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How to Lengthen the Lifespan of Your Washer and Dryer

. Posted by in • Austin

Get more use out of your appliances with smart preventative maintenance

“They don’t make things like they used to” is a common complaint when something big like a washer or dryer breaks down. Although nothing lasts forever, a little care and diligence can help major appliances keep going for many years. Get the most out of the 12-year average life span of your washer and the 13 years expected from a dryer with these simple maintenance tips.

Be Clean

Prevent the buildup of detergent and lint by cleaning both the inside and outside surfaces of your washer and dryer on a regular basis. Empty the dryer lint trap every time you remove a load, and find out if your washer also has a lint trap that should be cleared to prevent poor drainage.

Aim for Efficiency

Follow manufacturer instructions to avoid overloading your washer and dryer. Learn which settings are appropriate for different load sizes … Read Full Post »

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5 Ways Your Landscaping Can Boost Your Energy Efficiency

. Posted by in • Austin

Beautify your lawn and conserve resources at the same time

Smart landscape design can lower your energy bills all year long. Learning how to arrange plantings for maximum efficiency transforms your lawn into a beautiful oasis that works to reduce heating and cooling costs. Start saving now with these energy-efficient landscaping tips for your Austin home.

Cool Down with Trees

Shade trees have the power to cool your yard by as much as six degrees and reduce indoor temperatures up to 25%. A cooler house can make your air conditioner run 10% more efficiently throughout the season. This not only reduces energy use but also prolongs the life of the unit by reducing wear from regular operation.

Create Dead Space

Planting vines, shrubs and bushes near the walls of your home traps an insulating pocket of “dead air” that helps regulate temperatures in all seasons. Place plants far enough away so that there will be … Read Full Post »

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Is Your AC System Asking for Help?

. Posted by in • Austin

7 Signs It’s Time to Service or Replace Your Unit

Austin’s hot summer climate means a serious workout for your air conditioning unit. Just like a football star playing hard in the heat, your AC unit may struggle to keep up with your demands. If you’re worried that your AC can’t keep up, it’s time to study the signs that your unit is in trouble.

Four Indicators That It’s Time to Service Your System

Sometimes, all your AC system needs in order to work well is a little time and attention. Keep in mind that your unit might need service or repair at times other than you expect. Call a pro if any of the four following symptoms sound familiar to you.

The flow of cold air seems weak. Your AC unit comes on and produces cool air, but it doesn’t seem to be circulating throughout your home. This could point to HVAC or … Read Full Post »

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5 Ways to Freeze Out Bugs This Winter

. Posted by in • Austin

Keeping your home pest-free so you can enjoy the cooler weather

Winter in Austin may not be a snowy wonderland, but it’s still cold enough to make the warmth of your home seem inviting to pests. From crawling insects to creeping rodents, here’s how to banish these intruders and take back control of the house.

Clear Yard Clutter

Pests hiding in outdoor messes can easily move indoors if you don’t clean up before winter. Clear the leaves out of gutters and sweep them off the porch. Move mulch away from the house and get rid of anything else that might provide a warm, damp haven for cold-weather pests.

Burn Bridges

While you don’t literally want to burn anything, it’s a good idea to check for overhanging tree branches and other potential gateways for pests to enter your home. Wood piles kept next to the house are another prime example of pest habitats. Relocate the wood … Read Full Post »

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Solving the Mystery of Small Dirt Piles

. Posted by in • Austin

What are worm castings, and how do they help with lawn care?

When digging around in your garden, you’ve probably come across worms making their way through the dirt. The more worms you see, the healthier the soil is likely to be, but why exactly is that?

What Goes In Must Come Out

As worms tunnel from one place to another, they munch on organic matter, process it, and excrete what are called castings. Also known as vermicast, this nutrient-rich “worm manure” can be produced in controlled settings and used as a rich natural fertilizer.

Benefits of Worm Castings

Vermicast offers many benefits for your Austin lawn and garden, including:

• Improved soil aeration
• Higher levels of beneficial micro-organisms
• Higher concentrations of bioavailable nutrients such as nitrogen, calcium and potash
• Better plant growth and yield with fewer diseases
• Stronger root systems
• Recycling waste products
• Natural, chemical-free fertilization
• Attraction of more worms to further improve soil health

In … Read Full Post »

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Cool Facts About Bug Hibernation

. Posted by in • Austin

Good, Bad and Beautiful Snoozers

There’s nothing like a blast of central Texas cold to eliminate summer pests from the scene, but they don’t all disappear when the chill sets in. Some insects sneak into your house, burrow into the lawn or tuck away deep inside trees. Three local bugs have mastered the snug art of hibernating through our coldest Austin winters.

The Good

It’s impossible not to smile when you spot a lady bug. Whether it’s a bright red specimen or a shiny yellow version, the beneficial insect is welcome in gardens throughout the area. The lady bug has a great reputation for keeping aphids and other flower-destroying pests under control, but the real credit goes to its larvae. Yes, the youngsters do all the work. This pretty beetle can become a problem when the temperatures drop. They can migrate into walls, attics and your home’s HVAC system.

The Bad

You won’t run across … Read Full Post »

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What’s New in the World of Smart Appliances?

. Posted by in • Austin

Perpetual connectivity is coming soon to your home

Is your home as tech-savvy as the 4% of American households currently using smart appliances? If you’re still only thinking about connecting the entire house to the Internet, don’t worry; 70% of homeowners are also in the planning stages. Here’s a taste of what you can expect when the wave of the future hits your home.

Smart Refrigerators

Gone are the days when having an ice maker in the refrigerator door was a novelty. Today’s smart refrigerators are able to keep track of the food you store inside and find recipes on the Internet that use those ingredients. Some, like the models from Samsung, can even interact with social media, much to the delight of Internet foodies.

Intuitive Washers

When you just can’t get the stubborn stains out of your clothes, a smart washer can connect to its manufacturer and download instructions for a specific cycle to … Read Full Post »

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Is a Water Leak Driving Up Your Monthly Bill?

. Posted by in • Austin

Tracking down stubborn leaks to save water and money

Hidden leaks around the house or in exterior infrastructure can sap your water supply and jack up your bills. If you suspect a leak, follow these steps to figure out where all that water is going and how to stop it.

Look at the Meter

Your water meter should have a leak detector that moves to indicate unwanted water usage. You can check this or read the meter, wait about an hour without using any water, then read it again. A change could indicate the presence of a leak.

Should you find a problem, shut off the water to your home from the main valve and go have another look at the leak indicator. An exterior leak will cause it to continue to move while no movement suggests a leak inside the house.

Check the Usual Suspects

Faucets and toilets are the most obvious sources of indoor … Read Full Post »

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The Battle Against Termites…and Their Farts

. Posted by in • Austin

Termites are best known for their big appetites, but munching on your floorboards isn’t the only thing they do well. From familiar household dwellers to exotic colonies living in giant tropical mounds, different termites all around the world share the same embarrassing secret. Thanks to their insatiable taste for cellulose, the building block of plant life, termites can’t stop passing gas—a habit that may be polluting our planet.

The Link Between Termite Gas and Global Warming

We can’t smell termite gas, so what’s the big deal? At the heart of the issue is methane, the toxic compound termites release as part of their normal digestive functions. Odorless and colorless, methane belongs to a group of dangerous greenhouses gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, accelerating climate change and eventually causing irreversible environmental damage. On their own, termites don’t emit enough methane to cause a whole lot of harm, but as a global … Read Full Post »

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Shower Water Not Hot Enough During Winter? Here’s What To Do

. Posted by in • Austin
Shower Water Not Hot Enough

Have you ever hopped in the shower on a winter day, only to be greeted by a jet of freezing cold water? Several different factors could explain why your water heater might be having trouble maintaining a consistent temperature during colder weather.

Should You Turn Up Your Water Heater During Winter?

If it starts taking longer for your shower water to warm up, your first instinct might be to turn up the temperature to your hot water heater. Before you take that step, you may want to consider other solutions, and whether the problem with your hot water isn’t linked to the weather outside.

Why Water Temperature Drops

Just as summer weather makes it harder to get cool water in the shower, colder weather means lower temperatures in the air and underground. These conditions chill the water entering your water heater, causing the unit to have to work harder to reach the right temperature. … Read Full Post »

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