What Do Termites Look Like To the Human Eye?

May 14, 2018. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control • Austin

Even though you try to keep your home well-maintained, you’re no stranger to having bugs indoors. Flies buzz in when you leave the door open while grilling. Spiders creep around in the corners and (hopefully) catch those flies. Ants show up every once in a while to remind you that it’s not a good idea to leave out that last piece of pie.

So, while you wouldn’t call yourself an expert, you pretty much know what the most common bugs look like. Right now, though, you’re just not sure. Was that swarm of flying bugs you came across the other day ants? They kind of looked like ants, but perhaps they were another type of insect entirely. You’ve heard that people sometimes mistake termites for ants, so now you’re worried.

How can you tell the difference? Should you be calling someone in?

No matter who you are, the thought of having termites invade … Read Full Post »

5 Natural Ways to Rodent-Proof Your Home

May 11, 2018. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Pest Control, Rodent & Wildlife • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

Finding a mouse or rat can be a shocking and revolting experience, but it’s a common one. Remember, a rat can enter a hole about the size of a quarter; a mouse only requires a dime-sized hole. If you can fit a pencil into the hole, it’s likely a mouse can fit through as well.

Mice, rats and other rodents cause billions in damage every single year. In addition to structural damage, they can also create health and fire hazards when they chew on wiring, contaminate food and die inside the home. Rodents are known to carry a myriad of diseases and even other pests, such as lice, ticks and fleas.

While we normally think of rodent infestations as a winter issue, rodents and other animals still need food and shelter in warmer weather. Unfortunately, rats and mice are year-round pests. All they need is a little incentive, such as food, warmth … Read Full Post »

The Ideal Pool Temperature For Your Swimmers

May 10, 2018. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Swimming Pool Service & Repair • Houston

There’s nothing quite as refreshing as jumping into a pool on a hot summer day. Having your own swimming pool gives you a natural gathering place for friends and family, a perfect spot to relax and unwind and a nice return on investment if and when you decide to sell your home.

Being a pool owner also means learning all about what makes for an ideal swim. If you are a new pool owner, or simply hadn’t given the matter much thought, you might not know what the ideal pool temperature is for your guests. In this post, we will explore what the experts recommend for an ideal pool temperature, along with what the minimum swimming pool temperature is, what an unheated swimming pool temperature is, what the ideal swimming pool temperature is for seniors and what the ideal outdoor pool temperature year round is. Ready to dive in (pun intended)?

What … Read Full Post »

How to Prepare Your Yard for Spring and Summer

May 4, 2018. Posted by Amberlee Warner in Lawn, Lawn Care • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

Winter weather can leave your landscape wanting. To help bring your landscape back to its fuller and lusher self, it’s important to do some spring lawn prep and maintenance.

Spring lawn care in essential for keeping your yard thriving and resilient through summer. If you want to a beautiful lawn and garden, follow these steps to keep your lawn and landscaping lush and green for the summer.

10 Ways to Get Lawn and Landscaping Ready for Summer

1. Rake It Up

The first step to preparing your yard for spring and summer is to do some raking and cleaning around the home. Use your yard waste container to collect all the leaves, twigs and other debris that has accumulated over winter. Vigorously rake your lawn to clear your landscaping of thatch—dried out, dead grass and organic debris.

The more material you have on the ground, the more difficult it will be for your lawn to … Read Full Post »

Best Room Temperature For Baby: Welcoming Your Little One

May 3, 2018. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • Austin

You spent years getting your house just the way you like it. Furniture that matches your unique aesthetic. The perfect set up for your home theatre. Cooking and cleaning supplies right where they need to be to make your life easier. Plants and flowers that elevate your landscape.

In just a few short months, someone who isn’t even here yet has changed all of that.

Yep, there’s a lot that new parents need to do before you bring home a newborn (or twins—you get the idea) from the hospital, all of which applies if you decide to have a home birth. You’ll need a crib. Then, there’s a changing table. A dresser for clothes and sheets and blankets and towels. Don’t forget the car seat, since you can’t even leave the hospital or the house without one! Another item you’ll need is diapers. Lots and lots of diapers.

Those are just the needs, and … Read Full Post »

How Long Do Termites Swarm? Protecting Your Home

May 1, 2018. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control • Houston

Termite swarms are a fast-paced phenomenon: One minute, there are no visible termites present. Several winged insects emerged from their nest the next minute and began to fly or crawl around. Within another minute, hundreds or thousands of termites are swarming out of their colony, ready to propagate their species.

An hour later, the termites are gone once again, receded to their home within the walls of your house or inside a rotten log outdoors. But how long do termites swarm, and how can you defend your property against these invaders, which are blamed for damage that costs U.S. homeowners over $1 billion each year to mitigate?

The term “termite swarm” refers to the phenomenon within a termite colony when, each spring, reproductive termites leave the warmth and darkness of their nest and come out into the open air by the thousands to mate. Many homeowners mistakenly believe termite swarms are destroying … Read Full Post »

Identify Home Moisture Issues to Prevent Pest Problems

April 27, 2018. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Lawn Care, Pest Control • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

Rainy springtime weather can have a big influence on the number and kind of pests that can enter a building. Warm and wet weather can cause pests to leave their outdoor shelters and head into manmade ones.

Many pests spend the majority of the winter months under rocks, logs, mulch and soil. By staying below the frost line, they are able to survive extremely cold temperatures. But when the warmer weather and April showers saturate the ground, most of these pests are forced out. That’s why ants and other pests often enter buildings following a heavy rain.

In addition to rainfall driving pests out of their natural homes, water also encourages termites, carpenter ants and other wood-boring insects, encourages mold growth, and serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects.

How to Identify Moisture Issues Around the Home

Even if you don’t think there are any moisture problems around your property, it’s … Read Full Post »

How Pest Control Can Help Facility Management

April 23, 2018. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Commercial Services • Dallas-Fort Worth

Most facility management resources agree that there are five key areas where Facility Managers track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Pest control can help facility management in each of these key areas.

These Facility Management KPIs cover the areas of:

Financial
Operational
Value-Added
Strategic
Customer Satisfaction

There are many ways pest control can help with all five of these KPI areas in 2018! Here are some of the different methods:

How Pest Control Can Help Facility Management with Financial KPIs

Modern pest management is about examining pest trends and determining ways to provide better service for facilities while keeping costs down, protecting your brand, and protecting your resources . Since for all companies time is money, what if we could reduce time at your facility? What if we could adjust your service to a different frequency, reduce applications? All without affecting the goal of the program – controlling pests.

How Pest Control Can Help Operational KPIs

Would it be helpful to you if your … Read Full Post »

How to Protect Yourself from Mosquito Bites

April 20, 2018. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Mosquito Control, Pest Control • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

Rising temperatures means more time spent outdoors at pools, sports, barbecues and cookouts. Unfortunately, mosquitoes can ruin all the fun.

Prevent the bite of summer by taking time this spring to prevent one of the most irritating and dangerous of pests—mosquitoes.

If you ask most people which insect they hate the most, they will mostly likely put the malicious mosquito in the #1 spot. Mosquitoes are especially troublesome in the state of Texas.

Mosquito-Borne Threats

Every year, there are dozens of reports of mosquito-borne diseases, including:

Encephalitis (human symptoms include high fever, convulsions, delirium and other central nervous system problems)
Malaria (human symptoms include fever and flu-like symptoms, including chills, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea)
Zika (human symptoms include fever, rash, muscle and joint aches, red eyes
Babies of infected mothers risk microcephaly and poor pregnancy outcomes)
West Nile Virus (human symptoms include fever and flu-like symptoms; more severe cases can affect the nervous system and … Read Full Post »

Air Conditioner Maintenance Checklist: Tips From The Experts

April 19, 2018. Posted by Tom Riggs in Air Conditioning & Heating • San Antonio

If you’re like most people, your home’s air conditioner plays a vital role in keeping you and your loved ones cool in the summer and warm in the winter, regardless of the temperature or humidity outdoors. Despite the importance of their ACs in their daily lives, however, many homeowners rarely think about their HVAC systems until they break down—but this can become a costly mistake.

Repairs to your air conditioner can run into the hundreds or even thousands of dollars, while annual air conditioner maintenance is quite affordable and more than worth the cost. Keeping your air conditioner running at peak performance will save you money on your monthly electricity bills. This is not, however, the only benefit. Regular AC maintenance can also catch problems early and prevent, or at least mitigate, the need for many types of repairs.

But what should you be doing to maintain your air conditioner on a … Read Full Post »