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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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Can You Add a Waterfall to an Existing Pool?

. Posted by in • Austin
Can I add a waterfall to an existing pool

 

Your existing pool is a place where everyone goes to hang out. Just thinking about it makes you smile; you and your family have made quite a few good memories playing in or around it. And while the pool itself has been great, a little upgrade never hurt anyone. Adding a waterfall to a pool, for example, and other yard enhancements are a feasible addition that can really make your backyard stand out from the rest.

Can You Add a Waterfall to an Existing Pool?

The good news is it’s definitely doable. So if you’re willing to take on a backyard project, we’ve got some tips to help you out. Before you do, ask yourself: Is a waterfall the right decision for you and your home? There are many things to take into consideration when thinking about adding this feature to your pool.

Benefits Of A Waterfall

One of the more obvious benefits … Read Full Post »

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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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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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Houston Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017

. Posted by in , , , , , , • Houston
Houston Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017

Houston is a great place to be during the spring months. Everything is green, the weather is pleasant, and there are many excuses to get out and enjoy local festivals, art exhibits, and other happenings. Spring is already associated with renewal, making it the perfect reason to take a hard look at your home to ensure you do all you can to maintain and improve upon your most significant investment.

Houston Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017

ABC Home & Commercial Services has made life easier for Texas homeowners for over 60 years. Our background-checked employees provide reliable, top-notch home services and treat your home as we would our own. As an extension of this philosophy, we created a Houston Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017.

The 9-page Guide includes:

  • Ten things to do in Houston this Spring
  • Spring Home Maintenance Checklist
  • Spring Cleaning List of Where to Donate or Dispose of Common Household Items Locally
  • Advice on How … Read Full Post »
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Austin Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017

. Posted by in , , , , , , • Austin
Austin Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017

Austin is the place to be during the spring months. Flowers are blooming, the sun is out and temperatures are still usually mild. Take advantage of this time of year to make some subtle improvements and to conduct home maintenance so that you can enjoy your home for the rest of the year.

Austin Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017

For over 60 years, ABC Home & Commercial Services has been making life easier on Texans. Our Austin Homeowners Guide for Spring 2017 provides you with tips and other information to help you take care of your biggest investment.

The 9-page Guide includes:

  • Ten things to do in Austin this Spring
  • Spring Home Maintenance Checklist
  • Spring Cleaning List of Where to Donate or Dispose of Common Household Items Locally
  • Advice on How to Mosquito-Proof Your Yard
  • Spring Gardening Tips
  • 6 Signs You May Need to Repair Your AC
  • Pool Opening Checklist
  • Easy Home Improvement Projects

Download the guide here. Get a preview of … Read Full Post »

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Pool Remodeling Tips To Make The Most Of Your Investment

. Posted by in • Houston
pool remodeling tips

Spending an afternoon relaxing by the pool, catching up on your favorite book, is a dream for many homeowners. The reality, however, is that maintaining a pool can be a lot of work. Then, there are the repairs to consider. Many homeowners also get to a point where they realize that it may be time for a pool remodel.

Pool Remodeling Tips

There are many reasons to remodel your pool. While some homeowners consider new features to make their pool more enjoyable for their family, others choose to make upgrades to improve a home’s resale value. Whatever the motivation, let’s dive in (pun intended) to the topic with some reasons why you might consider remodeling your pool and simple updates you can do to make the most of your investment. 

Five Reasons to Remodel Your Pool

Sooner or later, every pool needs a renovation of one type or another. Here are some signs … Read Full Post »

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How To Winterize Your Pool

. Posted by in • Austin
How to winterize your pool

Pools can add value to your property, give you an excuse to have people over and provide you with a fun way to spend time with family and friends without having to leave home. When winter comes, however, you’ll need to take steps to make sure your swimming pool can handle the cold weather. If you don’t take proper precautions, even a light freeze can damage a pool. Furthermore, allowing a pool to go unused for several months without proper winterizing can lead to algae or bacterial growth and other unwanted consequences.

How To Winterize Your Pool

Below we’ll look at the basic steps to winterizing your pool. A little attention before winter comes will ensure you and your family can start swimming as soon as warm weather returns.

Clean the Pool

The first thing you will need to do is clean the pool thoroughly. Clean mildew, algae and other gunk around the rim … Read Full Post »

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Pro Pool Tips for your Summer Vacation

. Posted by in • Austin
follow these pro pool safety for summer in texas

School is out for summer, and we’re ready for a vacation!

Like most families, you’ve probably planned some sort of pool-related fun for the summer. Or maybe you’ve planned an all-out trip to the beach. Either way, we have put together a list of pro-tips for the pool that we’d love to share with our ABC family blog readers. These eight safety measures will ensure that your summer vacation isn’t disturbed by any scraped knees, sunburns, or worse.

Read Full Post »

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Open Your Pool: The 10-step Checklist

. Posted by in • Houston

Sit back. Relax. It’s summertime!

Every May, thousands of Houston families open their backyard swimming pools for the summer season. Opening a pool isn’t as simple as pulling off the cover and jumping in.

We have put together a checklist for our ABC family insiders.

1. FILTER PUMPS AND OTHER PUMPS

Are they operable?
Are any of them making a loud noise?
Are they priming ok?
Are there any leaks?
Are the pump baskets intact?

2. CLEANER PUMP

Is it operable?
Is it making a loud noise?
Are there any leaks?

3. FILTERS

Check filter pressure. Your filter may need to be back washed or have the internal assemblies cleaned or replaced.
If your filter has a push/pull valve or multiport valve, do they operate smoothly?
Are there any leaks?

4. POOL CLEANER UNIT

Is it operable?
Inspect tires, wheel bearings, debris bags, etc.

5. WATERSIDE

Are skimmer baskets and skimmer covers intact?
Are there any cracks … Read Full Post »

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