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Replastering a Pool: A Complete Guide

. Posted by in • Houston
Replastering a pool

Your pool has become a gathering place where friends and family enjoy spending time together. You have invested time and energy over the years to maintain your swimming hole. Over time, however, you have noticed that the walls and bottom of your pool have become rough, bumpy, and even sharp in places.

Something needs to be done, but what? As pools age, the plaster used initially tends to get rough and make them unsightly and potentially dangerous. How do you fix the problem? By replastering.

Replastering a Pool: A Complete Guide

In a nutshell, replastering a pool means putting a new layer of plaster on the walls and bottom. What does plaster do? 

First, it serves to make your pool waterproof. Kind of important, right?

When you installed your pool, the people who did it likely used concrete or gunite to form the “shell” of the pool. The problem with both of these substances is that … Read Full Post »

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Common Air Conditioner Problems: Not Cooling

. Posted by in • San Antonio
Common Air Conditioner Problems Not Cooling

Naturally, when the temperatures climb, we tend to stay indoors, enjoying the benefits of our air conditioned homes. But what happens when your air conditioning isn’t working to your satisfaction? What if it appears to be working but it simply isn’t cooling your home? Where do you go to spend the day? How will you fix it? Unfortunately, air conditioners can sometimes stop cooling. So when it does, it’s best to be prepared.

Common Air Conditioner Problems: Not Cooling

In this post, we’ll discuss what might be happening if your air conditioner isn’t cooling your home to your satisfaction. We’ll also provide an explanation for how an air conditioner unit works and what you need to know to ensure it’s working properly. Finally, we’ll dive a bit deeper to examine what steps you can take to fix it at home and what steps are best left to the professionals.

Central Air Conditioner Problems: … Read Full Post »

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Air Conditioner Problems And Solutions To Keep Your Cool

. Posted by in • San Antonio
Air Conditioner Problems and Solutions

Air conditioning repair needs seem to crop up at the most unexpected times for homeowners—particularly if you skip out on your routine maintenance appointment. Following our air conditioner maintenance checklist is important because periodic checks performed by a professional is the number one way to ensure that your cooling system runs as effectively and efficiently as it should for as long as it should.

Otherwise, you could find yourself on one of the hottest days in midsummer with a malfunctioning system. Of course, even if you do invest in maintenance as often as you should (once a year, or twice a year if you have a heat pump), there is still a chance that you will need summer AC repairs. Fortunately, the majority of these are usually relatively minor—as long as they are taken care of right away.

Delaying the summer months, when your system is working at full steam, AC repairs can … Read Full Post »

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Grasshoppers vs Crickets: What’s the Difference?

. Posted by in • Orlando
grasshoppers vs crickets

There’s no doubt about it: Many insects look alike. That’s even truer when the two insects in question belong to the same family. Take crickets and grasshoppers, for example. There’s been much discussion about grasshoppers vs. crickets, so let’s discuss some differences between the two species. 

Grasshoppers vs Crickets: What’s the Difference?

At first glance, the two insects look very similar. Their bodies are similarly structured, and they both have antennas. That said, you can tell these hopping creatures apart in several ways.

Family Ties

Both the cricket and the grasshopper belong to the Orthoptera order. Another member of this family is the locust. While crickets and grasshoppers share a common ancestry, they belong to different suborders. Grasshoppers belong to the Caeliferans suborder, while crickets belong to the Ensifera suborder. There are more species of grasshoppers—11,000—compared to the number of cricket species: over 900.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Though the two look very similar at … Read Full Post »

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Are Bugs Attracted to Light?

. Posted by in • Houston
bugs attracted to light

Whether it’s a bulb on your front porch or a lamp out in the backyard, there seem to be bugs flying or crawling around that space. At any given time, it’s easy to see a variety of insects flocking towards the light. Why are bugs attracted to light around the exterior of your home when the sun goes down?

Are Bugs Attracted to Light?

The short answer to the question is what you are probably suspecting: yes, bugs are attracted to light. You probably have more questions about insects and light, however. Are there certain types of bugs that seem more drawn to outdoor lighting? What is it about light that seems to attract insects? Most importantly, what should we know about this phenomenon which can help us keep pesky insects away from our entryways so they don’t make it inside? How can we keep insects from bugging us when we are in … Read Full Post »

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Are Roses Poisonous To Cats? Your Questions Answered

. Posted by in • Austin
Are roses poisonous to cats

A garden in full bloom is a wonderful way to showcase your yard. Roses, chrysanthemums, begonias, tulips and daffodils create a colorful carpet to delight the eye. Gardens add so much to the look of the outside of a home, and whether you grew the flowers yourself, a bouquet on the counter brightens any room. Plants and flowers attract not only your eye, but also the eye of your pets, so it’s important to know which are poisonous to your cats and dogs and which are safe. Plus, how do you keep your pets away from plants, both inside and out? Let’s take a look at these questions and more.

Are Roses Poisonous to Cats? Your Questions Answered

As we know, cats are curious creatures. A leaf waving in the wind or a petal falling to the ground will bring even the most laid-back cat over to investigate. Similar to all types of … Read Full Post »

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Pool Maintenance For Beginners

. Posted by in • Austin
Pool maintenance for beginners

What do many prospective homebuyers look for in a backyard? A swimming pool! Whether you’ve just moved into a new house with a pool or recently had one installed, you know that having a pool requires regular time and attention. First-time pool owners can easily feel overwhelmed with all the details, including what chemicals are needed to maintain a pool. Once you learn the basics, you’ll feel more confident understanding how to maintain your pool yourself.

Pool Maintenance For Beginners

The three Cs of pool care are circulation, cleaning and chemicals. Pay attention to each of these areas on a consistent basis and you’ll be able to prevent any issues before they become costly problems. Before we explore each of these areas, let’s talk about the tools you’ll need to get the job done.

What Equipment Do I Need?

The first thing you’ll want to get is a pool cover. A cover is effective in … Read Full Post »

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How To Get Rid of Armadillos

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station
how to get rid of armadillos

It’s too big to be a rodent, but it’s not a raccoon or possum. What could it be digging up your yard or garden? If you are in the southeast part of the United States, one possibility—if you have ruled out your own dog—is the armadillo. Although these small mammals have a cult-like following in some parts of the country, armadillos can cause real damage by digging shallow holes all across your property in search of food, uprooting your ornamental plants and even waking you up in the middle of the night as they rub their shells against your home. As with most other types of pests, taking the time to learn more about the animal, what attracts them to your yard and what risks they pose helps better understand how to get rid of armadillos.

How to Get Rid of Armadillos

The armadillo made its way to the United States from … Read Full Post »

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Grass Mites on Humans: Are Lawn Mites a Problem?

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
lawn mites

Grass mites are tiny lawn pests that can difficult to see with the naked eye. Mite is actually a collective term, as there are many variations of this insect-like organism, some of which are known to feed on wild and domestic animals, including humans. Homeowners may know mites as tiny creatures that can feed on plants, but are grass mites on humans a problem? Let’s take a deeper look into these microscopic lawn mites to learn more about them and how they might impact you.

Lawn Mites: Are They A Problem?

There are a variety of mite species that might be on your property, but the types of mites most likely to bite humans are more commonly known as chiggers. Although these species of mites live in grass and are sometimes lumped together with other bugs that are called grass mites, these animals do not feed on plant matter as lawn pests … Read Full Post »

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What You Should Know About the Aedes Triseriatus Mosquito

. Posted by in , • Corpus Christi
Aedes triseriatus

Summer. Mosquitoes. These two things go together like chips and salsa, although we can all agree that we’d prefer our warm weather without the mosquitoes. One of the most common mosquito species you are likely to encounter in the southern states of the U.S. when it’s hot outside is the Aedes triseriatus. 

What You Should Know About the Aedes Triseriatus Mosquito

Your next question is most likely: how can I identify this type of mosquito? Where does it breed? What risks does it pose to me, my family and my pets? Perhaps most importantly, how can you protect against these biting pests? Let’s learn more about this pesky pest.

Aedes triseriatus Identification and Habitat

When you’re sitting in your backyard, enjoying time with friends and family or just listening to the quiet, you’re not likely to pay attention to which type of mosquito is biting you; you only know you’re getting bitten. So how do you … Read Full Post »

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