ABC Blog

Please choose a city to view local blog posts:

Choose a City

Five Ways a Hidden Rodent Infestation Can Impact Your Home—and Your Pocketbook!

. Posted by in , , • Houston
damage caused by rats

Pest control is often the most unwelcome of all the unexpected costs that homeowners face. Pests enter your property looking for food and shelter and can usually stay hidden for long periods. Rodents, in particular, are experts in squeezing through small openings, and just one female rat can have up to 15,000 babies in just one year! If you have an infestation, damage caused by rats and mice could cost you thousands of dollars or more to fix, not to mention the time and hassle of caring for the problem.

Damage Caused By Rats and Mice

Rodent dens that go unnoticed are more expensive and dangerous to remove than infestations that are uncovered quickly. Crawl spaces, attics, and voids surrounding water pipes are prime real estate for rodents seeking a new home. Places that homeowners don’t inspect often are more likely to harbor unnoticed residents. Here are a few costly problems that … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Mosquito Dangers: What You Need to Know

. Posted by in , , • Houston

Along with the enjoyment of warm weather comes the annoyance of mosquitoes. Although you may plan on just ignoring these pests, the frequency of mosquito bites may become irritating, and the potential for serious health concerns should keep you cautious. It may be wise this summer to be proactive about the mosquito problem.

Mosquito-Borne Diseases

Mosquitoes are carriers of an array of viruses. Although not every mosquito is a threat, there is no way to know before a mosquito bites you. The American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) has a thorough list of mosquito-borne diseases. Still, the four diseases most likely to affect any family in the United States are the West Nile virus, malaria, dengue fever, and canine heartworm.

West Nile virus is a potentially fatal disease that causes brain inflammation and flu-like symptoms. Malaria involves a parasite attacking your red blood cells, causing a persistent fever. Dengue is a type of fever … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Air Conditioning History Timeline

. Posted by in • San Antonio
air conditioning history timeline

It’s hard to imagine a hot Texas summer with sweltering temperatures consistently topping 100 degrees without air conditioning. As citizens of a modern world, perhaps we’ve become spoiled in our expectations of daily amenities, and this got us thinking: who was the genius that invented the modern air conditioning system?

That question turned out to be a little more difficult to answer than we thought. The “invention” of air conditioning was not so much one single “Aha!” moment, but rather several ideas over a few hundred years that got us to the modern HVAC system that we all know and love. Below is a brief air conditioning history timeline to explain how the air conditioner parts and functions have evolved.

Ancient Egypt: Where It All Got Started?

Ancient Egyptians are vaguely credited as being the first to use evaporative cooling by hanging wet cloth or reeds in windows and doorways. As the wind blew … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Insects: Up Close and Personal!

. Posted by in • Orlando
why do bees swarm

Dealing with insects in and around your home can be frustrating, but they can be pretty fascinating when they’re not invading your home. Check out these interesting facts about some common insects we encounter daily In Orlando pest control exterminators.

The Honeybee

Honeybees prefer to live in colonies; some of them live in colonies with up to 80,000 bees. Unfortunately, these bees can build a hive right next to your home. The success of the hive largely depends on the queen bee’s health. A queen bee eats honey for strength and can lay nearly 2,000 eggs daily. Throughout her lifetime, the queen bee can lay one million eggs. The rest of the bees in the hive are worker bees. Most of them gather nectar, pollen, and water for the hive and protect the queen.

House Flies

Believe it or not, some house flies reach nearly a quarter of an inch in length. They have … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Use the Sun to Cool Your Home This Summer

. Posted by in • San Antonio

With another scorching San Antonio summer approaching, you’re probably not looking forward to seeing your electric bills escalate from using your air conditioner. We have a solution that can not only lower your power bills, but also use those sizzling rays to your advantage: a cooling system powered by solar panels.

How Solar Panels Work

Our cooling systems work with photovoltaic panels, also called PV panels, which consist of silicon and non-reflective glass. The PV panels harness and store photons from the sun’s rays and then convert these particles into electrical power. Similar to a battery, the PV panel first converts the photons into DC power, which is sent to an inverter that converts it to AC power that can be used to run an air conditioning unit, as well as other household devices.

How Solar-Powered Cooling Systems Work

Most of our residential customers choose a grid-tied PV system, which uses a combination of … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Deep Root Feeding: Do Your Trees Need It?

. Posted by in , • Houston

Deep root feeding, also known as deep root fertilization, is a treatment that delivers nutrients directly to the root zone of a tree or shrub. If a tree is not adequately nourished, the tree cannot flourish. In the worst-case scenario, tree removal may be necessary.

Is Deep Root Feeding Necessary?

Deep root feeding is not always necessary, but some trees require it. Trees in the Houston area grow in an environment that can make it difficult to fertilize trees adequately using traditional broadcasting fertilization methods. Here are some circumstances that require treatment:

  • If a tree grows in very compact soil, nutrients are less likely to penetrate the soil and reach the root zone.
  • Trees cannot gather adequate nutrients from the immediate environment in some urban and suburban areas.
  • If the branch and leaf growth of the tree appears to be stunted, this can be a serious sign that the tree is not obtaining adequate water … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

The Bee Control Controversy

. Posted by in , , • Orlando
why do bees swarm

You may have heard that honeybee populations in the United States are on the decline, resulting in a considerable increase in the price of local honey. Unless you consume a lot of love, you may wonder why you should care about bees. Aren’t they just annoying pests that build nests around your home and threaten to sting your children?

The truth is that honeybees aren’t even native to North America, but they, along with around 4,000 native species, are responsible for pollinating flowers and plants. Without these pollinators doing their job, humans and other animals would be robbed of about half of their plant food sources. As a result, bees are essential to all life on Earth.

Native Versus Nonnative Bees

Native bees, such as bumblebees and orchard mason bees, have evolved to work in harmony with native plants and move pollen among them, helping grow flowers, vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Many people … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Hidden Dangers in Your Home: Outdated Breaker Panels

. Posted by in • San Antonio

Most homeowners know where to find their circuit breaker panel or box, but not everyone is aware of how important this box is in your home. All of the electricity that is supplied to your home runs through that panel. The breakers are designed to automatically shut off in dangerous situations like an electrical short or overload. But some older panels may not have the same safety features that newer models have and can even make some electrical issues worse.

Most concerning is the fact that older panels can actually be a fire hazard. If an older panel is overloaded, it may generate enough heat to start a small fire. Electrical fires are notoriously difficult to put out, and a small fire can spread rapidly. Since most breaker panels are in garages or other remote locations in the home, a fire can get out of hand before it is even detected.

Older … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Pests in the Attic

. Posted by in , , • Austin

Animals and other urban wildlife are always looking for places to breed, store food and hide from predators. Unfortunately, some creatures may choose to take up residence in your attic. They use vents and other small openings to gain entry. Some of them stay inside the attic; others leave during the night to search for food.

An assortment of pests live in attics. They include various insects, rodents, birds and bats. Some raccoons and opossums also appreciate the shelter that an attic provides. Most of these creatures are nocturnal and can carry small parasites, such as fleas and ticks.

Pests often damage the attic and eventually harm other parts of the home. Rodents may chew on telephone or electrical wires. Some animals destroy insulation or air ducts. Raccoons can even tear holes through the roof. This kind of destruction may cause major water leaks or a fire.

Pests can also defecate and urinate … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

The Relationship Between Plumbing and Pests

. Posted by in , , • San Antonio

Most homeowners are unaware of the association between plumbing and pests, but the fact is that the two are intertwined. Problems with a home’s plumbing can attract certain types of pests. Not to mention, the presence of pests in the plumbing of a home can cause some serious plumbing issues. Lowe’s notes that pests ranging from rodents to snakes can find their way into the plumbing of a building and wreak havoc.

How Do Plumbing Problems Attract Pests?

When a home has leaky plumbing, pests may move in because they detect a water source and are attracted to the area where the leak originates. Homeowners should be aware that standing water attracts pests including mosquitoes, so having a simple leak can lead to a serious pest problem in your home.

Pests that eat wood are particularly interested in moist wood because it is easier for them to chew, and they rely on moisture … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed