ABC Blog

How To Dispose of Household Items in Houston

How to dispose of trash Houston

We seem to constantly bring things into our homes—especially those everyday items we know we will eventually need. But before we know it, our homes are filled with countless empty bottles of cleaning supplies, old batteries, and electronics we don’t use. Adding more items to our house isn’t the issue, though; it’s how to dispose of those items once we’ve used them and ensure you are disposing of them correctly. If you look into how to dispose of trash, Houston is serious about giving residents options outside of adding items to area landfills.

How To Dispose of Household Items in Houston

Some things might be easy to dispose of, like recycling plastic containers. But others, like a washing machine, are sometimes harder to remove. For lightly used items, consider donating household items, like large electronics, to Houston residents that might need them.

Read our list below to learn how to dispose of other … Read Full Post »

Snakes in Texas

Snakes in Texas

Snakes.

If the very word sends shivers down your spine and makes you recoil in fear, you aren’t alone. Snakes in Texas are as ubiquitous as cowboy hats, horses and prickly pear cactuses—which is to say, you may not see them in urban areas on a daily basis but get even just a little bit rural and they’re sure to start popping up (or slithering along). While newcomers to Houston or any other Texas metropolis may not expect to deal with wildlife, snakes in Houston—and the rest of the state—are a simple fact of life. That’s why it’s so important to educate yourself about this much-maligned and often misunderstood animal.

Snakes in Texas

The two broad categories of snakes are venomous and non-venomous. Texas is home to a wide variety of species within those two groups, including many that present little or no threat to humans. Of course, plenty of snakes that are … Read Full Post »

How to Turn Up Your Water Heater

How to turn up water heater

Don’t you hate it when you try to take a hot shower and the water is barely lukewarm? Or maybe your dishes aren’t getting as sparkly clean as you’d like them to be. One easy fix is to check your hot water heater. You might just need to turn it up a bit, or your cold water might be a cry for needed maintenance.

How To Turn Up Your Water Heater

Below we’ll look at where your hot water comes from and what you can do to resolve the cold water blues.  

Water Heater Basics

To know what could be going wrong with your hot water, you must understand what kind of water heater you have.

There are two basic types of water heaters: gas and electric. Most water heaters in the U.S. are conventional tank water heaters—tall cylinders that heat the water slowly at the bottom of the tank and must … Read Full Post »

Where To Donate Household Items In Houston

Where to donate household items Houston

Springtime and the start of the year are two traditional times to declutter your living space, clearing out unused and unwanted items to make space for new, updated ones. But even though January is Get Organized Month, you don’t have to wait for the new year (or springtime!) to roll around before you get started on getting organized.

Any time of year is the right time to organize and declutter—and there’s no time like the present to begin. So what’s your first step? Since one man’s junk is another man’s treasure, your first step should be finding out where to donate household items in Houston.

Where to Donate Household Items in Houston

In Houston, deciding where to donate unwanted clothing, furniture, and household goods is just a matter of choosing which charity you’d like to benefit. Most charities accepting donations serve individuals in need, and your charitable donation is tax-deductible. It’s a … Read Full Post »

Everything You Need To Know About Rodents in Houston [INFOGRAPHIC]

As the fourth largest city in the nation, Houston is known for its vast array of restaurants, the museum district and as the home of NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

Unfortunately for those of us that live here, Houston is also known as the pest capital of the United States. Why? In addition to a large human population, whose trash provides a plentiful and consistent food source, the city’s warm and humid climate is a perfect place for all types of pests.

One common pest Houston homeowners contact us about most frequently are rodents. In Houston, Texas, rats and mice find their way into your home, eat and chew wood and food, leave a mess and can infect humans with some very serious diseases.

What kinds of rodents are found here in Austin? How do they make their way inside our homes? What are some warning signs? And perhaps most importantly, what can … Read Full Post »

A Child’s Hope Coffee Featured at Central Market’s Coffee Fest

A Child's Hope

Coffee. For many of us, it’s a necessity in the morning. A ritual to get our day off to a good start. A well-deserved break in the afternoon.

Did you realize that a cup of coffee can change a child’s life?

ABC Commits To Helping Haitian Children

After the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, members of the pest control industry in the United States traveled to the island nation to offer humanitarian aid. Haiti has long been the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, so the government struggled to support its citizens as they worked to rebuild after this catastrophic event.

Raleigh Jenkins, the owner of the Houston branch of ABC Home & Commercial Services, decided he wanted to do something more to help, particularly for Haiti’s children. Working together with a few colleagues and friends, A Child’s Hope was born.

Read Full Post »

How To Winterize Your Sprinkler System

how to winterize your sprinkler system

When colder temperatures are on the way, homeowners can take simple steps to make sure that outdoor spaces are ready to weather any extreme temperatures. What can you do to avoid costly repairs in the spring when temperatures begin to climb? One place to start is your sprinkler system.

How to Winterize Your Sprinkler System

Wondering how to winterize your sprinkler system yourself? Here’s our first tip: Don’t wait for winter’s first freeze! Sprinkler systems should be clear of water before frigid temperatures set in, to avoid burst pipes, broken valves, and the cost and hassle of repair.

Here’s the good news: With an air compressor and a little homeowner know-how, you can avoid the cost of hiring a professional by winterizing your sprinkler system yourself. Most systems are equipped with built-in drain valves to release water from the system, but these may not be sufficient for eliminating water that has pooled in … Read Full Post »

How To Keep Pipes From Freezing Without Heat

how to keep pipes from freezing without heat

Winter often means bundling up and adding on extra layers. For homeowners, the season can also bring extra responsibilities. When temperatures dip below the freezing mark, pipes can freeze and lead to other, more serious problems.

How To Keep Your Pipes From Freezing This Winter

Since the possibility of freezing pipes only happens once a year, and relatively infrequently in warmer climates, it can be difficult to remember exactly what to do to minimize any potential damage to your home. Here at ABC Home & Commercial Services, we want to help make things easier on homeowners all year long.  Read our list of tips and steps you can take to prevent your pipes from freezing over below.

Inspect Your Home

Homeowners often ask us how to keep pipes from freezing without heat. The answer is that the same tips for keeping your pipes from freezing can also protect your home if you lose … Read Full Post »

Fire Safety Tips To Keep Your Loved Ones Safe All Year Long

fire safety tips

Cold winter nights call for warm beverages, movie nights, and of course, curling up by the fireplace.

Keep Your Loved Ones Safe With These Fire Safety Tips

Before you light the fire and cuddle up under a few blankets, there are a few things you should consider. Read our fire safety tips below to keep your family and home safe this winter.

Perform Regular Maintenance

Both wood burning and gas fireplaces are designed to keep your family safe. Still, though, it’s important to perform proper maintenance operations before lighting the first fire of the season.

One of the first things you’ll want to do is ensure your fireplace is clear of obstructions and creosote. This can be done by a professional chimney sweep. Do this annually, before you light your first fire. Your chimney sweep will share other fireplace safety tips with you which may be particularly relevant to your home.

Once your fireplace is … Read Full Post »