Your Guide to the Best Holiday Lights Houston 2017

November 16, 2017. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Holiday Lighting • Houston

There are many signs of the holiday season here in Houston. Stores put up their holiday displays, gingerbread and peppermint goodies start appearing everywhere, and gift guides flood our inboxes and mailboxes. In addition to making time for holiday decorating, deciding what lights to buy, and getting presents, calendars start to fill up with seasonal events. We’ve compiled a list of Best Holiday Lights Houston 2017 to help you make time for some special memories this year.

Nothing puts everyone in the mood for Christmas quite like lights. Depending on which lights displays you choose to see, you may opt to stay in the car, which can be easier for friends and family members who are younger or older, who might have a harder time walking long distances or standing for long periods of time. Driving around to see lights can also be a good option for those rare Houston days … Read Full Post »

Yard Fungus: Identification, Treatment and Prevention

November 15, 2017. Posted by J Zambo in Lawn • Bryan-College Station

When you spend a lot of time with the goal of having a green manicured yard, the last thing you want to see is signs of damage. You water, mow, edge and maybe even fertilize in the hopes of seeing a lush carpet. What do you do if you suspect you have yard fungus? How do you know if the damage you are seeing is a type of yard fungus or something else entirely?

St. Augustine is a popular grass for homeowners because it is shade, heat, salt and drought tolerant. When maintained properly, this variety of grass also handles normal human and animal traffic well. However, there a couple of types of lawn fungus that are more prevalent when you have St. Augustine grass. These lawn fungus types also like other warm-season grasses, such as Bermuda and Zoysia.

In this post, we will tell you what you need to know about the … Read Full Post »

Which Salt Tolerant Plants Will Work In My Yard?

November 14, 2017. Posted by J Zambo in Landscaping, Lawn • Corpus Christi

Living along the coast certainly has its advantages: access to the beach every day, coastal breezes, mild temperatures, fresh seafood and pretty views.

However, gardening in these environments can present a challenge. While saltwater has its benefits, most plants and flowers don’t like it. Salinity in the soil inhibits a plant’s ability to absorb important nutrients, thereby disrupting the plant’s metabolism.

Finding salt tolerant plants to for your lawn can be a challenge. In many cases, you can select salt tolerant varieties of ceratin plants which can do well in coastal climates. The salt tolerance of plants is determined by a variety of factors, including a plant’s ability to grow under and resist high winds, salt spray, alkaline soils and infertile, sandy soils.

When choosing plants that will be placed facing the ocean without buildings to protect them, you should choose highly salt tolerant plants. If the plants are protected … Read Full Post »

Carpenter Ants vs Fire Ants—Which is Which?

November 13, 2017. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control • Austin

Because of their size, identifying ants can be difficult. Some ant species can only be accurately classified by a pest control professional or under a microscope. However, if you know some key characteristics of different types of ants, you can usually determine which variety you are seeing in your yard or inside your home. Knowing how to distinguish carpenter ants vs fire ants can help you protect your home and your family from painful bites and the damage these pests can do. While carpenter ants are wood-destroying insects, capable of impacting your home’s property value, fire ants inflict their damage through bites that can become swollen, itchy and unpleasant.

The short answer about how to tell the difference between a carpenter ant and a fire ant is in their coloration, nesting habits and behavior. While fire ants tend to be a red-brown color, carpenter ants are generally black, brown or a … Read Full Post »

5 Signs There’s a Pest in Your Attic & 8 Ways to Prevent It

November 10, 2017. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Pest Control, Rodent & Wildlife • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

As we move into November, the days and nights spent outside enjoying the warm weather are coming to an end. Just as we start to head indoors, so do pesky critters trying to find warmth and shelter in our homes. Mice, rats, bats, squirrels and raccoons are the most common pests in your attic in Texas homes. If the proper precautions are not taken, they can be found in garages, under porches, and in your attic during the colder months. These pests are notorious for squeezing into very small entry points and nesting in attics and walls. Once inside, they can chew insulation, wood and wires. Not only does this cause significant damage to your home, but exposed wires also create a potential fire hazard.

A pest invasion can be preventable with the proper precautions. The first step is determining if there is a pest in your attic and … Read Full Post »

Roof Rat vs. Norway Rat: How Are They Different?

November 8, 2017. Posted by Les Stobart in Rodent & Wildlife • San Antonio

There are few pests which homeowners dislike as much as rats.

It’s easy to see why these furry creatures evoke such negative feelings. In addition to carrying diseases, rats can destroy your property by chewing and gnawing on wires, pipes, water hoses, wood doors, floors, walls, clothing, furniture, cement and more. These rodents can consume and contaminate your food, go through your trash and make a huge mess. Rats can also destroy crops.

To take care of a rat problem, you have to know which species of rat you are dealing with. There are over 50 species of rats, but only a few we are likely to see in and around our homes.

The roof rat (which has an almost comical scientific name: Rattus rattus) likes to be up high like its name suggests and usually nests in walls and attics. In the wild, these animals can be found in trees, among vines … Read Full Post »

Too Much Water in Pool Due to Rain? What You Can Do

November 6, 2017. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Swimming Pool Service & Repair • Houston

Here in the southern states, we almost always enjoy it when it rains. A good soaking typically cools the temperature and provides our lawn and landscaping with much-needed water. However, there are times when a strong storm, hurricane or tropical depression dumps a lot of rain on our property. That’s when there is too much of a good thing, which can lead to too much water in your pool due to rain.

We’ll tell you what you can do when your area experiences heavy rainfall, how to lower your pool’s water level, what happens when your pool is overflowing from rain, the problems a storm or severe weather event can cause and give you some tips on hurricane pool preparation.

How To Lower Pool Water Level

If you have a typical rainfall, or even several inches, your pool should be fine, since drains and skimmers are designed to remove the excess water. … Read Full Post »

Bed Bugs in Your Home, Practical Tips for Uncovering Them

November 3, 2017. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Bed Bug Control • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

Here at ABC Home & Commercial, November is our peak time for bed bug treatment. Every summer vacations are taken, leaving travelers like you at risk of bed bugs in your home with them. Bed bugs become very active in the late summer and fall before it cools down for winter. By the time November rolls around, they have been enjoying the hot humid North Texas summer for a few months.

Bed bugs don’t discriminate. They will live just about anywhere and bite anyone. Anyone who has slept where other people have slept before could get bed bugs. Even the nicest 5-star hotels are susceptible to infestations. The best way to prevent bed bugs is to check for them anytime you travel before you come home.

How Do You Get Bed Bugs in Your Home?

Bed bugs usually travel place to place by latching onto clothing or luggage after you have … Read Full Post »

What Can a Handyman Legally Do?

November 1, 2017. Posted by Les Stobart in Handyman • Austin

What if you could get all of those little tasks on your “honey-do” list completed without having to lift a finger?

Home repairs, maintenance and weekend projects can quickly eat up all your free time. It’s only natural that homeowners are looking for ways to outsource these tasks at the lowest possible price. Depending on the nature of the tasks involved, you may find yourself wondering which jobs are suitable for a handyman and which tasks are better performed by a licensed contractor. Since virtually anyone can call themselves a handyman, you might ask yourself, “What can a handyman legally do?” Is there a real difference between the training and skills of a handyman and a contractor? What type of jobs should you hire a handyman to complete? Some homeowners have an even more basic question: What is a handyman in the first place?

A handyman may be a jack-of-all-trades or … Read Full Post »

Can I Get Mold Spores Bites? What To Know About Mold Mites

October 27, 2017. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control • Orlando

Most of us are familiar with mold. In addition to this fungus that can grow on food, plants, and areas with moisture or high humidity, you may run across tiny creatures called mold mites. These microscopic white or tan-colored mites feed on mold and fungi and are part of the larger species of mites, including cheese mites, flour mites, and grain mites.

Mold mites are wingless, smooth, and so small that they don’t cause structural damage, and they don’t bite humans. However, these soft-bodied pests have long “hairs,” which can cause an allergic reaction in some people. That is why some individuals may believe they have gotten mold spore bites when in contact with a mold mite. In some cases, a skin irritation linked to an allergic reaction to mold growing inside your home may feel like a bite or sting. Several environmental factors, including medical conditions, certain medications (or changes … Read Full Post »