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AC Unit Fan Not Spinning: What Should I Do?

. Posted by in • Austin
AC Unit Fan Not Spinning

Air conditioning is a way of life in the southern parts of the U.S. for at least half the year. The price we pay for our mild winters is that we basically skip spring and head straight into summer. That’s why it is so troubling to come home and be hit with a blast of lukewarm air, especially when upon closer inspection, you discover your AC unit fan is not spinning.

Your air conditioner’s fan is usually located in your outside unit. The fan pulls in hot air and delivers it over your condenser coil, where the air cools to your desired temperature and can then be pumped into your home. While your fan can stop spinning for a number of reasons, in most cases, the resolution is not a simple DIY fix. Because of the complexity of air conditioning systems, the dangers of working with electricity and the simple fact … Read Full Post »

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Do Termites Eat Cedar? Protecting Your Home From Damage

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
Do termites eat cedar

Most homeowners have heard of termites, and know that these pests chew their way through wooden structures, including houses, garages and fences, as well as other natural food sources. Termites cause billions of dollars worth of damage to homes and properties each year. Their colonies can number in the thousands or even millions, and a termite colony can lay waste to wooden beams, rafters, siding or flooring in your home or garage.

Which types of wood are their favorites? For example, do termites eat cedar, an evergreen tree that is common in Texas and other southern states? Or, if some people think cedar is an effective DIY method to keep wool moths at bay, you might wonder: could cedar repel termites as well?

The short answer is that while some research has shown that some types of commercially-available wood may be more palatable to termites than others, subterranean species have been found … Read Full Post »

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Bugs That Look Like Bed Bugs: Identification Tips

. Posted by in , • Orlando

The idea of a bug sharing the space where you sleep is not one to take lightly—especially if it’s one that bites! If you spotted a tiny bug wandering around your bedroom, your first instinct might have been to assume that it is a bed bug. However, more bugs look like bed bugs than you might expect. While the complete list could be pretty long, the shortlist is fleas, immature roaches, booklice, carpet beetles, bat bugs, and ticks.

So, how can you know if that minuscule visitor was a bed bug? Here are a few characteristics of bed bugs that can tip you off to the presence of these bloodsucking creatures:

  • Adults are reddish-brown to black.
  • A bed bug that hasn’t had a blood meal recently is usually oval-shaped and flat. After feeding, these parasites will swell up, become longer and change color to redder to match their food source—blood.
  • Newly hatched bed bug … Read Full Post »
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Bed Bug Bites Vs. Flea Bites: How Can I Tell Them Apart?

. Posted by in , , • Corpus Christi
Bed Bug Bites Vs. Flea Bites

You woke up and noticed weird bites on your body. You look pointedly at Fido as he scratches behind his ear with a little more fervor than usual. Does he have fleas? Or maybe you have bed bugs? How would you know if you have bed bug bites versus flea bites, anyway?

If you’ve struggled to determine exactly what type of bug bit you, you are not alone. Most insect bites result in itching, and many leave a little bump or red mark where you were bitten. Why would it even matter which creature is biting you? For starters, bed bugs and fleas can pose different risks for you, your family and your pets. In this blog post, we’ll review the differences between these bugs’ feeding patterns, what their bites look like and how to treat a bite once you have settled on which creature is responsible.

Fleas: The Most Likely Culprit

A … Read Full Post »

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Why Does My Toilet Flush Twice? Advice From The Pros

. Posted by in • San Antonio
Why does my toilet flush twice

Many homeowners have experienced it before: They use the bathroom, press the handle on the toilet to flush and after the first, expected flush, the toilet spontaneously flushes itself a second time. If this is happening in your bathroom, you might wonder, “Why does my toilet flush twice?”

There are several reasons why this might happen, along with some do-it-yourself ways that homeowners can troubleshoot and address the problem. In many cases, however, it is wise to hire a professional plumber for a proper diagnosis of the issue, along with any parts installation or repairs that might be needed.

The two most common issues with a twice flushing toilet are a toilet flapper that is staying up too long or a toilet fill valve that needs to be adjusted.

If the toilet flapper stays up for too long, this is usually because your toilet has been fitted with a generic or universal flapper … Read Full Post »

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Why Do Cockroaches Come Out At Night?

. Posted by in • Houston
Why do cockroaches come out at night

When you wake up before the sun rises and go to make your coffee, you’re not expecting to discover a cockroach in the cabinet next to your coffee grounds. Chances are that in your pre-caffeinated state, your reactions aren’t quite as sharp, resulting in your kitchen visitor scurrying away before you can find anything to smash it with. If someone had asked, you would have sworn that you didn’t have any bug problems—especially roaches. But you also know that you usually don’t spot one of these creatures, unless it’s dark.

So, why do cockroaches come out at night? The short answer is that, like other nocturnal animals, roaches have evolved to forage for food and water in low-light environments, since these conditions help them avoid predators. In this blog post, we will explore cockroach activity patterns in more detail and offer you tips on how to keep these pests away from … Read Full Post »

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Outside AC Unit Not Running But Inside Is: What’s Going On?

. Posted by in • Austin
Outside AC unit not running but inside is

Maybe you finally bit the bullet and turned your air conditioner on, or maybe you’ve been running your AC for weeks now. Either way, to your surprise, something is not quite right. Despite hearing the sound of the AC turning on, your house is not cooling down as it used to. After some investigating, you determine that your outside AC unit isn’t running but the inside is.

Typically, this means one of two things: your outside AC hums but the fan doesn’t spin or the entire outside AC unit isn’t working at all. What could be causing either of these problems, and, more importantly, what can you do about it? In this post, we’ll go into detail about some scenarios you may run across with your air conditioner and how your components work together to create a comfortable, cool indoor living environment.

Air Conditioner Outside Unit Fan Not Working

Maybe you notice that … Read Full Post »

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Can Mosquitoes Bite Through Clothes?

. Posted by in , • Houston
can mosquitoes bite through clothes

Mosquitoes are a problem for most of the year in the warmer parts of the country. But even so, it can feel like they come back earlier each year. You thought you were at least going to have a few weeks of relaxation in beautiful weather before they showed up again, but these bloodsucking pests had different plans. As you’re relaxing in your backyard you may be wondering: Can mosquitoes bite through clothes? Will I be safe from these biting insects if I just cover up?

Mosquitoes prefer to access blood directly through the skin, but that doesn’t mean they won’t use their proboscis to get to the blood through the clothes you are wearing. Generally speaking, loose, long-sleeved and light-colored clothes significantly reduce the chances of your getting a mosquito bite. That being said, they do not completely remove the possibility of being bitten.

We’ll teach you how to stop mosquito … Read Full Post »

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Where Do Sugar Ants Come From? How To Keep Them Away

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
Where do sugar ants come from

You’re in your kitchen, enjoying a nice cup of coffee or getting ready to start prepping dinner when you suddenly notice little black ants everywhere. While sugar ants are often small—about the size of pepper flakes—and they don’t typically bite humans, it can still be unnerving to spot them in your living spaces.

Even if you clean your home regularly, sugar ants can still invade. This is especially true if you have children living in the home who might make it tough to stay on top of every drip and spill of sugary items that attract sugar ants, like juice, jelly, chocolate milk or maple syrup. So where do sugar ants come from, and if you have a sugar ant infestation, what can you do to get rid of these unwelcome pests?

Unfortunately, sugar ants can make their homes just about anywhere. These insects can nest inside homes and in virtually any … Read Full Post »

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Is There A Best Time To Run A Pool Pump In Summer?

. Posted by in • Austin

You finally did it—you got a pool installed in your backyard. And you were incredibly glad you did, since it’s a nice way to cool off at the end of a long day. Then, your power bill came and your jaw dropped. You had run the pool pump all day, every day, and now you’re wondering: When is the best time to run a pool pump in the summer?

Like some questions, the answer isn’t entirely straightforward. Depending on your situation, you could choose to run your pump at night only, you may decide to switch to a different sized component to save money or you could find that running your pump all day long is preferible.

Homeowners want to do what’s right and keep their pools pristine, but they often don’t quite realize what they’re getting into, or ways to cut costs while still maintaining your pool. Let’s explore how to … Read Full Post »

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