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Roach Family, Party of Four

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

You’ve worked hard to make your eatery worthy of five-star status. Your servers are top-notch, and your decor delights the senses. Most importantly, your specialties win rave reviews. It could all end with a single scream of horror as a cockroach runs across a table and scurries into a diner’s plate. In an even more nightmarish situation, one of your little brown friends could end up in an entrée. Remember, Dallas isn’t one of those places where cockroach is considered a delicacy. No matter how great your food is, your restaurant’s reputation can go right down the garbage disposal when the whole city hears about your bug problem.

Smart Customers Know the Signs

Don’t assume that show-stopping performances by talented live roaches and spontaneous projectile vomiting are the only risks you face. Savvy, health-conscious consumers know how to recognize the signs of a roach infestation. If they find droppings that resemble black … Read Full Post »

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What Not to Do When Your Pipes Clog Up

. Posted by in • San Antonio

Avoid these DIY clog-clearing disasters

When your pipes are clogged, it can be tempting to try every trick you can think of to clear them. However, no matter how annoying it is to have standing water in your sink or a toilet that won’t flush properly, there are a few things you should never do in an attempt to get rid of clogs.

Don’t Poke at It

Drain snakes, also called augers, can be useful tools if you know how to use them. If you don’t, all you’ll wind up doing when you stick one down the drain is stuffing the clog further into the pipes. Using an auger is pointless for large clogs if they’re located further down than the instrument will reach.

The same thing goes for unbent coat hangers. These might work to clean out a clogged vacuum hose, but putting one down the drain in the hopes that it will … Read Full Post »

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5 Signs of a Malfunctioning Dishwasher

. Posted by in • Austin

How to tell if your dishwasher is on the fritz

Like all appliances, dishwashers experience difficulty from time to time. If you encounter any of these common problems, it’s a good idea to have your machine looked at right away.

1. You washed the dishes but they’re not clean

There’s nothing worse than opening up the dishwasher after a cycle only to find that everything inside is still dirty. Though the problem could simply be that you didn’t stack the dishes the right way, it could also be due to a clogged spray arm or filter. The easiest way to figure out the problem is to reload the dishes and run another cycle, making sure to use enough detergent.

2. The floor around the machine is soaking wet

Poor dish stacking can also contribute to leaks, especially if you’re trying to put too much into the dishwasher at once. If your floor becomes one big … Read Full Post »

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The Latest Texas Mosquito News and Your Family’s Safety

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

In July, an otherwise ordinary Texas mosquito proved to be the state’s first known carrier of Chikungunya, a tropical virus that hails from the Caribbean. While rarely fatal, Chikungunya is anything but mild, causing a host of unpleasant symptoms that range from fever to vomiting. What makes Chikungunya’s arrival here even more alarming is that this mysterious disease can’t be wiped out with medication. According to a local news report, for the unlucky few who get infected, bed rest for about a week is the only prescription.

Before you panic, keep in mind that you aren’t completely helpless against Chikungunya’s advance into the continental United States. Since the virus is transmitted through mosquito bites, better mosquito control at home is the key to staying healthy all year long.

Keep Your Property Dry

There’s nothing mosquitoes love more than standing water. Besides walking around your yard to look for puddles, remember to check your … Read Full Post »

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Are You Hungry for a Tastier Landscape?

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station

Give yourself a greener, healthier yard this year

When was the last time you changed your yard for the better? For many folks in the Bryan and College Station areas, the green space around the house is a place to gather, play with pets and relax on nice days. However, more and more central Texans are discovering the many benefits of yards and gardens that actually give something back. Learn how to turn your property into a health-promoting, money-saving produce patch.

The Benefits of a “Working Garden”

There are plenty of reasons to love a well-tended flower garden. It’s nice to look out the window and see splashes of color at nearly any time of year, and the birds and other wildlife that such arrangements attract can provide untold amounts of pleasure.

That said, there’s also room in many central Texas gardens for plants that bear fruit—literally. Some of the benefits of such a … Read Full Post »

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The Breakdown: Why Are My Utility Bills So High?

. Posted by in • Austin

The link between timely HVAC repair and your energy usage

Air conditioning is imperative in Austin, and you also need your heater to be in good shape for the winter months. However, many people are in shock when they see their energy bill, especially during the warmest part of the year. Fortunately, there are some things that you can do to reduce your electric bill without having to turn off your HVAC system and suffer the weather.

Dealing With a High Utility Bill

If your utility bills seem to be significantly increasing for no particular reason, this is a strong indicator that you need to contact a professional HVAC repair company. The reality is that every HVAC system will eventually begin to fail, and this can lead to electric bills that creep higher and higher every month. Additionally, simple issues such as failing to change your HVAC unit’s filter and having old air … Read Full Post »

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Who Else Wants Picturesque Hardscaping?

. Posted by in • San Antonio

A beautiful landscape doesn’t have to be green all over

In drought-prone areas like San Antonio, there’s a new landscape design trend brewing: hardscaping. This increasingly popular choice offers a wide range of opportunities for homeowners who want to lessen their landscape maintenance chores, lower their water bills and reduce their environmental impact without sacrificing the beauty or charm that property owners everywhere crave. Hardscaping is a cost-effective choice for virtually every homeowner in central Texas.

Benefits of Hardscaping

The benefits of hardscaping vary by region, but some of the most important include:

•    Stable, supportive surfaces for chairs and other lawn furniture
•    The ability to install permanent design elements that add value to your property
•    Options to integrate traditional landscape elements like annuals and shrubs into hardscape elements like terraces and planters
•    No need to mow or trim
•    Less water use than grass or shrubbery

Common Paving Options

There are plenty of hardscaping options at … Read Full Post »

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7 Travel Tips That Outsmart Bed Bugs

. Posted by in , • Austin

The last souvenir you want to bring home from your travels is a suitcase full of bed bugs. Unfortunately, these little guys love to travel, and they have no problem getting through security without a boarding pass. Bed bugs are small, flat, brown parasitic insects with six legs and no wings. As connoisseurs of human blood, they will gleefully hide in bed sheets and wait until you fall asleep before turning you into an all-night buffet.

Bed Bugs Have Perfected the Art of Free Travel

Bed bugs are usually brought into hotels by guests. When you place your suitcase on the bed or floor, they crawl inside and hide. Because they are tiny, they may go unnoticed by hotel staff until someone complains. People enter and leave hotels and resorts constantly, so there’s no way to completely prevent bed bugs from coming in. The presence of bed bugs doesn’t indicate poor sanitation—they’re … Read Full Post »

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Insect Art Will Make Your Eyes Bug Out

. Posted by in • San Antonio

Taking pests and turning them into something beautiful

When most people think of having insects in their home, their first instinct is to call a pest control company to take care of the problem. However, there are some artists who would take a pest infestation as an opportunity to create their next line of work. As odd as it may seem to some people, there’s actually a market for a wide variety of artistic creations that are made with the bodies of deceased insects.

What Type of Items Are These Artists Creating?

Insects are used to make everything from jewelry to wall collages. In some cases, the bodies of these pests are altered with paint or the addition of new components. For example, artist Mike Libby makes up to $1,000 per piece with his steampunk inspired robo-insects. Libby has worked with bees, spiders, praying mantises, and many other insects, and the final result … Read Full Post »

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Are Your Pipes Feeling Their Age?

. Posted by in • San Antonio

And how do you know when it’s time to update your plumbing system?

Even if you don’t have a commercial plumbing system that sees dozens of uses per day, your home’s plumbing will eventually wear out. You may notice small leaks, problems with your water pressure and constant fluctuations in temperature. If you wait too long to make necessary repairs, you could face a high repair bill and other unpleasant consequences, including property damage. These are some of the clearest benefits of making a timely plumbing upgrade:

More Efficiency

If you have an older plumbing system that hasn’t been upgraded in some time, it’s probably not as efficient as a modern system. In turn, this can lead to higher water bills and unnecessary water waste, a potentially serious issue in our drought-prone neck of the woods. Despite their upfront cost, low-flow toilets, showerheads and sink fixtures tend to pay for themselves over time.

Avoiding … Read Full Post »

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