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San Antonio Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017

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San Antonio Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017

 

Spring is a great time of year to turn your focus as a homeowner to how to improve your living and outdoor spaces. The return of nicer weather is also a great excuse to get out, enjoying all San Antonio has to offer.

San Antonio Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017

ABC Home & Commercial Services has been making life easier for homeowners for over 60 years. Our San Antonio Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017 is full of resources and helpful information to continue on that tradition.

The 9-page Guide includes:

  • Ten Things to Do in San Antonio This Spring
  • Spring Home Maintenance Checklist
  • Spring Cleaning List of Where to Donate or Dispose of Common Household Items Locally
  • Advice on How to Mosquito-Proof Your Yard
  • Spring Gardening Tips
  • 6 Signs You May Need to Repair Your AC
  • What You Need to Know About Oak Wilt
  • Easy Home Improvement Projects

Download the guide here. Read on for a taste of the information you’ll find … Read Full Post »

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Early Signs of Termites

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Early signs of termites

Termite damage to your home can be a costly—not to mention stressful—problem to resolve. That’s why preventing termite infestation before it begins is the best way to avoid the extensive damage that can be caused by these invasive pests.

Early Signs of Termites

Fortunately, there are many ways to spot early signs of termites, so you can treat the problem before it spreads. Read on to learn more about warning signs that might indicate termites are nearby, and what to do if you suspect there is termite activity in or around your home.

Types of Termites

North America is home to two main varieties of termites: subterranean and drywood. 

Subterranean termites need plenty of moisture to survive, so they make their nests in soil. Their nests are connected to food sources such as fence posts, trees or houses, by way of mud tubes. Subterranean termites eat along the grain of soft wood. The distinctive honeycomb … Read Full Post »

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How To Start a Vegetable Garden From Scratch

. Posted by in • San Antonio
How to start a vegetable garden from scratch

There is nothing quite like enjoying food that you grow yourself. Whether you are just looking for some herbs to add to recipes, a way to spend quality time with your family outside or if you want to embark upon something more ambitious, homeowners should know that starting a vegetable garden from scratch is not impossible if you learn the basics.

How to Start a Vegetable Garden from Scratch

Although springtime is the most popular time to start a garden, the growing season in warmer parts of the country is virtually year-round. Whenever you decide to give Central Texas gardening a try, we have some tips to help set you up for success.

Prepare Your Garden Bed

Choose a spot in your yard that receives full sun. In hotter climates, a fence or building that shades the plot during the hottest afternoon hours can give your plants a helpful reprieve from the heat and … Read Full Post »

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How to Trim a Tree

. Posted by in • San Antonio
how to trim a tree

The most valuable part of your home’s landscape is the trees. Healthy, mature shade trees significantly improve a home’s curb appeal and value, and often reduce energy costs.

How To Trim a Tree

In this article, we’ll look at how you can safely trim a tree without causing harm to the tree itself.

Why Should You Prune a Tree?

There are a number of reasons why a homeowner might want to trim trees on their property. Here are a few of the reasons why pruning a tree makes sense:

  • Removing dead limbs before they can cause damage to property, people or pets.
  • Allowing more sunlight into the yard.
  • Preventing rodents and other pests from using branches as a pathway to your roof.
  • Eliminating branches that interfere with fencing, structures or other landscaping.
  • Creating a better shape or removing erratic growth.
  • Removing suckers (new growth) at the base … Read Full Post »
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How To Dispose of Household Items in San Antonio

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How to dispose of trash San Antonio

Just because we can throw an item in the trash can doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. You probably already know that there’s a list of household items that don’t belong in the trash—just as you know there are things you can’t put in your sink’s garbage disposal. But what should you do with other common items around your home, such as light bulbs, appliances, electronics and everyday cleaning products?

Read Full Post »

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Where To Donate Household Items In San Antonio

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Where to donate household items San Antonio

Wondering where to donate household items in the San Antonio area? Maybe you’ve cleared out a closet or two—or an entire attic or garage—and now you have boxes on your hands full of things you know shouldn’t end up in the landfill, but shouldn’t hang around your living space any longer, either.

Clearing your home of clutter is a process with many benefits, including emotional ones for you and life-changing ones for others, if you choose to donate your unwanted items to a charitable organization that works to help people in need. All you need to do is find out where to donate unwanted items, including San Antonio clothing donation dropoff locations, and you can get started on improving your own life along with someone else’s.

Where to Donate Household Items in San Antonio

The San Antonio area has many options for donating your used clothing, furniture, household goods and other items. … Read Full Post »

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Everything You Need To Know About San Antonio Rodents [INFOGRAPHIC]

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San Antonio Texas rats

Rodents are everywhere. Everywhere, that is, except Antarctica. These animals are native to every other continent on Earth.

Sometimes cute and furry and sometimes menacing, there are many different types of rodents. From the world’s largest rodent, the capybara, which can grow to be the size of a dog to the pygmy jerboa, which reaches only five centimeters long, these animals have had a significant impact on humans.  

The most common types of rodents homeowners encounter are mice and rats. While these furry creatures can serve as pets, many of us find the presence of these animals in and around their homes to be a nuisance at best and a dangerous pest when it comes to transmitting disease and damaging or destroying property.

For decades, ABC has helped remove rodents, pest and other types of wildlife from home and businesses. See how much you know about types of rats in San Antonio, … Read Full Post »

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Where Do Silverfish Come From?

. Posted by in • San Antonio
where do silverfish come from

There’s just something about silverfish that make people’s skin crawl. It could be the animal’s prehistoric appearance, with segmented bodies and long legs and antennae. Or maybe it’s the fact that they tend to show up inside our favorite books or on the bathroom floor in the middle of the night. Whatever it is, for some people these small insects are the stuff of nightmares.

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at what these little creatures are, where silverfish come from and how to get rid of them safely.

What Are Silverfish?

Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) are small, wingless insects. These creatures typically live for two to eight years, and they get their name from their silvery color and the way the wiggle like a fish out of water. They have long antennae and generally don’t get bigger than ¾ of an inch long.

Do Silverfish Bite?

Surprisingly, despite their over-the-top creepy … Read Full Post »

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Do Rats Hibernate In Winter?

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Do rats hibernate in winter

During the colder months, some animals have developed adaptation strategies to survive. Monarch butterflies fly thousands of miles to spend winters in Mexico. Since food is harder to find, squirrels uncover acorns in winter that they buried during the warmer months. We often see geese fly overhead on their way south when it’s colder out. But what about rats?

Do Rats Hibernate During Winter?

As terrified—and repulsed—as you may be when you see a rat during colder months, you can’t help but wonder: “Why am I seeing rats in winter? Don’t they hibernate?” While it’s easy to assume that rats do hibernate, as many pests and outdoor animals do, rodents actually don’t become less active during the colder months. In fact, rats use lower temperatures as an excuse to seek shelter, food and warmth in the place they are not welcome: in our homes.

To learn more about a rat’s winter habits and … Read Full Post »

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How To Grow a Drought Tolerant Lawn

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Keeping your grass green and healthy can be a struggle in parts of the country which regularly experience drought. In these regions, there may be only small fluctuations in climate between seasons, and the summer months can be extremely hot. While the mostly steady climate is reliable and livable for residents, months of dry, rainless days can be taxing on your lawn and garden.

How to Grow a Drought Tolerant Lawn

For homeowners looking for ways to grow a more drought tolerant lawn, there is hope. Read below to learn what you can do to improve your lawn’s resistance to drought.

Water Effectively

It may seem counterintuitive, but overwatering your lawn can do more harm than good for your grass and plants. Watering your lawn several times a week—something many homeowners do—can prevent your lawn’s roots from growing deeper in the soil. In other words, overwatered roots only grow a few inches into the … Read Full Post »

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