ABC Houston Cares About Its Employees

October 11, 2016. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Community • Houston

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 »

Zoysia Grass Maintenance: Advice From The Experts

October 9, 2016. Posted by J Zambo in Fertilization, Lawn • Bryan-College Station

Let’s face it. Your grass is the first aspect of your lawn that visitors notice. Despite well-placed flowers, towering trees and winding pathways, your grass is still the main focus. That’s why you want to ensure your lawn is well cared for and healthy.

A popular grass species in the southern United States is zoysia grass. It’s perfect for warm-weather climates, and when cared for properly, it’s heat- and drought-resistant. Even with such qualities, though, this species still requires proper maintenance, including mowing, feeding and watering.

Read below to learn how to properly care for your zoysia grass.

How To Grow A Healthy Lawn

Zoysia is among the turfgrass varieties that turn a straw-like color when the first frost comes. Along with bermuda grass, buffalo grass, centipede grass, seashore paspalum and St. Augustine, zoysia is a warm season species that can go dormant during the coldest months of the year. Best established from sod, … Read Full Post »

Where Do Bed Bugs Come From?

October 6, 2016. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Bed Bug Control • Orlando

Bed bugs are on the rise across the country. Although these tiny, reddish-brown parasites have always been a common pest, experts believe that the increased ease of air travel and the outlawing of strong insecticides have allowed their numbers to surge again. Where do bed bugs come from, and what attracts them? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you get these pests out of your home – for good.

Where do bed bugs come from?

Bed bugs were once thought to have medicinal properties and were initially documented in the first century. Once confined to the tropics, these parasites moved with humans, so they can now be found across the globe. The spread of bed bugs is also linked to the fact that the animals are resilient since they can survive for long periods without food. Bed bugs are prolific, and the animals can mate with close relatives – even … Read Full Post »

Rats and Mice: Can You Tell The Difference?

October 3, 2016. Posted by ABC Home & Commercial in Rodent & Wildlife • Austin

Rodents in the home conjure up strong reactions for many of us. Though some people are not bothered by the sight of a rat or mouse, there are others among us who run away screaming – much like the female character on Tom & Jerry.

If you have a rat or mouse infestation in your home, you might notice these critters scratching in your attic, scurrying across the floor, or climbing up a wall or pipe. And these are nocturnal creatures, so all these activities probably happen at night – just the time when you’re more likely to be frightened. If you’ve noticed rodents in or around your home, your first step is to try to figure out exactly what they are. Knowing the differences between rats and mice can help you determine the most appropriate eradication tactics.

Differences Between Rats and Mice

Rats and mice have a lot of similar features, but … Read Full Post »

A Mowed Lawn Is A Safer Home

September 21, 2016. Posted by ABC Home & Commercial in Landscaping • San Antonio

Landscape Design for Improved Home Security

September is peak time for landscaping and landscape design in San Antonio—and doing so has many benefits. It can create a backyard oasis, add aesthetic appeal to your home, and increase the value of your property. But did you know that a well-maintained lawn could help burglar-proof your home as well? While it might not seem obvious, a well-thought-out design can improve your home’s security.

Read on to learn how smart landscaping tricks can make your home safer and keep burglars off your property.

Increase Visibility

One of the first steps to improving your home’s safety is maximizing visibility. In other words, make sure there’s no greenery blocking your windows, doors, or peepholes. Be sure to keep overhanging trees trimmed and any shrubs or bushes at bay. For hedges and shrubs along windows, ensure they don’t grow higher than three feet to remove any potential screens or hiding … Read Full Post »

Choosing An AC System For Your Home

September 21, 2016. Posted by ABC Home & Commercial in Air Conditioning & Heating • Austin

The weather in Austin can sometimes feel like perpetual summer, with hot and muggy weather for more than half of the year. When considering air conditioning for your home, it’s valuable to know the different air conditioner types that exist so you can make the best choice for our sweltering climate.

Air Conditioner Types

Perhaps the most common air conditioner type is central AC, which provides cooling throughout your home. These units consist of an evaporator unit, a condenser unit, and ducts or other distribution mechanisms that send the cold air throughout the home. Below [3: https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/central-air-conditioning/buying-guide.htm]

Split Systems

The most common form of central air conditioning is a split system, involving both an indoors unit and an outdoors unit. In a split system, the cooling or evaporation coil unit is inside the home, usually inside a cabinet located in a central location within the home, while the condenser and compressor are outdoors, usually … Read Full Post »

Improve Your Perspective With Professionally Cleaned Windows

September 21, 2016. Posted by ABC Home & Commercial in Home Maintenance • Austin

One of the first things many people notice when entering a home is the amount of natural light. If you have a lot of windows, you want to make sure the focus is on the sunshine coming in – not discolorations and smudges collecting all over your windows.

Unfortunately, lots of windows can equal a lot of cleaning. Dust can accumulate on blinds and screens and rub off on windows. Grubby little hands can attract food and dirt. Sometimes birds even see their reflection on windows, mistake it for another bird, and run head on into the glass!

How can you keep your windows clean and sunlight pouring in without spending a lot of extra time doing it yourself? Consider using a professional window washer who can clean your windows thoroughly, quickly, and without injury.

Save Yourself Time

It might seem silly to hire someone to wash your windows – until you look at … Read Full Post »

Best Holiday Lights in Houston

September 20, 2016. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Holiday Lighting • Houston

School has just started, and Halloween is still around the corner.

Savvy homeowners know that the first signs of autumn mean it’s time to start thinking about holiday light displays. To properly deck your home with lights and festive decorations takes time and planning.

To get you in the proper holiday spirit, let’s look at some of the best Christmas lights in Houston and the surrounding areas.

Public Holiday Light Displays in Houston

First of all, let’s explore a few noteworthy public displays in the area (some of these have an entry fee).

Zoo Lights at the Houston Zoo (Hermann Park, begins in November): Each year the Houston Zoo hosts a dazzling light display with animal sculptures, lights in the trees and colorful projections. Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate.

Dickinson Festival of Lights (Dickinson, from Nov. 26 – 30, 2016): A free holiday light display you can walk through, with free parking … Read Full Post »

Three Reasons To Outsource Your Lawn Care

September 19, 2016. Posted by ABC Home & Commercial in Lawn Care • San Antonio

For many homeowners, regular lawn care is the bane of their existence. You work all week long, take care of your family, run errands, attend kids’ sporting events – and the list goes on.

The last thing you want to do in your free time is mow, edge, and weed your lawn. Maybe you alternate between doing it yourself and hiring the neighborhood teenagers, but they aren’t always available. So you end up doing it yourself most of the time.

Wouldn’t it be nice to rid yourself of that burden, and still enjoy a healthy, well-cared for lawn? Consider hiring a lawn care service that will maintain your lawn and save you time and money in the process.

Choose Happiness

There are numerous reasons why choosing to outsource your lawn care is better than doing it yourself. The first one is self-evident: if you want to be happy, you shouldn’t spend precious time doing … Read Full Post »

Cluster Flies vs House Flies

September 14, 2016. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control • Orlando

In Orlando, Florida, flies are as common as freshly squeezed orange juice – especially during the hot summer months.

They’re present at every backyard BBQ, and residents have grown accustomed to shooing them away from the potato and fruit salads. But, many residents fail to realize that they often deal with more than one type of fly.

Contrary to popular belief, there are many species of flies. There are more than 20,000 species in North America alone. And while we’d love to discuss the differences between all fly species, we wanted to focus on the housefly and the cluster fly, as the cluster fly is most present in the year’s late summer and early autumn months.

Let’s take a closer look at the differences together.

Cluster Flies

Though commonly known as cluster flies, many often refer to these flying insects as attic flies.

Cluster flies emerge in the summer – but become more prevalent in and … Read Full Post »