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My Pool Turned Green Overnight: What Should I Do?

. Posted by in • Houston
pool turned green overnight

It can be a nasty shock when you discover that the normally clear, sky-blue water in your pool turned green overnight. Why is my pool green? Typically, algae is the source of green pool water, and it’s certainly possible that it took over quickly, even overnight. This is especially likely if it is very warm outside, since algae blooms more rapidly in warmer temperatures. It is even more common, however, for there to have been an ongoing, undetected chemical imbalance in your pool water that enabled algae to grow.

As a rule of thumb, the deeper the shade of green, the more algae has bloomed. If your pool has just a mild green tint to it, that’s a good thing—it means you’ve likely noticed the problem before it has gone too far, which should make it easier to treat. The first step toward getting your pool back to normal? Determining the … Read Full Post »

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Household Bugs In Florida: Which Ones To Watch Out For

. Posted by in • Orlando
household bugs Florida

You can’t keep your home free of insect invaders if you don’t know much about Florida’s different types of household bugs. Most residents are surprised to learn that our state is an ideal habitat for a long list of these tiny creatures, including roaches, beetles, flies, cicadas, ants, bees and wasps, earwigs, moths and butterflies, mantids, crickets, grasshoppers, as well as several other types of uninvited insect guests.

While many of us have noticed an ant crawling behind our morning cup of coffee or even a roach scurrying along one of the surfaces in your bathroom late at night, other creatures may lurk inside your home that you aren’t as familiar with. That’s when it’s good to arm yourself with knowledge, so you can identify what you are seeing and know how to evict these critters from your home. In this post, we’ll discuss two of the Sunshine State’s most problematic … Read Full Post »

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When To Open A Pool In Texas: A Complete Guide

. Posted by in • Houston
When To Open Pool

If you look forward to swimming in your own backyard oasis, as the winter months come to a close, your thoughts probably turn to when to open your pool. While that’s not always the case for every pool owner, winter can be painful for those of us who like to spend time outdoors, especially in those parts of the country where we are used to sunshine and short sleeves nearly year-round. Here in Texas, most of us open our pools for the season when the temperature is consistently above 70 degrees. Since we can have some strange cold fronts some years, that can be in mid-March some years and not until early April in others.

Before we know it, we will be lounging poolside, dipping our toes in refreshing, crystal-clear water and enjoying warmer weather. Until that time comes, you may be wondering how to clean a swimming pool after winter, which … Read Full Post »

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Get Rid Of Swarming Termites To Protect Your Home

. Posted by in , • Houston
Get Rid Of Swarming Termites

During the spring, homeowners may begin to notice animals and plants that may have been inactive or dormant during the coldest months of the year.

While blooming plants and baby animals make most of us feel warm and fuzzy inside, some creatures that become more visible when the temperatures climb are less likely to inspire the same kind of positive feelings. One example? Termites.

If you see a flying bug with wings, you might be seeing an ant, but you could be seeing a termite. If you spotted the latter, you want to nip the problem in the bud as fast as possible. You probably already know why, but just to give you a reminder, we’re going to hit the highlights real quick.

Why should you jump into action if you see termites?

We all know that fire and natural disasters can do a lot of expensive damage. Did you realize that termites cause more … Read Full Post »

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At What Temperature Does Grass Stop Growing?

. Posted by in • Houston
what temperature does grass stop growing

During the winter months, when temperatures across the United States drop for several months at a stretch, most varieties of grass that people use in their yards go dormant—meaning, their active growth cycles slow down. The grass is still alive, but it is in a state of suspended animation. During this time, your yard may lose quite a bit of its bright, deeply green hue. Your plants might even look diseased or dead, and will certainly appear dry. While your lawn might look lifeless, lawn experts will tell you that dormant grass is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do when nutrients aren’t as readily available as they are during the warmer, sunnier months.

Since grass goes dormant in the winter, many people do not need to mow their yards more than a few times throughout the entire winter season and often debate on when to start mowing the lawn again. … Read Full Post »

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Types Of Roaches In Texas: What Homeowners Should Know

. Posted by in • Houston
Types of Roaches in Texas

It’s every homeowner’s worst nightmare: you are going through a box in a garage and you unintentionally disturb a  cockroach. Or worse still, multiple roaches.

As it (or they) skitter toward the darkest possible corners, you run inside, disgusted and call your spouse, explaining what happened. After you calm down a bit, your partner asks: “What kind of roaches were they?”

A majority of homeowners have no idea what kind of cockroaches they’re dealing with. Most of us aren’t exactly roach experts, after all, and barely anyone likes to get up close and personal with the critters.

Why does it matter, anyways?

Most Texans are surprised to hear that there are about 30 different cockroach species in our state alone, and that the type of roach infesting your home can inform how you can try to get rid of them—and what you might do to prevent future infestations.

Unfortunately, getting rid of roaches may be … Read Full Post »

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Florida Rats: What Homeowners Need To Know

. Posted by in , • Orlando
Florida rats

There are many types of rats in Florida, but there are three common types of rodent pests that Florida homeowners are most likely to encounter living in their homes, garages, or elsewhere on their property. While there are similarities and differences among these three main types of Florida rats, what homeowners need to know about all of them is that rats and other wild rodents pose a genuine threat to our homes, as well as to our health.

Rats can cause extensive property damage as they build nests and chew their way through wood, electrical wires, drywall, and more. Rats and other wild rodents are known for spreading severe diseases to humans and other animals. One of them is bubonic plague—the same sickness that spread like wildfire during the Middle Ages, killing off over half the entire population of Europe.

Even if you never come into direct contact with a rat … Read Full Post »

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Can You See Bed Bugs With The Human Eye?

. Posted by in , • Houston
Can you see bed bugs with the human eye

It’s an all-too-common scenario: You wake up one morning, or perhaps even several mornings in a row, with suspicious, itchy bites on your skin—and you wonder whether you might be dealing with a bed bug infestation. How can you tell if you’ve had a run-in with a bed bug or some other type of biting insect, such as mosquitoes, fleas, chiggers or ticks? Can you see bed bugs with the human eye? What are some telltale signs of a bed bug bite or a full-on infestation? Read on to learn the answers to these common questions and more.

How To Find Bed Bugs During The Day

For anyone wondering whether they can see bed bugs with the human eye, the short answer is yes—adult bed bugs are about the same size, shape and color as an apple seed, so they are certainly visible with the naked human eye. The longer answer, however, … Read Full Post »

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Do Rats Eat Dog Poop? Your Questions Answered

. Posted by in • Houston
do rats eat dog poop

Many homeowners who have dogs may wonder, Do rats eat dog poop? Before you begin to snicker, consider that it’s a fair (and common) question, especially if you’re dealing with a rat problem—or even a full-fledged rat infestation. Trying to figure out what food sources you’re inadvertently providing your unwelcome visitors is a smart strategy since prevention is almost always easier than finding a cure. To put it another way, it’s easier, not to mention safer and more humane, to make your home and property unattractive to rats than to try to deal with a rat infestation by trapping or coming into close contact with the rodents themselves.

To keep rats away from your home and yard, or to get rid of them once they’ve moved in, it’s essential to have an effective plan in place. Rats aren’t just “gross,” scary or pesky; they can actually pose a real danger to … Read Full Post »

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Do Raccoons Eat Cats? Protecting Pets From Wildlife

. Posted by in , • Orlando
Do raccoons eat cats

Do raccoons eat cats? It’s a question many cat-loving homeowners have pondered. If you have a furry companion that spends time outdoors, especially at night, you may worry about your cat’s safety, and with good reason. While raccoons tend not to be aggressive, cats sometimes can be, and backyard standoffs may result when there is a dispute over territory or, especially, food.

Fights between felines and raccoons are not unheard of, and raccoons can carry rabies, roundworm, and other infectious diseases, so any clash between a cat and a raccoon poses a potential threat to the cat’s health, not to mention your own. So yes, under some circumstances, raccoons can and will kill a cat; if they do, they may go as far as eating your beloved pet. For all of these reasons, it’s essential to learn about raccoons and their behavior around household pets, so you’ll know how to keep … Read Full Post »

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