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Need Some Extra Cash? Take a Look at Your Tank

. Posted by in • Austin

Don’t let your hot water heater drain you out of house and home

How much hot water do you use each day? You’re probably not running your tap nonstop, so what is your water heater doing the rest of the time?

If it’s the normal, tank-type variety, it’s probably pretty busy. Nobody puts in a requisition for hot water. With no idea of when you’re going to want it, your heater must stand at the ready, keeping the water continually toasty in case you make a request.

It does this by making steady demands on your energy supply. If it didn’t keep working around the clock, the water in the tank would not remain hot for long.

What if you never had to waste energy keeping your water hot? What if you could heat it on demand at the moment you need it?

With a tankless water heater, that’s exactly what you can do.

The Workings … Read Full Post »

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Avoid Large Irrigation Bills This Summer with These 5 Easy Tips

. Posted by in , , • Bryan-College Station

Stop pouring water and money down the drain

Thanks to the arid Texas weather, it’s often necessary to install an irrigation system that keeps your landscape looking good. However, this system may cost a fortune to operate. Here are five easy tips to help you keep irrigation expenses down this summer.

1. Run the Sprinkler in the Morning

Early in the day, the temperature is cool and wind is usually at a minimum, which means that less water will be lost from evaporation. Watering your plants at night can cause diseases to form on leaves and roots. Most often this is a problem in a humid climate like Texas.

2. Check for Leaks

If water appears to be running onto your sidewalks after your sprinkler has been turned off, there may be a leaky valve in your system. This can cause a great increase in irrigation bills because water is constantly running. Many times this … Read Full Post »

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Growing a Greener Lawn in 5 Steps

. Posted by in , • San Antonio

The greening of San Antonio lawns

Choosing the right grass for lawns in south-central Texas can reduce maintenance headaches. The recommended types are St. Augustine, Zoysia, Bermuda and Buffalo. There aren’t any distinct advantages of one over the other, although buffalo grass is native to this area. All four types require irrigation, regular mowing, seasonal fertilization and pest control management.

The Grass Is Thirsty

If there’s one thing that keeps grass green, it’s an adequate amount of watering at the right times. This means you can’t count on San Antonio’s unpredictable showers to keep your lawn irrigated. Water your lawn as needed, which means observing the blades for signs of stress. St. Augustine and Zoysia grasses demand heavy irrigation. Buffalo grass requires only half an inch of water to thrive.

In general, water to a depth of six inches every four to five days. Determine the length of time that sprinklers should be left … Read Full Post »

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Cockroaches and Humans: Why Can’t We Get Along?

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

Waging a war on bugs with advanced pest control services

Saying that people and cockroaches have an antagonistic relationship is a gross understatement. We hate them and they love us—at least, they love our cozy, food-filled homes. Fortunately, people have become a little better at defending their territory against these creepy crawlies. Here in Dallas, homeowners square off against American, Oriental and German cockroaches. As you may have guessed, each variety has its own charms. American cockroaches are large and proficient fliers. Oriental roaches are particularly scary looking. German roaches are smaller, but they make up for that in numbers.

Wonderful Roaches

Cockroaches are one of the most successful life forms ever. They’re found in modern cities, forests and every continent except Antarctica. There’s a lot to learn from these primitive yet highly adaptable bugs. For example, how do cockroaches survive in such dirty places? Researchers in Great Britain found the answer: Locust … Read Full Post »

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Flower Power! The Year’s Most Colorful Landscaping Trends

. Posted by in • Austin

Whether you add it with foliage, flowers or focal points, your garden needs color in each season. Here are some color trends for this year’s landscaping.

Flower Power!

Deep purples, metallic colors, and lime greens are bold colors in landscaping this year, while bright yellows, deep reds and hot pinks are always welcome.

Wildflowers blossom throughout the year in Central Texas, and the Texas bluebonnets are a popular tourist attraction. They’re a great example of flowers that require little maintenance and bloom spectacularly year after year. Using plants that are adapted to the climate in Central Texas allows you to spend less time watering and more time enjoying.

Reds

Flame acanthus flowers are a wonderful red-orange color and make a hot spot in your landscape. They attract hummingbirds almost as readily as they draw our own eyes. They do just fine with no watering, but a little splash now and then causes them to bloom … Read Full Post »

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Beyond Bee Stings: Can Household Pests Trigger Asthma and Allergies?

. Posted by in • San Antonio

Bugs can cause all sorts of problems for allergy and asthma patients. The symptoms they trigger range from sneezing and itchy eyes to severe, life-threatening asthma attacks or anaphylaxis. If you’re allergic to bees, wasps, ants or other pests, it’s fairly easy to avoid triggers. At an early age, you probably learned to run when you saw them. Unfortunately, some insects affect allergy or asthma patients in a less obvious way. You may not even know they pose a threat. Of all the pesky allergens you avoid to keep your airway open, roaches probably aren’t even on the list.

Roach Parts and Other Gross Triggers

According to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America, 78% to 98% of homes in America have cockroaches. If you see one, there are probably many others secretly hiding in your walls. While stings are the major source of trouble in most insect allergies, roaches don’t have … Read Full Post »

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Such Great Heights: How Tall Should Grass Really Be?

. Posted by in , • San Antonio

Having a great lawn isn’t as simple as watering and cutting your grass at regular intervals. It requires careful planning and constant vigilance. Among other things, it’s crucial to know exactly how tall to keep your lawn’s grass. This isn’t a cut-and-dry consideration: It’s dependent on a number of factors, including local ordinances and style preferences. Learn more about how to keep your grass at just the right height.

Variety Is Key

Aside from local ordinances and homeowner covenants, grass variety is the single most important determinant of lawn height. Since the San Antonio area lies at the boundary zone between several distinct climate types, your lawn could be dominated by one of several types of grass. While the region’s most common grass type is probably St. Augustine, some lawns use Bermuda grass or native buffalo grass.

St. Augustine Grass Considerations

Although St. Augustine grass is native to the Gulf Coast region and tropical … Read Full Post »

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The Link Between Pests, Asthma and Allergies

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

Are Pests Causing My Family’s Issues with Allergies and Asthma?

Approximately 50 million Americans have issues with allergies, and it’s estimated that an additional 25 million people are asthmatic. Medical research indicates that approximately 80% of patients who suffer from asthma attacks can link this problem to allergies. In other words, it’s imperative for people dealing with this medical condition to keep a close eye on any potential allergy triggers that could end up causing them serious discomfort or even forcing them to obtain emergency attention. Unfortunately, many asthmatics aren’t aware of the fact that the pests hiding in their home could be one of their greatest health risks.

Which Pest is the Most Dangerous?

It’s common for people with asthma to assume that their major allergy triggers are animal dander, dust, stinging insects and plant pollen. Although all of these things can definitely lead to an asthma attack, they’re not necessarily the … Read Full Post »

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When Weeds Attack: How to Handle Perennial Nuisances

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station

Like many noble pursuits, cultivating a great-looking lawn takes hard work and patience. Unfortunately, the variable climate of Central Texas often gets in the way. Try as you might, you probably find it difficult to completely eradicate weeds and invasive plants from the managed areas of your property. It’s especially difficult to get rid of weeds that closely resemble your lawn’s planted grasses.

We’ve compiled a list of some of the toughest weeds in the Bryan-College Station area and offer some tips about dealing with them.

Annual Bluegrass

Annual bluegrass is a truly pernicious weed. Since it’s related to Kentucky bluegrass, a popular covering for golf courses and other high-traffic areas, it’s a rugged, hearty breed that closely resembles common lawn grasses. You can tell annual bluegrass from its “good” perennial cousin by its tendency to form thick, unruly clumps and the slight curvature of its blades. Annual bluegrass is also a bit … Read Full Post »

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San Antonio’s Most Common Lawn-Destroying Insects

. Posted by in • San Antonio

…And What You Can Do to Stop Them

There’s nothing worse than putting the finishing touches on a cool, green expanse of springtime grass and promptly finding an insect or arthropod infestation within its confines. Unfortunately, the San Antonio area is home to many lawn-destroying pests that cause serious financial and time-management problems for local homeowners. Learn more about the most common types of lawn-eating insects and the steps you can take to limit the damage they cause.

Fire Ants

Few insect species cause as many problems for San Antonio-area homeowners as the dreaded fire ant. These critters establish extensive colonies in sunny, open spaces, including cultivated yards. Fortunately, fire ant infestations are immediately recognizable: Each infestation produces at least one conical mound that can reach over a foot in height.

While fire ants don’t feast on turf grasses, they can weaken your lawn’s root structure and create unsightly dirt patches. To get rid … Read Full Post »

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