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ABC Dallas Takes Home Angie’s List Super Service Award

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

Prize Proves We’re Trusted by North Texans and Feared by Pests

To rid your home of nasty critters and harmful insects, you need a pest control company with experience, expertise, and a sterling reputation. But how do you identify such a company? Well, if a business wins the 2013 Angie’s List Super Service Award—as we did—that’s definitely a powerful endorsement.

Angie’s List is a nationally-known customer protection brand. This website collects tens of thousands of reviews from consumers every month that rate and discuss the services provided by companies in more than 700 different categories. Today, millions of Americans rely on the aggregate judgments that this website renders.

The Angie’s List Super Service Award is not easy to win. To be considered for this honor, a company must consistently earn rave reviews. Specifically, it needs a recent A average and an A average during the periods when the website’s selection committee chooses award … Read Full Post »

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Do Dirty Homes Attract Pests?

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

Good Housekeeping Habits Won’t Necessarily Keep Pests at Bay

Like many people, you may have always thought that pests won’t invade your home as long as you keep it neat and clean. If only it were that simple. While it’s true that some pests are drawn to less-than-sanitary conditions, many others will make themselves at home in even the tidiest of places. Therefore, you shouldn’t take an infestation as a sign that your housekeeping skills need honing.

With that being said, it’s never a bad idea to keep the premises as clean as possible. Pests like cockroaches, rodents and ants seek out places where they can easily find food, and homes that aren’t swept, vacuumed and scrubbed down regularly attract them like moths to a flame. You’ve probably seen this in action yourself. In some parts of Texas, leaving even a few crumbs on a patio will instantly attract large numbers of … Read Full Post »

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How to Ease the Burn of a Fire Ant’s Bite

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

When a fire ant bites you, you’ll notice it. The venom that fire ants secrete causes pain, itchiness and small red welts. Symptoms usually go away within a couple of days, but those days can seem like an eternity. Fortunately, there are several ways to minimize the sting of fire ant bites.

Allergen Warning

Very few people are allergic to fire ant venom. Pain and slight swelling are to be expected in the case of a fire ant bite, but you should waste no time in going to the emergency room if any of the following symptoms manifest, as they may indicate a serious allergic reaction:

• Parts of your body other than where the bite occurred begin to swell, itch or break out in hives
• Stomach discomfort, vomiting or diarrhea
• Difficulty breathing
• Tongue, throat or lip swelling
• Trouble swallowing
• Dizziness or blackouts

How to Deal with Fire Ants and Their Bites

Since fire ants … Read Full Post »

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Why Aren’t Your Rat Traps Working?

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

If you have recently spotted mice or rats in your home, you might have set a couple of traps to try to capture them. Unfortunately, rat traps really aren’t the best solution to a rodent problem.

Some Traps Just Don’t Work

Many traps are not sensitive enough to pick up on the lightweight scurrying of a mouse or rat, so rodents can run right over them without getting trapped.

Some Rodents Are Very Crafty

A lot of rodents are experienced with traps and able to snatch the cheese right off of them without getting trapped. Many are frightened of these apparatuses and will avoid them completely. In most cases, mice and rats can find food in your home without having to resort to snatching it from a trap.

Dealing with a Trapped Rodent Isn’t Pleasant

If you have ever had to deal with the remains in a rat trap, you know that it really isn’t a … Read Full Post »

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Why “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” Is a Bad Way to Protect Your Home from Termites

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

We’ve all heard the old phrase, “Out of sight, out of mind.” If you apply it to some things, like dieting, it works wonders: Stash those Keebler brownies and you might find it’s easier to lose weight. On the other hand, it’s a horrible method of dealing with other problems. One such problem is termites. Just because you don’t see swarms of hungry insects eating through your home’s wood doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Termites do their work behind the walls. That said, termite colonies often leave clues if you know what to look for.

Pest Control Inspection

How many times have you taken your car in for an oil change only to have the mechanic tell you that you have some serious engine trouble looming on the horizon? One of the best things you can do to guard against a termite infestation is to invest in regular pest control inspection. Professionals … Read Full Post »

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Staying Warm and Cost-Efficient with Home Automation

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

When the cold weather sets in, homeowners can experience common and persistent problems with their heating system. For example, one part of the house feels excessively warm, while another is freezing. Or this one: You aren’t home very often, but turning your heat off is out of the question—no one enjoys the idea of coming back to a frigid home at the end of the day. Installing a state-of-the-art home automation system can be the perfect answer for all your heating woes, one that can save you a lot of aggravation, money and effort.

Control Your Indoor Climate

With the help of programmable thermostats, you will be able to set temperatures for various times of the day. For instance, you can choose to increase the temperature of your home just in time for when your family returns back from school and work. With multiple zoning systems, you can choose to heat up … Read Full Post »

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The Never-Ending War Against Pests

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

Dealing with insects, rodents and other household pests can be a major pain. More than being simply embarrassing and uncomfortable, it can cause reputation issues and property damage. Although keeping your home pest free isn’t easy, following these tips will help you keep all of these pesky creatures at bay.

Keep Your Home Clean and Clutter Free

It’s essential to keep your home as clean and free of clutter as possible if you want to eliminate pests and keep them from living in your home. Although not all homes that have pest infestations are messy, unsanitary conditions are very appealing to many common pests.

Establish a regular cleaning routine and keep clutter to a minimum. Also, make sure that you store food in tightly sealed containers or zip-top bags, and don’t leave dirty dishes or garbage lying around. Although it can be difficult to get in the habit of keeping your house tidy … Read Full Post »

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Keeping the Grass Greener on Your Side

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

As the weather cools, it can take more and more work to keep your lawn looking healthy and green. Instead of throwing in the towel and putting off your lawn care and maintenance projects until the spring, let the pros at ABC Home & Commercial Services of Dallas take over. In this post, we’ve outlined four professional lawn care projects that can save time and reduce your stress level during the cool season.

1. De-Stress Fertilization and Weed Control

Although fertilization is especially important for cool-season grasses, it’s important to take steps to protect the health of your lawn throughout the year. We use winter-safe fertilizers to prepare your grass for the cold days ahead. These applications might be tricky and stressful to pull off on your own, but they’re a snap for our seasoned lawn care team.

Cool-season weed control is also key. While occasional frosts and freezes can limit weed growth … Read Full Post »

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Sleep Soundly in a Bedbug-Free Home

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

“Sleep tight and don’t let the bedbugs bite,” goes the old saying. If you thought that was just a nonsensical nursery rhyme dreamed up by poor peasants in the long-ago times, you wouldn’t be alone. Unfortunately, you’d also be wrong. Bedbugs are a growing problem in major metropolitan areas, including Dallas, and homeowners just like you are starting to get fed up. To help, we’ve put together some useful tips on identifying, controlling and preventing bedbug infestations.

Identifying Bedbug Infestations

Adult bedbugs have a distinctive appearance. Their bodies are oval-shaped, relatively flat and roughly the size of an apple seed. Hatchlings are harder to pick out: They can be nearly transparent and often aren’t any bigger than a poppy seed.

Most people realize that they’re dealing with a bedbug infestation after noticing tiny blood spots on their bedding materials or discovering multiple bites over the course of days or weeks. Like mosquitoes, bedbugs … Read Full Post »

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Silverfish out of Water

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

While goldfish are relaxing to watch, nobody feels compelled to chill out at the sight of silverfish. Silverfish insects, like actual fish, are covered in tiny scales. Their flat, silver-grey or brown teardrop-shaped bodies don’t seem too intimidating, but their long antennae and projectile rear bristles can send the squeamish running for cover. If you do run from a silverfish, run fast—they’re known for their speed, and they can jump up to two feet vertically. Fortunately, they won’t chase you, and they don’t present any medical threat unless you fall and hurt yourself while trying to get away from them. However, they can wreak havoc on your home.

What’s on the Silverfish Menu?

As expert chewers, silverfish can demolish your food stores and paper-based materials. They love carbohydrates like sugar, cereal and flour, but they’ll also eat dried meats, toothpaste, shampoo, wallpaper, books, boxes and glue. It’s hard for a home to … Read Full Post »

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