ABC Blog

Please choose a city to view local blog posts:

Choose a City

Beautiful Blooms That Defy Texas Winters

. Posted by in • Austin

Four Garden Favorites That Don’t Mind the Cold

If you have a USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map handy, you’ll see that Austin enjoys a comfortable spot in Zone 8b. Our mild climate is a joy to area gardeners, and local green thumbs especially love these four favorites that always help bust the winter blues.

1. Prized Pansies – They’re not the biggest blossoms on the block, but these pretty flowers are tough enough to survive snow and sleet. Their distinctive five-leaf blooms come in a rainbow of hues, and the monkey-faced variety sports contrasting dark areas on each petal. Pansies are happiest with at least six hours of sunlight each day, so give them a bright spot to soak up the rays, and enjoy their color all winter long.

2. Winter Jasmine – While some gardeners consider these willowy vines old-fashioned, there’s nothing wrong with an heirloom bush that bursts into bloom in … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Inside the Bug-Busting World of Integrated Pest Management

. Posted by in • Austin

Preventative Austin Area Pest Control Service

Many people are concerned about the damage that pests can cause to their property, and they’re also worried about the environmental impact of unnecessary pest control products. Luckily, ABC Home & Commercial Services provides an effective preventative program known as integrated pest management (IPM). Taking this approach enables us to reduce pest control product usage without compromising the effectiveness of dealing with an infestation of unwelcome pests in your home.

What is Integrated Pest Management?

IPM is an innovative preventative method that involves an analysis of the bugs on your property to determine which of them present an actual threat. After all, there are some pests that are necessary for the ecosystem, and it’s also possible to experience a small quantity of certain species without developing an actual issue. Therefore, our trained technicians will carefully assess your specific situation, and they’ll also factor in the time of … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Do Plumbers Need a License in Texas?

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station

The Importance of Working with a Plumbing Professional

It can be tempting to turn to a local unlicensed handyman if you need plumbing work done in your Bryan-College Station home, but this’ll leave you without the protection that is associated with utilizing a licensed professional. In fact, the state of Texas requires individuals who perform plumbing services to have a license that verifies they’ve received the proper training. Anyone who holds a plumbing license in Texas has passed a board-certified examination, and this means that they should be properly equipped to handle any of your plumbing needs.

Are Plumbing Licenses Permanent?

Just like your driver’s license, it’s necessary for plumbers to periodically renew their license and registration. In order to obtain these renewals, licensed plumbers must attend continuing education courses. This helps ensure that they stay up-to-date on the latest techniques, and it also helps prevent the erosion of previously obtained knowledge. After … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Bad Things Come in Threes: Texas Termites

. Posted by in , • San Antonio

A Trio of Hill Country Trouble

When you flip through a photo lineup of Isoptera mug shots, they all resemble plump ants. Don’t let their ordinary looks fool you. San Antonio homes are vulnerable to destruction all year round to three different types of termites, and each has its own peculiar way of trespassing on property and breaking into central Texas homes.

Sneaky Subterraneans

These destructive termites swarm the area from February through May and build their nests beneath your lawn. Extensive underground hideouts provide necessary moisture and ideal temperatures for termite survival. As the pests expand their territory, they forage for food sources above ground, and your house becomes an easy target. Tiny mud tunnels along foundations and exterior walls are sure signs of thousands of subterraneans on the move, and their damage shows up in wood that appears honeycombed with only its grain left intact.

Determined Drywoods

Drywood termites don’t depend on the … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

10 Shocking, Weird Bug Facts to Keep You Awake at Night

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station

Bugs give humans the creeps for reasons we don’t fully comprehend. It makes sense that we wouldn’t care much for insects that are capable of spreading disease, inflicting painful stings or eating our homes from the ground up. However, there is something about a crunchy cockroach or a slimy worm that we just can’t stomach, and it doesn’t seem to be related to what they can do to us. We’re much bigger, and we can crush them with hardly any effort. Instead, we run and scream and invent new dance moves. The list below definitely justifies our heebie jeebies.

1. Ants and the Slave Trade

Slavery isn’t just a human atrocity. Amazon ants steal the larvae of other ants and make them slaves. They’re not doing it to demonstrate superiority; they actually depend on their slaves for survival because they are incapable of doing anything other than fighting.

2. Don’t Mess with Aussie … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Easy Ways to Ward Off Rodents

. Posted by in • Austin

Kick mice and rats to the curb with these handy household tips

Nobody wants to share their home with rats and mice. They get into food, leave droppings everywhere, and can carry potentially dangerous diseases. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to keep rodents from deciding that your house is an ideal place to live.

Keep Them Out

Grab a pencil and take a walk around the outside of your house. Whenever you find a hole or gap, stop and measure it with the pencil. If the pencil fits, so will a rodent. After identifying all potential entry points, break out the weather stripping, caulking, insulation, and anything else you need to seal up those holes. Be as thorough as possible since even the smallest gap can be an open doorway for a mouse or rat.

Ditch the Rodent Buffet

If you could go to a delicious buffet any time and eat … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Before You Bake: Is Your Heating Element Healthy?

. Posted by in • Austin

Check your oven’s health before the holiday season

Austin families are preparing for the holiday season, which often means cooking and baking for parties and family gatherings. Before you head into the kitchen this winter, it pays to be sure that you have all of the ingredients you’ll need to make dazzling cakes, cookies, and party foods. Of course, it’s also important to be sure that your major appliances are doing their part in your holiday preparations.

Is Your Oven’s Heating Element Causing Baking Woes?

There’s no doubt that baking is a science. After all, it takes the perfect combination of ingredients to make stellar baked goods. Excelling as a baker also means having the right appliances. While many professional bakers swear by convection ovens, most homeowners still use standard electric or gas ranges in their homes. Thankfully, you can still get great results with these types of ovens.

However, you do need to … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Simple Tips to Control Home Energy Use This Winter

. Posted by in • San Antonio

Stay warm while keeping your heating bills under control

It’s the same scenario every winter: you get your first heating bill and nearly fall over when you see the total. Make it different this year with these tips to save energy and reduce heat loss around your home.

Assess and Address Air Leaks

Any problem that’s allowing air to escape from your home should be addressed immediately. Check for duct leaks, and gaps around windows and doors. Assess the amount of insulation in areas such as the attic, basement, and crawl spaces. A home energy audit can give you the most comprehensive picture of where heat is going. If necessary, use weather stripping, caulking, or extra insulation to close gaps.

Be Smart With Windows

Windows are another big source of heat loss. One of the most inexpensive ways to control this is to seal them with a plastic window covering kit. Put the storm windows … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

As Temperatures Cool, Rodents Get Ready to Move In

. Posted by in • San Antonio

Winter rodent control tips for a pest-free home

No home is immune from the presence of rodents, and winter brings the highest potential for infestation.

Colder temperatures mean that animals are looking for a cozy place to bed down, and from their perspective, a safe, warm house is just the right choice.

Cold Weather, Unwanted Houseguests

Since rats and mice don’t hibernate, they’re looking for a place where they can get everything they need throughout the season. Any cold, hungry pest is going to seek a spot where heat and food can be found. Your home has both of these things along with insulation and other materials that can be used for nesting. Crawl spaces, attics, empty areas inside walls, garages and sheds are all potential rodent hideouts.

Wintertime Rodent Control

Inspecting your home for places where rats and mice can get in is the first step in making sure they don’t turn your home … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

As Temperatures Cool, Rodents Move In

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

Rodent Control Tips for Dallas Area Homeowners

Winter gives Dallas residents some much-needed respite from the brutal heat of summer time, but cooler temperatures invite rodent issues that need to be proactively addressed. After all, rats, mice and other rodents are just as interested in surviving the winter as you are, so it makes sense for them to seek out a warm, dry shelter such as your attic or interior walls. Fortunately, there are some steps that you can take to prevent rodent wintering from becoming a problem on your property.

How Can I Protect My Home?

The first thing that you need to do is inspect your property for any holes or gaps that’ll invite rodents to move into your house for the winter. This inspection needs to include the entire exterior of your home, your closets, drains, cabinets and all areas where your walls and floors join together. Make sure that … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed