How To Identify Different Types of Mice

October 7, 2021. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Pest Control, Rodent & Wildlife • Tyler

a house mouse which is a common type of mouse in homes

A mouse is not just a mouse. There are many different kinds of mice throughout the world. In fact, mice are a part of the rodent group. This includes thousands of different types of small and tiny mammals that use their front teeth to gnaw on things. Each kind of rodent has some things in common, but they also have several unique characteristics.

Knowing what kind of rodents you have can help you figure out why they entered your home and how to make them leave. Otherwise, you might waste precious time and money trying pest control treatments that will not work. That is why it is best to contact a qualified pest control professional to handle rodent invaders. These experts have the training and experience to take care of everything effectively and efficiently for you.

House Mice

House mice are one of the most common types of rodents found in and around … Read Full Post »

Rover Ant Identification & Control Guide

If you’ve never heard of rover ants, that’s probably because they’re pretty new to the United States. They came here from South America just a few decades ago. They have since spread throughout the Gulf states and as far west as California. While they don’t bite like fire ants or chew through homes like carpenter ants, they are still a nuisance.

Rover ants feed mostly on sugars. They live outdoors but will infest people’s homes if they can find a way in. In nature, these pests feed on plant nectars. Inside our homes, they forage for food on kitchen countertops and floors. They are especially attracted to sugary foods, like juice spills or crumbs from bread or muffins.

Wiping up spills and crumbs will help keep these ants away. So will giving your kitchen countertops, stove top and sink a good daily cleaning. But rover ants are good at using tiny cracks … Read Full Post »

What Is a SEER Rating?

September 30, 2021. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • Austin

https://blog.abchomeandcommercial.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Is-there-a-way-to-measure-which-systems-are-the-most-energy-efficient.mp4

If you’re shopping for a new AC, you might feel confused by how many different units there are to choose from. One way to narrow down your choices is by looking for a unit with a higher SEER rating. But what is SEER rating? Think of it as an indicator of how efficient your heating and cooling system is—and the more efficient, the better.

If you’ve never heard of SEER ratings before, you aren’t alone. Lots of people aren’t familiar with the term. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It’s calculated by dividing an AC unit’s total BTUs of cooling output during a given period of time by its total watt-hours of energy input during the same time period.

Fortunately, you don’t have to do complicated math to understand that a higher SEER rating means better AC unit efficiency. The concept is pretty simple. When your heating and cooling system runs … Read Full Post »

Fire Ant Control & Identification Guide

September 22, 2021. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Ant Control, Pest Control • Dallas-Fort Worth

They say everything is hotter in Texas. That’s usually in reference to the weather and the food, but it can also apply to the burn you feel when you’re bitten by fire ants. If you spend any time outdoors, you’ve probably been bitten by these insects at least once or twice. They get their name from the fiery sensation caused by their bites.

Unfortunately, fire ants are an especially aggressive species of ant. That means you aren’t imagining it: When their nest gets disturbed, they will come after you, fast. Their bites sting and burn, and they can also cause raised, pus-filled blisters on the skin.

Interestingly, these ants don’t just bite people—they bite first to grab hold of you, and then they curl their abdomens under to sting your skin. It’s actually the venom in their sting that causes the painful, burning sensation. Their stingers are at the tip of their … Read Full Post »

Do Roaches Come Back After Extermination?

September 21, 2021. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control • San Antonio

If you’ve ever successfully treated a roach problem, you’ve probably wondered to yourself, do roaches come back after extermination? It’s a valid question if you are starting to see these nasty pests again after having your house treated. The short answer is, yes, roaches can come back after extermination even after professional treatment. Eradicating the roaches is only one part of an effective pest control plan.

A proficient pest control plan should include treating thoroughly for roaches, but it should also cover preventative measures like blocking roach access to your home from the outdoors. Many roaches that people see inside their homes came in from outside. Oriental and American cockroaches are easily identifiable and are two varieties that often make their way inside. These cockroaches are brown or black, grow from 1.5 to 2 inches long, and are about a half-inch wide. They typically live outside and create nests in damp … Read Full Post »

How Do Mice Get In the House?

September 17, 2021. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control, Rodent & Wildlife • Houston

If you’ve ever dealt with a mouse problem, you may have been confused about why they were there in the first place. How do mice get in the house? The answer may surprise you. Mice get into houses through small cracks or holes. These openings might be in the walls, eaves, foundation or floors. The surprising part is, mice can squeeze through incredibly tiny openings—holes as small as the width of a pencil.

Mice come into our homes seeking food, water and shelter. Their natural habitat is outdoors, but sometimes it gets too cold or too hot outside. During periods of drought or extreme heat, mice can have a hard time finding food or water. These are the times when they venture into people’s homes in search of the essentials they need to survive. If they find plenty of food and water, they’ll settle in and build a nest.

When mice build … Read Full Post »

My Ceiling Fan Stopped Working: What’s Wrong?

September 16, 2021. Posted by Tom Riggs in Electrical • Austin

a bedroom with a ceiling fan that stopped working

It is a pain when your ceiling fan stops working. This is especially frustrating if it happens when it is hot or muggy outside. Sometimes, ceiling fan problems are easy to fix. But, this might also be a sign that there is a more serious issue.

One thing that can keep your fan from working correctly is the reversing switch. Make sure to press the switch fully to one side or the other. If it is stuck in the middle, then your fan might not run. A stuck fan blade can also block the fan from working. This kind of problem is most common with new fans because packing materials can get stuck between the gears. If this is causing your issue, then removing whatever is blocking the blades should fix it.

Another common reason a ceiling fan would stop working is that the power to the fan is off. This can … Read Full Post »

Can Mice See in the Dark?

September 14, 2021. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control, Rodent & Wildlife • Orlando

a house mouse nibbling on a piece of food

In the cartoons, mice have all kinds of superpowers. They can fly, speak and even save the world. But how about real-life mice? We know that mice are generally more active at night. Does this mean that real mice have superpowers too and can see in the dark?

The truth is that mice do not have strong eyesight. Mice are not completely blind, but they have trouble seeing objects clearly. This means that mice cannot see well in the dark or in the light. However, they do have other ways to find their way around a room.

For one, instead of using their eyes, mice rely on their whiskers to figure out their surroundings. A mouse has two dozen whiskers on their face, and each whisker has powerful sensors on it. When the whiskers touch things, they send signals back to the mouse’s brain. The mouse uses these signals to create a … Read Full Post »

My Heating Won’t Turn Off: What’s Going On?

September 9, 2021. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • Corpus Christi

It’s frustrating when you find that the heating won’t turn off and your furnace is running nonstop. Could it be something simple that you can fix yourself? It’s possible, and it’s always a good idea to check the simplest things first.

Thermostat Setting Is Too High

You might have accidentally set the thermostat to a temperature that’s too high. The heater then has to work overtime to make the house warmer than it needs to be.

Fan Set to On

Or maybe the fan setting on your thermostat was accidentally switched from “Auto” to “On,”. This causes the furnace blower to run constantly. Switching it back to Auto allows the furnace to cycle on and off again as needed to keep your house at the temperature that you set on the thermostat.

It’s important to note that your furnace itself isn’t actually running nonstop when you set the fan to On. Only the blower runs … Read Full Post »

Are There Squirrels or Rats in My House?

September 7, 2021. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control, Rodent & Wildlife • San Antonio

Squirrels may be cute to some, but they can also cause as much damage as many other pests. Like rats, squirrels are also rodents. Both animals are clever and enjoy chewing on a variety of items. This also means both creatures can leave quite a mess if they get into your home. Nonetheless, there are some differences you can look out for to help determine whether you have a squirrel problem versus a rat problem.

Appearance

While they are both small, furry, brownish or grey-colored animals that have small ears, there are a few differences. Squirrels are generally a bit larger than rats, and their eyes are usually a bit bigger. Squirrels also usually have a more distinct division between their heads and bodies than rats do.

The types of squirrels that are most often found in neighborhoods can grow to around 18 inches to over 2 feet long, on average. Meanwhile, most … Read Full Post »