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Your Guide to Carpenter Ants in Texas

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
two carpenter ants in a texas home

Carpenter ants are a common pest throughout the southern United States, including Texas. Typically, they make their first appearances as the weather begins to turn in late winter. As early spring brings warmer weather, they begin their mating cycle and establish new colonies.

Identification

Carpenter ants, which are pictured above, are one of the larger of the 18 species of ants found in Texas. On average, they are one-quarter to three-eights of an inch in length. Their head is rusty, reddish-brown and their thorax leads to a black body and tail. The flying version of the species is often all black, and can easily be mistaken for termites. To make matters more confusing, they often swarm at the same time. On the other hand, the average worker ants can range in appearance from brownish-yellow to black. Swarmers are most prolific between February and June in Southern areas of the United States. An … Read Full Post »

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What To Do When Your Main Drain Keeps Clogging

. Posted by in • San Antonio
a kitchen with stainless steel appliances

When your toilet doesn’t flush well or your shower starts draining slowly, it can be more than an annoyance. All these situations can be a sign that you have a clog forming in your sewer or septic system. And if wastewater is backing up in your fixtures, it’s a sure sign that your main line is clogged.

What Is a Main Drain?

Your main drain is where all of your homes’ plumbing connects to either a city sewer or a septic system. Branch drains that connect to some of your fixtures, such as all the toilets in your home or the kitchen and bathroom sinks, all meet up at this main drain.

If the water is going down slowly in one sink or a toilet, you probably have a clog in a branch drain. But if you have water coming up in your bathtub, sinks and toilets or all your fixtures are draining … Read Full Post »

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How To Identify Termite Damage Versus Wood Rot

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
termites in dirt

No one wants to see something odd going on with the wood in their homes. Whether it’s a door or window, any kind of damage can send a homeowner into a panic. What if the wood has rotted? Or what if termites have invaded and moved into the home? First, it’s important to know how to tell each type of damage apart from one another.

How to Tell If It Might Be Termites

There are a few tell-tale signs of termites. First, you might see termite swarmers lying dead on a window sill, around a door or flying around. Or you might see mud tubes going up from the ground to your foundation or along a wall in a crawl space. These are shelter tubes that do what they sound like they do. They shelter termites while they march into your home for a wood feast. The third obvious sign is wood … Read Full Post »

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When To Replace An Air Conditioner

. Posted by in • San Antonio
a homeowner calculating if it's worth it to replace their air conditioner

https://blog.abchomeandcommercial.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/When-To-Replace-An-Air-Conditioner-PC-Video-for-Blog-1.mp4

The worst time to discover your air conditioner is failing is when the sun is blazing, there is no breeze and you need some cool air right away. In order to avoid sweating inside your home, waiting for the repair person to save everyone, you will want to know how to tell when your AC is failing so you can be proactive. If you notice any of the following, it’s best to call in a licensed professional to find out exactly what is going on.

  • Loud or increasing noise or vibrations.
  • You notice more dust on your furniture. Your vents could be clogged up.
  • You start to smell a moldy or burning odor from around the AC unit itself, if it is easily accessible. That could mean too much moisture or a problem with wiring.
  • Energy bills spike up suddenly, with no other electrical or gas issues.
  • Nothing happens when you flip on the unit, … Read Full Post »
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The Signs Your Water Heater Is Going Bad

. Posted by in • San Antonio
a water heater

The middle of a shower or load of dishes is a bad time to learn your water heater has stopped working. As unpleasant as that would be, the reality is that a water heater gives signals before it quits working altogether. It’s a good idea to know the signs that your water heater is going bad.

Not Enough Hot Water

If you start having to plan showers around whether you also need to get hot water for other tasks soon after, you probably already know your water heater isn’t producing enough of the hot stuff. The problem might be as simple as a need to turn up the temperature a bit, which you can do and then see if that helps.

If you’re still running out of hot water faster than before, your tank might have a sediment buildup. This often happens in areas where the water contains a large amount of sediment. … Read Full Post »

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What Is a HEPA Air Filter?

. Posted by in • San Antonio
a homeowner changing out a hepa filter

Studies show that the air inside our homes is often much more polluted than the air outside. That is why many people have started turning to air purifiers to help make the air in their home healthier. However, not all air filtration systems are the same. Some offer a much higher level of protection.

HEPA air purifiers offer one of the highest levels of protection available to homeowners. HEPA stands for “high efficiency particulate air,” and it indicates the product uses a certain type of air filter. For a product to say it is a HEPA air purifier or HEPA air filter, it must meet the standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy.

This means that anything labeled as a HEPA filter must remove at least 99.97% of particles from the air that are just 0.3 microns in diameter. A micron is a unit of measurement used to determine the size … Read Full Post »

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Air Conditioning Preventive Maintenance

. Posted by in • San Antonio
an AC vent

https://blog.abchomeandcommercial.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Air-Conditioning-Preventive-Maintenance-1.mp4

Anyone living in central Texas knows the importance of having a good, working heating and cooling system. That goes for winter as well as summer. As blazingly hot as it can get outside in July and August, it can get just as bitterly cold during the winter months. But did you know that regular air conditioning preventative maintenance can keep your AC working efficiently for many years?

An efficient AC system uses less energy and fuel to run. That’s better for the environment, and also for your bank account. Regular checkups from an HVAC professional can save you money on your utility bills. Checkups also save you money over the long term by extending the life of your air conditioning system. If you have a home warranty, annual AC maintenance check-ups may even be a requirement for staying covered.

Furthermore, your family will be safer, healthier and more comfortable in your home … Read Full Post »

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Ever Heard of Dirty Sock Syndrome?

. Posted by in • San Antonio
a vent with an ac that has dirty sock syndrome

It’s never a good thing to catch a whiff of a foul smell coming from your home. It’s even worse when you can’t name it or find it. It seems familiar, like gym socks that fell behind the washing machine. But that isn’t quite it. A quick check of the laundry room finds everything in order.

You know when the cat’s litter box needs changing, or if the laundry has been sitting in the hamper too long. A fragrant trash bin is easily identified. Maybe the house just needs a good cleaning? No, even after the kitchen, bathroom and floors get a good scrubbing, the off-putting scent lingers.

Once you have run through the list of usual suspects and still haven’t discovered the source, you might want to zero in on your HVAC system. Your house might have caught a case of dirty sock syndrome!

Why Is the House So Smelly?

Your home’s heating … Read Full Post »

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Do Roaches Come Back After Extermination?

. Posted by in • San Antonio
A cockroach on a person's skin.

If you’ve ever successfully treated a roach problem, you’ve probably wondered to yourself, do roaches come back after extermination? It’s a valid question if you are starting to see these nasty pests again after having your house treated. The short answer is, yes, roaches can come back after extermination even after professional treatment. Eradicating the roaches is only one part of an effective pest control plan.

A proficient pest control plan should include treating thoroughly for roaches, but it should also cover preventative measures like blocking roach access to your home from the outdoors. Many roaches that people see inside their homes came in from outside. Oriental and American cockroaches are easily identifiable and are two varieties that often make their way inside. These cockroaches are brown or black, grow from 1.5 to 2 inches long, and are about a half-inch wide. They typically live outside and create nests in damp … Read Full Post »

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Are There Squirrels or Rats in My House?

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
a squirrel on a wooden fence

Squirrels may be cute to some, but they can also cause as much damage as many other pests. Like rats, squirrels are also rodents. Both animals are clever and enjoy chewing on a variety of items. This also means both creatures can leave quite a mess if they get into your home. Nonetheless, there are some differences you can look out for to help determine whether you have a squirrel problem versus a rat problem.

Appearance

While they are both small, furry, brownish or grey-colored animals that have small ears, there are a few differences. Squirrels are generally a bit larger than rats, and their eyes are usually a bit bigger. Squirrels also usually have a more distinct division between their heads and bodies than rats do.

The types of squirrels that are most often found in neighborhoods can grow to around 18 inches to over 2 feet long, on average. Meanwhile, most … Read Full Post »

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