ABC Blog

Please choose a city to view local blog posts:

Choose a City

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 »

Comments Closed

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 »

Comments Closed

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 »

Comments Closed

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 »
Comments Closed

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 »

Comments Closed

Carpenter Ant Damage Vs. Termite Damage: Identification Tips

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
a kitchen with signs of carpenter ant damage or termite damage

If you find damaged wood in or around your home, you might wonder whether carpenter ants or termites are to blame. Quite honestly, it can be difficult to tell if you have termites or carpenter ants without extensive pest control knowledge. While termites are responsible for $5 billion in property damage each year in the United States alone, most of this impact is linked to the subterranean varieties, which can be difficult to detect, since these species live most of their lives underground. and primarily eat away at our home’s foundation and other hard-to-access areas. Drywood termites are more likely to be spotted above ground, in similar environments as carpenter ants. One way to tell the difference between carpenter ant damage and drywood termite damage is by looking at how clean the damaged wood and surrounding area is. Generally speaking, carpenter ants tend to be pretty meticulous. Any wood that … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Dallisgrass Vs. Crabgrass: Which Weed Do I Have?

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth
A patch of crabgrass

If you’ve ever seen clumps of grass in your yard that don’t match the rest of the lawn and seem to grow faster than anything else around them, you probably realized you have weeds. What you may not have known is what those plants are called or how to get rid of them. Two of the most common weed grasses to show up in most yards that are often mistaken for each other are dallisgrass or crabgrass. Let’s take a closer look at the similarities and differences between dallisgrass vs. crabgrass so you can learn how to identify each type and what steps you can take to maintain a lush, weed-free lawn. For starters, let’s take a look at dallisgrass.

Dallisgrass

Dallisgrass migrated north to the U.S. from its native home in South America. Dallisgrass is a coarse, clumping grass that spreads from short, thick rhizomes. It is identifiable by its grayish-green … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Landscaping Spring Cleanup: Advice From The Experts

. Posted by in , • Houston
a hat, gardening shears and gloves to get started with spring landscaping cleanup

As the temperature starts to warm up and the first signs of spring appear, homeowners quickly turn their attention to their yards, as many grasses and plants go dormant during the cooler months of the year. When considering your landscaping, spring cleanup can consist of:

  • Clearing all debris, including dead leaves, fallen branches, pet waste and other clutter.
  • Planning your mowing, fertilizing and watering schedule, or signing up for a lawn service to take over these regular tasks for you.
  • Dethatching any dead roots or leaves in your lawn that may prevent your newly growing plants from getting the nutrients they need.
  • Pruning trees and shrubs to encourage healthy growth.
  • Take a blower to patios and decks to get all dust and other particles off of your commonly used spaces
  • Giving your lawn and landscaping some breathing room by planning to aerate.
  • Re-edging your flower beds.
  • Beginning a regular watering and weeding routine to encourage new growth of … Read Full Post »
Comments Closed

How Often Should I Mow My Lawn?

. Posted by in , • Austin
Someone mowing their lawn

When caring for your outdoor spaces, one of the first considerations is how often you should mow your lawn. A number of factors will dictate the frequency of your mowing schedule, including the type of grass you have in your yard and the climate in your geographical region. As a general rule of thumb, during the colder portions of the year, when most varieties of grass go into their dormant phase, you shouldn’t have to mow your lawn often, if at all.

During the warmer seasons, however, you’ll need to mow regularly. For most yards, that means mowing once a week, or at least two to three times a month. The most important consideration when it comes to cutting your grass is how tall a healthy sprout is. Three of the most common grasses throughout the warmer regions of the United States are zoysia, St. Augustine and Bermuda grass and each … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Florida Carpenter Ants: Controlling An Infestation

. Posted by in , • Orlando
Florida carpenter ant on damaged wood

You’ve found what looks like tiny sawdust piles along your baseboards or in your attic crawl space. Then, you spot an ant. After hearing horror stories about the damage these ants can do, you begin to worry that you may have a carpenter ant problem. First, you’ll need to confirm that what you have is actually a Florida carpenter ant and not something else.

Florida carpenter ants have a brown to rusty orange-colored head and thorax with the bottom half of their bodies being black. This ant grows a circular ring of golden hairs around its abdomen. Antennae are bullet-shaped and segmented into 12 parts. Workers measure in at about a quarter of an inch to a half of an inch in length, while winged swarmers and the queen can reach up to three-quarters of an inch long.

If the ants you have seen on your property fit this description, you’ll need … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed