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Is Hiring A Landscape Designer Worth It?

. Posted by in • Houston
A backyard with a fireplace and a gray couch

You have been scrolling through gardening blogs and tearing out pictures from magazines, collecting ideas that will refresh the look of your outdoor living space. Lush plantings and meandering pathways, a front-gate arbor with climbing roses, a formal courtyard with a water feature are all on the table. Perhaps you have your heart set on an outdoor kitchen and covered patio? The good news is that thinking about your outdoor space, and determining how you want to use it, is the first step to making a change—whether your project is large or small. The not-so-good news is that implementing those ideas is not always as easy as it seems, and it can, in fact, be quite overwhelming when you get beyond the research phase. When it comes to really getting started, many homeowners wonder if it is worth it to hire a landscape designer or if it makes more sense … Read Full Post »

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Signs Of Hard Water: Tips From The Experts

. Posted by in , • Austin
A cream colored bathroom that is suffering from signs of hard water

Water isn’t something homeowners typically think much about. Turn on a faucet, crank up the shower, push a button on the dishwasher or washing machine and the water flows. Depending on where you live, however, your home might have what’s commonly referred to as hard water, which means that you have dissolved magnesium and calcium compounds and possibly other metallic elements in your running water. If your pipes or appliances are showing signs of hard water, it might be time to take action.

Homes get their water from different naturally occurring sources. Groundwater, a common source, flows through limestone or other rocks, absorbing the minerals contained inside of them. Over time, those minerals build up in a home’s plumbing system. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 85% of homes in the United States have some level of hard water.

Your water would be labeled “hard” if it contains more than 61 milligrams … Read Full Post »

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How To Get Rid Of Fleas On Humans And Pets

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
A flea on a human finger

You’re tired of those itchy flea bites on your skin and you know the rest of your family is feeling the same way. Your pets’ constant itching is enough to make you believe that they are also miserable. It feels as if every time you walk across your carpet or sit down on your couch, more bites appear. While you can hop in the shower every time you’re in a flea-infested area of your home, doing so will only get rid of those fleas on your skin. Because fleas prefer dogs or cats, these bothersome pests are more likely to hop off of us and go searching for another creature to feed on.

Additionally, if your flea problem has come to the point where these fleas are biting you, you likely have a full-blown infestation in your home. This means to get rid of fleas on humans, you’re going to have … Read Full Post »

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Do Termites Have Wings? Identification Tips

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
A winged subterranean termite

If you have spotted a swarm of small insects flying or crawling inside your home or elsewhere on your property, you might have instantly feared a pest infestation—and then asked yourself, “Do termites have wings?” The short answer here is yes: Certain types of termites in certain stages of their life cycle do have wings.

Not all termites have wings, however, and even those that do have wings don’t keep them forever. Furthermore, there are other winged insects, such as winged ants, that are commonly and easily mistaken for termites. A professional exterminator can determine exactly what type of insect is swarming in or around your home, whether it’s a termite, a winged ant or something else altogether. There are also certain signs and characteristics that homeowners can learn to look out for in order to make an initial diagnosis on their own.

Wanting to know how to identify termites and distinguish … Read Full Post »

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How To Tell If You Have Termites In Your Walls

. Posted by in , • Houston
A white and gray living room

Maybe you spotted some strange, tiny holes in your drywall or baseboards, close to where the wall meets the floor. Or perhaps you knocked on the wall on a spot you thought was solid, and oddly enough, it sounded hollow. Each of these signs could be an indication that you could have termites living—and feeding—inside your walls. However, these aren’t the only signs.

If you wonder if you might have termites, take a closer look around to see if you can spot any of the following:

  • Faint lines on drywall along areas where termites are tunneling
  • Wood that seems hollow when you tap on it with a screwdriver
  • Bubbling or peeling paint
  • Small pinholes where termites have eaten through your drywall
  • Baseboards that crumble under slight pressure
  • Jammed windows or doors
  • Buckling wood
  • Discolored drywall

While there are visible clues of termite activity, keep in mind that the subterranean variety, the type that is responsible for a reported $1.5 billion … Read Full Post »

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A Homeowner’s Guide To Termites In Texas

. Posted by in , • Austin
A group of termites on wood

There are many reasons Texans love calling this part of the country home. We have warm weather nearly all year round, with so much to offer in terms of nature, history, sporting events, museums and other attractions. Unfortunately, we aren’t the only ones that are drawn to this state. Termites in Texas—specifically, the subterranean, Formosan and drywood varieties—are a major problem for countless homeowners. These destructive pests are responsible for costing homeowners in Texas hundreds of millions of dollars of damage each year.

How does this tiny pest get away with so much?

Subterranean termites, the most common species of termite found in Texas, tunnel in moist soil in search of cellulose, their primary food source that is found in wood, plants, cardboard, insulation and even pet excrement. Because these pests are tunneling underground, many homeowners are unaware they have a problem until these voracious insects have already caused extensive damage. These … Read Full Post »

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How To Get Rid Of A Roach Infestation

. Posted by in • Orlando
A dead cockroach

You turn on the bathroom light in the middle of the night and spot it—a cockroach. The next morning as you go into the kitchen, you spot another one, scuttling away. After a few of these unwelcome encounters, you’ve come to the conclusion that you have cockroaches in your home. Most importantly, you want that to change. When it comes to getting rid of roaches, often the best route is to contact a pest control specialist who can apply effective treatments to roach nesting and breeding grounds. However, there are some things you can do to help limit your roach population and make your home less attractive to these common pests.

The first step to eliminating a roach infestation is pinpointing where these creatures are nesting. Common areas around a home include:

  • Around sinks in the bathroom and kitchen
  • Behind the refrigerator
  • In closets and cabinets
  • Under beds or couches
  • Around doors or windows

When you’ve discovered … Read Full Post »

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How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs Permanently

. Posted by in , • Corpus Christi
A bed with a gray comforter and yellow and white pillows

Anyone who has dealt with a bed bug infestation has probably wondered how to get rid of bed bugs permanently. Considered by many in the pest control industry as among the most difficult problems to resolve, bed bugs can live for several months without eating, and are capable of laying up to 5 eggs each day, and over 500 over a lifetime. Able to survive in temperatures ranging from almost freezing to 122 degrees Farenheit, bed bugs are extremely resilient. To make matters worse, newly-hatched bed bugs are so tiny that they can squeeze in between the stitches of a mattress.  These are just a few reasons why homeowners often skip DIY treatments and enlist the help of a professional, who is equipped with the products, techniques and experience needed to resolve an infestation both quickly and effectively.

If you believe you may have a bed bug problem, you should know that … Read Full Post »

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Landscaping With Drought Tolerant Texas Plants

. Posted by in , • Houston
A shrimp plant which is a drought tolerant texas plant

Living in Texas means dealing with blistering heat during the summer months and, let’s face it, often during the spring and fall as well. Many regions in the state also face harsh weather conditions in the winter, which means any Texas yard or garden must be as hardy as Texas homeowners themselves. This is why landscaping with drought tolerant Texas plants has become so popular in landscape design.

In addition, due to the size of our state, not every plant is adapted to every area. Depending on where you’re located, here are a few options for drought resistant plants that will thrive in your yard:

  • Central Texas: Black and blue sage, pink salvia, oregano, carpet rose, mint and rosemary.
  • North Texas: Hot lips salvia, lamb’s ear, rock rose, Mexican bush sage, beautyberry and St. John’s wort.
  • South Texas: German red carnation, yarro, oxblood lily, Mexican heather, indigo spires salvia and firebush.
  • East Texas: Baby’s breath, … Read Full Post »
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Why Is My Dishwasher Backing Up Into The Sink?

. Posted by in , • Austin
dishwasher backing up into sink and overflowing

The kitchen is the center of activity in most homes, and the sink is the heart of the kitchen. If you’re busy doing dishes, you expect everything—including the faucet, disposal, dishwasher and pipes—to work. The last thing you want is to run into any kind of problem that would result in a backed-up sink or dishwasher full of dirty, smelly water and bits of decomposing food that won’t go down. If you find your dishwasher backing up into your sink, that’s just the type of plumbing problem you’ll have on your hands, and it will need to be resolved quickly, so you can get back to your normal routine without much disruption.

There are several common causes of a dishwasher backing up into a sink, including a block in the air gap, an obstruction in your dishwasher or a clogged garbage disposal. One of the most likely culprits is a simple … Read Full Post »

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