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How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Pool

. Posted by in , , • Houston
How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Pool

There’s nothing like having a pool in your backyard, especially during the dog days of summer. On a hot day, it’s so nice to get into your swimsuit and take a refreshing dip. But wait – there’s a snake in the pool. How did that get there? How do you get rid of it? How can you keep snakes out of your pool?

How to Keep Snakes Out of Your Pool

There are only two camps for snakes – you either tolerate or hate them and want them to go away. But unfortunately for members of the latter camp, snakes are a fact of life in the Southwest. There are actually 76 species of snakes in Texas alone. Most are not poisonous, but you don’t want to find one floating in your pool or jumping out at you or your family from around the pool’s edge when you’re least expecting it.

What attracts … Read Full Post »

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What Temperature to Set Your Thermostat in Summer

. Posted by in • Austin
What Temperature to Set Thermostat in Summer

If you live in an area with a warmer climate, your air conditioner works hard during the summer months. What is the best temperature to set your thermostat during the summer to prolong the life of your unit and keep your home comfortable while not spending too much on electricity? Let’s learn about some ways to keep your cool even when the temperature climbs.

What Temperature to Set Thermostat in Summer

If you find yourself blasting your home’s air conditioning during the summer, you’re not alone. The trick, though, is understanding summer thermostat settings. Read below for tips and tricks on controlling your thermostat during the hot months of summer.

Consider a Programmable Thermostat

Installing a programmable thermostat is one of the first things you should consider, if your home isn’t already equipped with one. That’s because a programmable thermostat can help you set different temperatures throughout the day without having to do so … Read Full Post »

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Pool Plants To Turn Your Backyard Into an Oasis

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
pool plants

The second your family saw the pool, you knew that you were going to be buying the house. What better way to escape the heat of southern summers than a backyard pool? Your kids have gotten to swim and play and have fun for hours at a time without you having to chauffeur them around or waste time packing swim bags and inevitably forgetting something. But if you’re honest, there are some regrets. You kind of miss having a bigger backyard. A garden. Plants. Trees.

Pool Plants To Turn Your Backyard Into an Oasis

Often, new pool owners make their backyard about the pool and little else. But while pools certainly require a lot of care and attention, you can have your lush, green yard and have a backyard oasis within it to swim in.

In fact, adding plants and shaping the landscape can turn the space into an absolute oasis—one that adds value to your … Read Full Post »

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The Wolf Spider: What You Need To Know If You See One

. Posted by in • Houston
Wolf Spider Texas

According to Texas Parks & Wildlife, almost 900 species of spiders are found in Texas. Only two, however, are considered poisonous to humans: the black widow and the brown recluse spider. While there is much to learn about the danger associated with the two aforementioned spiders, there is another, more commonly seen spider in Texas. You also may not know much about the wolf spider.

What You’ll Learn:

  • What Should I Do If I See A Wolf Spider?
  • What Do Wolf Spiders Eat?
  • Where Do Wolf Spiders Live?
  • How Do Wolf Spiders Reproduce?
  • Are Wolf Spiders Poisonous?

What Should I Do If I See A Wolf Spider?

How likely are you to come across a wolf spider in Texas? An old saying is, “you’re never more than five feet from a spider.” Although this has been disproved, the truth is that there are spiders all around us, and there are 238 species of wolf spiders in Texas … Read Full Post »

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Save Money Using Smart Summer Thermostat Settings

. Posted by in • San Antonio
Summer Thermostat Settings

When it’s blazing hot outside, the temptation to crank your air conditioner down to Arctic settings to make your home cool and comfortable is strong. What temperature to set your thermostat in summer depends a lot on your goals. Do you want to conserve energy, thereby saving money on your monthly electricity bills? Or do you prioritize personal comfort, regardless of cost? Either way, the smartest summer thermostat settings are probably a little higher than you think, for several good reasons.

Smart Summer Thermostat Settings

Average air conditioner temperature settings vary from season to season. Even within a given season, you might adjust your thermostat in response to days when the weather is hotter, cooler, or more or less humid than normal.

Regardless of those factors, when determining the best summer thermostat settings for our homes, many of us place a priority on both personal comfort and conserving energy (costs), and will … Read Full Post »

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Best Temperature For Heater In Winter

. Posted by in • San Antonio
Best Temperature for Heater in Winter

You may be wondering what’s the best temperature for a heater in winter? You might be surprised to hear that an experienced air conditioning technician may tell you that most homeowners keep their thermostat set too high in the winter. Some families realize on their own that turning the thermostat down a few degrees not only feels more comfortable but also saves a lot on heating costs.

When you are just lying around, you may find that it feels a little cool in your home. If you are active in any way, you will probably warm up in no time. Besides, you can always put on a sweatshirt or a pair of socks, or you can get cozy under a blanket during the winter months.

Experts say that the best temperature at which to set your thermostat during the winter is 68 degrees. This setting is warm enough for most people, no matter … Read Full Post »

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Why Are Earwigs Called Earwigs?

. Posted by in • Orlando
Why Are Earwigs Called Earwigs

Earwigs are small, flat insects that measure about half an inch long and an eighth inch in width when full-grown. Dark brown and shiny, they have banded abdomens that end in a long pair of scary-looking pinchers. If you’ve ever tried to pick up an earwig, you may have gotten pinched—but you also probably noticed those pinchers weren’t very powerful. An earwig’s pinch might make you yelp in surprise. Still, it probably won’t break the skin, and it almost always happens defensively—meaning the earwig is frightened and trying to fight off a more significant, scarier enemy (you!). So why are earwigs called earwigs, and are the rumors true—do earwigs crawl in your ear? Let’s find out more about this often-misunderstood insect.

If you’ve ever tried to pick up an earwig, you may have gotten pinched—but you also probably noticed those pinchers weren’t very powerful. An earwig’s pinch might make you yelp … Read Full Post »

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Chinch Bugs: What Homeowners Need to Know About This Common Lawn Pest

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
chinch bugs

Your lawn is full of all kinds of small insects, some which are beneficial, and some which are not. Chinch bugs are a common lawn pest that can do a lot of damage to your grass. Let’s learn more about chinch bugs, how to know you have them and how to get rid of them if they are in your yard.

Chinch Bugs: What Homeowners Need to Know

Southern chinch bugs are small and slender with white wings with distinctive black triangular marks. Nymphs will go through five phases. The color will change from red with a faint white band across the midsection to black with a white band. They are the top pests associated with St. Augustine grass, although they can also feed on other grass species, such as Zoysia and Bermuda grass.

Chinch bugs are inactive during the winter months, as they prefer warmer, … Read Full Post »

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How To Calibrate A Thermostat Properly: Expert Tips

. Posted by in • San Antonio
calibrate thermostat

You can set the thermostat in your home or office at the perfect temperature—whatever that means to you personally—but how do you guarantee that the thermostat is reading the room’s temperature correctly?

If the thermostat isn’t calibrated correctly, you could find yourself looking for a better night’s rest because you’re uncomfortable with the indoor temperature. Even more alarming, you could be leaving your air conditioner running constantly and driving your cooling costs way up trying to find the perfect temperature to set the thermostat.

Your thermostat can lose its calibration if dirt gets inside it or if it gets bumped. The result is that you may set it on 75 degrees, but it will only cool the room to 78 degrees. Constantly readjusting the thermostat can raise your utility bill by up to 10 percent. The same is true for an incorrectly calibrated thermostat that “thinks” it’s running at a lower temperature … Read Full Post »

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San Antonio Power Washing, Window Washing and Gutter Cleaning Services Now Available from ABC

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
Gutter Cleaning San Antonio

https://blog.abchomeandcommercial.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Power-Washing-San-Antonio.mp4

Looking for an easy way to freshen up your home’s exterior? Power washing can remove the pollen, dirt and grime from your driveway and walkways. Window washing can allow more light to enter your home. Cleaning out your gutters can remove unsightly leaves and debris which can harbor pests and lead to other damage.

San Antonio Power Washing, Window Washing and Gutter Cleaning Now Offered by ABC

ABC Home & Commercial Services has been making life easier for Texas homeowners for over 60 years. As a part of the company’s continuing commitment to providing high-quality and reliable home services, owner Bobby Jenkins announced that ABC will now provide power washing, window washing and gutter cleaning services in the greater San Antonio area.

“We are grateful to our loyal customers for allowing us to expand ABC’s service offerings in San Antonio,” Jenkins noted. “Homeowners can count on the background-checked, highly-trained staff to … Read Full Post »

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