A Japanese boxwood shrub which is considered a Texas evergreen shrub

Homeowners often choose to add bushes to their front yards to add height and texture, enhance security and improve the aesthetic appeal of a landscape. If you are considering making this investment and you live in the Lone Star State, you probably want to learn more about Texas evergreen shrubs, particularly since you want to make sure your new plants survive in our hot and dry climate. Usually, your best bet is to consult with a landscaping professional to recommend which species would work best in your yard, given not only our climate, but also your soil type, sun exposure and watering preferences. If you’d prefer to go the DIY route, however, we have a few suggestions for you.

Yaupon Holly

Whether you’re looking for an evergreen hedge or a topiary plant, yaupon holly is a popular choice in residential areas, and for good reason. This evergreen shrub is easy to trim … Read Full Post »

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Compost vs. Mulch: What’s Best for My Yard?

. Posted by in , • Austin
A homeowner holding a handful of compost

Many homeowners don’t understand the differences between compost and mulch, which makes it hard to know which would be more beneficial for their yards. It can be tricky to determine which one you should use, not to mention where and when, especially since both compost and mulch play important roles in helping grass and plants become part of a flourishing landscape. People also sometimes use the terms compost and mulch interchangeably, although these are actually two very different things with distinct benefits and potential applications in your yard. By taking a deeper look to learn more about what each one is and what it’s best used for, you’ll better understand what to use for your particular situation.

Let’s start with compost. This is the stuff that starts out looking something like food waste and winds up looking a lot like dirt, once nature has taken its course and the compost has … Read Full Post »

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How to Trim Large Trees and When To Hire a Pro

. Posted by in • Austin
The underside of an oak tree on a sunny day

Trees can add great beauty, curb appeal and value to a home, but when their branches grow so long that they begin to scrape against the house or become a falling hazard during a storm, many homeowners want to know how to trim their large trees. Tree trimming refers to when you must remove a few branches to avoid these kinds of problems.

Meanwhile, tree pruning is when you remove multiple branches. There are many benefits of pruning a mature tree, including removing dead or diseased branches, increasing light and airflow to the tree’s inner canopy and reducing the risk of a branch falling and potentially causing harm. Trimming large trees involves working with specialized tools and demanding physical labor, which is why many homeowners have their trees professionally trimmed regularly. If you want to know the steps involved or think you might be up for the job, you’ll want to … Read Full Post »

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When to Plant Zoysia Grass and Other Lawn Care Tips

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
A backyard with newly planted zoysia grass

If you’re planning to lay new sod in your yard and you are considering zoysia for its heat-tolerant and drought-resistant qualities, you need to know when to plant zoysia grass to ensure that it will have the best possible chance to thrive. This grass is popular among homeowners in warmer climates because it can withstand a lot of abuse in the form of hot sun and minimal rainfall, but it’s still important to give zoysia its best start, to make sure your lawn will be lush, green and healthy.

It’s easy to see why zoysia is well-loved by landscapers and homeowners alike. Though it is considered a warm-season grass, zoysia also tolerates cold well, so it can easily thrive in all but the very coldest parts of the country. It loves full sun but can also take moderate amounts of shade, and because its blades grow so densely together, it is … Read Full Post »

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How Often Should I Mow My Lawn?

. Posted by in , • Austin
Someone mowing their lawn

When caring for your outdoor spaces, one of the first considerations is how often you should mow your lawn. A number of factors will dictate the frequency of your mowing schedule, including the type of grass you have in your yard and the climate in your geographical region. As a general rule of thumb, during the colder portions of the year, when most varieties of grass go into their dormant phase, you shouldn’t have to mow your lawn often, if at all.

During the warmer seasons, however, you’ll need to mow regularly. For most yards, that means mowing once a week, or at least two to three times a month. The most important consideration when it comes to cutting your grass is how tall a healthy sprout is. Three of the most common grasses throughout the warmer regions of the United States are zoysia, St. Augustine and Bermuda grass and each … Read Full Post »

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Pruning Salvias: How To Care For These Ornamentals

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
When it comes to pruning, salvias known as scarlet sage don't require too much work

Salvias are popular ornamental plants that provide a pop of color in your yard and can withstand extreme temperatures. There are over nine hundred different species of salvias, each with different flowers and smells. Salvias thrive in warm climates and don’t need much water, making them a relatively low maintenance plant in Texas and other southern states. Pruning salvias can enhance their appearance and help these plants stay healthy throughout the year. There are three main categories of salvias, and each should be pruned slightly differently.

Deciduous Herbaceous Salvias

Deciduous herbaceous salvias are shrub-like and have soft stems. These salvias include:

  • Pineapple sage, also known as tangerine sage
  • Mexican Bush sage
  • Waverly sage
  • Bog sage
  • Gentian sage

These types of sage are relatively easy to prune. In the winter, older, soft stems will die off or freeze, so you’ll want to wait until the spring to do your pruning. Any old growth that is left on the plant … Read Full Post »

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