ABC Blog

Fire Safety Tips To Keep Your Loved Ones Safe All Year Long

fire safety tips

Cold winter nights call for warm beverages, movie nights, and of course, curling up by the fireplace.

Keep Your Loved Ones Safe With These Fire Safety Tips

Before you light the fire and cuddle up under a few blankets, there are a few things you should consider. Read our fire safety tips below to keep your family and home safe this winter.

Perform Regular Maintenance

Both wood burning and gas fireplaces are designed to keep your family safe. Still, though, it’s important to perform proper maintenance operations before lighting the first fire of the season.

One of the first things you’ll want to do is ensure your fireplace is clear of obstructions and creosote. This can be done by a professional chimney sweep. Do this annually, before you light your first fire. Your chimney sweep will share other fireplace safety tips with you which may be particularly relevant to your home.

Once your fireplace is … Read Full Post »

Ways to Give Back in Houston

Volunteer opportunities in Houston

Of course, we are biased, but we think Houston is one of the best places to live and work in the entire country. When we volunteer, we can make our city even better. There are a lot of different ways you can get involved.

Volunteer Opportunities in Houston

Let’s look at just a few volunteer opportunities in Houston and the surrounding communities.

Volunteering for Adults

The Houston Food Bank can always use a helping hand. The organization needs folks to help sort, process, and pack food for hungry Houstonians. If you prefer, you can volunteer to prepare meals for kids in the organization’s dedicated kitchen. You can get your employer involved with one of the agency’s corporate programs. For college students and others looking to enhance job skills, the Food Bank also has leadership programs.

Enjoy education and reading? Then the Houston Public Library wants to hear from you. The Library has programs for adults … Read Full Post »

Celebrate The Season With These Houston Holiday Events

Houston holiday events

Houston sparkles during the holiday season, and when it comes to holiday events in Houston, there’s truly something for everyone.

2016 Holiday Events in Houston

Whether you’re on a budget or feeling flush, and whether you love brilliant lights displays, musical or theater performances, or shopping and festivals, the following Christmas events in Houston are sure to help you get into the holiday spirit.

Numerous holiday lights displays transform Houston and neighboring areas into a winter wonderland! Particular favorites include Zoo Lights at the Houston Zoo (through Jan. 15), Magical Winter Lights at Galveston’s Gulf Greyhound Park (through Jan. 8), and Festival of Lights at Galveston’s Moody Gardens (through Jan. 8). Check out our list of the best holiday lights for more ideas.

Holiday train rides at Hermann Park (now through Jan. 13) — Decked out in festive garlands, the train glows after dark with colorful lights. Tickets are $3.50 per person; children … Read Full Post »

Great Teacher Christmas Gift Ideas

Teacher Christmas gift ideas

We all want to save time around the home, and there is no time of year when that’s more appreciated than during the busy holiday season. When thinking about who you need to buy for, your children’s teachers are very likely on your list. What’s the best way to show your appreciation for all the hard work which teachers do all year long? It can be a challenge to come up with the best way to show your gratitude.  

Great Teacher Christmas Gift Ideas

If you have a long to-do list for Christmas, including shopping for a present your child’s teacher, here are some great gift idea suggestions.

For the Busy, Practical Mom

Gift cards are a fast and easy way for busy parents to give teachers exactly what they want or need. You or the designated classroom parent can even collect funds from multiple parents in the class online to give … Read Full Post »

Our Favorite Holiday Traditions

Family holiday traditions

We often think of traditions when the holidays are approaching. These observances help us celebrate the past, enjoy the present, and anticipate the future. Traditions help connect us and reinforce our values.

Maybe you put on the same Christmas music every time you decorate your tree. Perhaps it’s making your grandmother’s pie for your meal on Christmas Eve. It may be as simple as what you leave out for Santa (reindeer food, anyone?).

Here are ABC Home & Commercial Services, we pride ourselves on being a family-owned and operated company which has been serving our customers for over 50 years. We care about our communities and support local charities.

Our Family’s Favorite Holiday Traditions

These are our favorite holiday traditions here in Houston:

Favorite lights displays & events

One tradition that we enjoy is to have a tractor hayride and tour the holiday lights of Prestonwood Forest. This neighborhood is well known in the Houston area … Read Full Post »

What We Love About Houston

Things to do in Houston

Everyone knows that Austin has live music, San Antonio has the world-famous Riverwalk, and Dallas is all about luxury shopping. Meanwhile, Houston residents know that while maybe not as flashy as the other cities in Texas, their city has quietly become one of the best cities in which to live in the entire country.

Let’s take a look why we are glad to call Houston home. With a vibrant economy, beautiful open spaces, world-class museums, star-studded sports teams, and a long list of fantastic things to do in Houston, we at ABC Home & Commercial Services are thankful to live and work in such a great city.

Big City, Big Money

As Texas’ largest city, Houston has a thriving economy, with the tech, energy and construction sectors remaining healthy and driving growth. In fact, Houston is second only to New York in headquartering Fortune 500 businesses.

With the healthy economic outlook, as well … Read Full Post »

How To Decorate Your Home For Christmas [INFOGRAPHIC]

How to decorate your home for Christmas

The holidays are a truly magical time of year.

That said, a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make Christmas special. Before the stockings can be hung by the chimney with care, the box with the Christmas ornaments needs to come down from the attic, the Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations need to be put away, and the house needs to be ready for all your holiday gatherings and guests.

We here at ABC Home & Commercial Services want to help you get ready for the holiday season. We’ve compiled a list of Smart Christmas Decorating Tips so you can spend your precious time doing the things that matter most.

If you need a helping hand this holiday season, know that you can count on us.

From all of us here at ABC, we wish you a Christmas full of special memories.

 

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Your Holiday Playlist

Holiday playlist

Nothing screams holiday cheer like warm chocolate chip cookies, decorative lights, and, of course, festive music. And while the radio constantly plays beloved classics like Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and one of the many popular renditions of “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”, we wanted to think outside the box this year. That’s why we put together our first-ever holiday playlist and included a few Texas-themed tunes to set it apart from the rest.

Grab a cup of warm cocoa, pull up a seat by the fire, and listen to our playlist below. This is a holiday treat you won’t want to miss!

ABC Home & Commercial Services Holiday Playlist

 

Here’s what’s in our holiday playlist:

  • “White Christmas” – Bing Crosby
  • “Big Ole Texas Christmas” – Phil Vassar with Ray Benson
  • “Christmas Day” – Beach Boys
  • “Christmas Time in Texas” – Dale Watson
  • “Blue Christmas” – Elvis
  • “When It’s Christmas Time in Texas” – George … Read Full Post »

How To Throw The Perfect Backyard Party

backyard party ideas

Now that the weather is cooling down, it’s the perfect time of year to host a party in your backyard. You and your guests can relax outside without the sweltering heat or hovering mosquitoes.

Backyard Party Ideas

Though the idea of hosting a party sounds fun, many of us find it overwhelming. All the cooking, decorating, setup and cleanup can seem like a huge chore. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With a little planning, you can host and enjoy the perfect backyard party. Follow these tips to reduce the extra work and amp up the fun.

Think through your party plan

Before sending your invitations out and setting a date, sit down and think about your party plan.

  • Consider choosing a theme for the party and start collecting ideas. Start a Pinterest board (public or secret) to collect backyard party ideas. Don’t get intimidated. This is just one way to get started.
  • What … Read Full Post »

ABC Houston Cares About Its Employees

ABC Houston community

For over 30 years, ABC Home & Commercial Services has helped make life easier for Houston residents.

There’s a reason that ABC is the largest independently-owned and operated pest company in the state. We have built a reputation as a business which cares about the environment and the communities we serve, in addition to providing superior customer service. Most importantly, ABC customers know they can rely on us to get results.

As part of ABC’s commitment to the communities we serve, we believe in providing good, stable jobs. We hire only the best of the best and perform background checks on all our employees. We know that our customers value consistency and that they appreciate seeing the same crews on their property, time after time.

ABC customers can count on our employees to be reliable, but they can also trust that our employees are experienced and highly trained. Having long-term employees means that … Read Full Post »