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How To Scare Rats Away From Home

. Posted by in • San Antonio
How To Scare Rats Away From Home

There are few things in life that are certain, but one thing’s for sure: no one wants to come home to a rat. To prevent these creatures from taking over our homes, it’s worth looking at why they might find our houses more attractive than other nesting places.

Read our tips below to learn effective techniques to keep rats away from your home, garden and yard so that you don’t have to worry about an unexpected encounter with one of these unwelcome guests.

How To Keep Rats Away From Your Home

In the southern United States, many homeowners have to deal with the roof rat (Rattus rattus). These are brown or black rats that are smaller than the Norway rats that live throughout most of the rest of the United States.

The roof rat is better suited for these warm climates than the Norway rat. These rats set up their nests in … Read Full Post »

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Banish Brown Patch From Your Lawn

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station
what is brown patch

Our Texas weather can be brutal on yards and landscaping. Grass can suffer from our area’s unrelenting heat, flooding events, and lack of consistent rainfall. Another reason it may be hard to keep your grass looking its best is lawn diseases.

Some lawn disease can develop as a result of environmental factors, such as drought, shady conditions, or very high or low temperatures. Sometimes, pests are the reason behind the problem. Other diseases can be linked back to how we care for our lawns.

During cool, wet weather we have to remain vigilant against a fungus called brown patch. This disease can pose as big a threat to our turf as heat and drought.

Banish Brown Patch From Your Lawn

Below let’s look at what brown patch is, how you can identify it in your yard, and most importantly, how to get rid of brown patch in your lawn year-round.

What is Brown Patch?

Brown Patch … Read Full Post »

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How to Keep Your Home’s Heater Running More Efficiently This Winter

. Posted by in • San Antonio
energy efficient heaters

When summer comes to a close and fall brings with it lower temperatures, homeowners start thinking about heaters which are often dormant during the warmer months. But before you turn up the thermostat, however, take a look at ways to preserve energy in your home and reduce your energy costs.

Check out our winter energy saving tips below to make sure you are getting the most out of your heater.

Conduct an energy audit

An energy audit can help you gain a better understanding of your home’s energy use. It will help you determine problem areas and how to best fix them. It can also help you determine just how much you should use your heater. An energy audit is the first thing you should do if you are looking for ways to save on heating costs.

Cover any openings

After you’ve conducted an energy audit, you’ll want to check for any air leaks [http://energy.gov/energysaver/detecting-air-leaks] … Read Full Post »

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Keeping Your Home Rodent-Free This Holiday Season

. Posted by in • Austin
Keeping rats away

The holidays are a time filled with family, food, and cheerful celebrations—it’s the most wonderful time of the year! And while colorful decorations and freshly baked cookies are wintertime staples, colder months can also mean higher chances of a rodent infestation. If you are hosting a potluck or outdoor party, you’ll want to learn how to keep rats away from your yard, and you will want to make sure any rats outdoors don’t make their way inside. Fortunately, though, there are steps you can take before your guests arrive to help keep rats away during the holiday season.

Gather around the fireplace and read our tips on how to keep unwanted rats and mice away.

Fill in the gap

The first step to keeping unwanted rats and other rodents out of your home is to seal off any possible entryways. Cracks and holes in walls, around windows and doors, and in your roof … Read Full Post »

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What We Love About Houston

. Posted by in • 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 »

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How To Make This Holiday Season Less Stressful

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
Holiday hacks

Helpful Hacks For A Stress-Free Holiday Season

It’s hard to believe, but the holidays are upon us once again. Soon enough, we’ll be picking apples for cider, hanging garland over the fireplace and welcoming family into our homes for a celebration.

And while the holidays can bring great cheer and joy, the impending arrival of family and friends can leave you feeling a bit overwhelmed. To avoid any unwanted stress, we suggest taking necessary steps to ensure your home is in tip-top shape before the festivities begin.

Read our tips below to make getting ready for this holiday season a little bit easier.

Make a Checklist

Before your guests arrive, assess your home to see what areas need attention. During this time you can also take inventory of what you can reuse from prior years’ festivities and what you’ll need to purchase.

Remember, though, taking on too many tasks can set you up for a stressful situation. … Read Full Post »

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5 Reasons Your Lawn Benefits From The Best Organic Fertilizer

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station
best organic fertilizer

When homeowners are trying to approve their curb appeal, an obvious place to start is with your property’s lawn.

Here in Texas, however, plants face an uphill battle to get established and to stay healthy. Although soil types and quality vary across the state, our warm climate and lack of rainfall present many challenges for homeowners who want to keep their lawns looking green.

One way to provide the nutrients plants need to survive and thrive is to apply fertilizer.

ABC Home & Commercial Services, our lawn care experts know a lot about lawn care. We also care about the impact of our products on the environment. That’s why we only use the best natural and organic lawn fertilizers currently on the market.

In this article, we would like to educate homeowners about the best types of organic fertilizer by exploring the following topics:

  • The importance of fertilizer
  • Read Full Post »
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Our Favorite Things To Do In Orlando

. Posted by in • Orlando
Things to do in Orlando

There’s no doubt about it: Orlando is known for its theme parks. From Walt Disney World and Islands of Adventure to Epcot and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter—people gather from all over the world to witness the fun and excitement of these parks. A trip to either of these is a guaranteed memorable experience. As all of us who call Orlando home know well, there are plenty of things to do in Orlando besides theme parks.

Our Favorite Things To Do In Orlando

From indoor activities to exploring the great outdoors to things to do in Orlando for free, there’s something for everyone in the family. There’s no reason to stay home or in a hotel room in a city like Orlando. Read along as we tour our city’s lesser-known but not-less-fun activities.

Visit a Museum

Museums are often associated with a trip to New York City or the Smithsonian Museums in Washington, … Read Full Post »

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May The Force Be With You This Holiday Season

. Posted by in • Austin
Star Wars holidays

The holiday season is closing in on us – although it may not feel like it here in Texas.  With the holidays comes the release of the newest Star Wars movie.  Rogue One hits theaters on December 16, 2016.  What better way to celebrate the launch of a new Star Wars movie than combining it with the holidays?  Here are a handful of ideas to get your creativity flowing.

Star Wars Holidays

Christmas offers myriad opportunities to combine holiday festivities with Star Wars.  You can create all sorts of Christmas decorations that are Star Wars-themed.  Popular ideas are Christmas ornaments, stockings and nativity scenes using Star Wars LEGO bricks.  And don’t feel like you have to limit yourself – there are many folks out there who have a Christmas tree entirely dedicated to Star Wars.  Check out this Darth Vader Christmas tree!  If you are an Elf on the Shelf fan, you … Read Full Post »

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How to host a cookie exchange

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station
How to host a cookie exchange

Have you ever been to a cookie exchange? It’s a gathering organized to exchange cookies, primarily around the holidays.  For those of us who love to bake and have a sweet tooth, these parties are heaven. Hosting a cookie exchange seems like a great idea in theory, but planning it might be overwhelming. These tips will help you plan a successful cookie exchange without losing too much of your most precious resource: time.

Planning is Key

Create a plan for your cookie exchange well ahead of the date. You’ll need to consider a number of things before settling all the details. First, the guest list – which of your friends like to bake? Inviting friends who have no interest in baking probably won’t result in a successful cookie exchange. Choose the majority of friends who are seasoned bakers, and consider adding a few newbies who are developing an interest. 

Give your guests at least … Read Full Post »

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