Common Plumbing Problems

January 20, 2017. Posted by Tom Riggs in Plumbing • Corpus Christi

Despite it being an essential aspect of your home’s ability to function correctly, plumbing isn’t something that we think about a lot. Each day, we simply expect our toilets to flush, the sink disposal to drain and the shower pressure to remain steady. It’s only when our plumbing system stops working that our home’s pipes become a top priority.

Common Plumbing Problems: What They Are and How to Fix Them

As a homeowner, it’s best to be prepared for anything—including an unexpected plumbing problem. Below we’ll discuss the most common plumbing problems we see, how to detect the onset of a problem and how to fix it.

Leaky Pipes

Most homes are equipped with an underground plumbing system. If your home has a basement, many pipes can also be found there. And while most pipes last for decades, many begin to leak when that time is up.

If you’re living in an older … Read Full Post »

How To Get Rid of Fruit Flies

January 19, 2017. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control • Orlando

What’s that buzzing around your kitchen? Are little bugs swarming your trash can or congregating on your fresh fruit? If you ever have tiny gnat-like insects hanging out in your kitchen, chances are they’re fruit flies. Once you begin to notice them, fruit flies appear to be everywhere. Not long after you start seeing fruit flies in your house, many homeowners realize they are ready to eliminate these pesky insects.

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Before we discuss how to get rid of fruit flies in your house, let’s learn more about these animals and how they make it into your home.

What Are Fruit Flies?

These insects are small flies of the Drosophila species, and although tiny, when magnified, they look a lot like houseflies. Entomologists describe adult fruit flies as about 1/8 inch long, and although you can’t see them, they have red eyes. They can lay up to 500 … Read Full Post »

How To Winterize Your Sprinkler System

January 18, 2017. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Sprinkler Repair & Installation • Houston

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 »

Where Do Silverfish Come From?

January 17, 2017. Posted by ABC Home & Commercial in Pest Control • San Antonio

There’s just something about silverfish that make people’s skin crawl. It could be the animal’s prehistoric appearance, with segmented bodies and long legs and antennae. Or maybe it’s the fact that they tend to show up inside our favorite books or on the bathroom floor in the middle of the night. Whatever it is, for some people these small insects are the stuff of nightmares.

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at what these little creatures are, where silverfish come from and how to get rid of them safely.

What Are Silverfish?

Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) are small, wingless insects. These creatures typically live for two to eight years, and they get their name from their silvery color and the way the wiggle like a fish out of water. They have long antennae and generally don’t get bigger than ¾ of an inch long.

Do Silverfish Bite?

Surprisingly, despite their over-the-top creepy … Read Full Post »

Do Rats Hibernate In Winter?

January 16, 2017. Posted by ABC Home & Commercial in Rodent & Wildlife • San Antonio

During the colder months, some animals have developed adaptation strategies to survive. Monarch butterflies fly thousands of miles to spend winters in Mexico. Since food is harder to find, squirrels uncover acorns in winter that they buried during the warmer months. We often see geese fly overhead on their way south when it’s colder out. But what about rats?

Do Rats Hibernate During Winter?

As terrified—and repulsed—as you may be when you see a rat during colder months, you can’t help but wonder: “Why am I seeing rats in winter? Don’t they hibernate?” While it’s easy to assume that rats do hibernate, as many pests and outdoor animals do, rodents actually don’t become less active during the colder months. In fact, rats use lower temperatures as an excuse to seek shelter, food and warmth in the place they are not welcome: in our homes.

To learn more about a rat’s winter habits and … Read Full Post »

How To Winterize Your Pool

January 13, 2017. Posted by ABC Home & Commercial in Swimming Pool Service & Repair • Austin

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 »

Easy Home Improvement Projects

January 12, 2017. Posted by ABC Home & Commercial in Handyman • Austin

As a homeowner, chances are you’ve been through your share of surprise home repairs—which means you’ve also likely experienced expensive bills, poor service, and unreliable handymen. Unfortunately, those are risks homeowners take when they hire out for home repairs or renovation projects. But here’s the good news: There are a number of easy home improvement projects you can tackle, many of them on your own, without breaking the bank.

Easy Home Improvement Projects

The following project ideas represent just a few inexpensive ways to improve your living space, and many of them offer that priceless sense of accomplishment that comes from doing it yourself. And when you need an improvement or repair that you can’t manage on your own, ABC is here, ready to help.

Update Your Home’s Front Entrance

Want to enhance your curb appeal? Of all the many easy do-it-yourself home improvements, updating your home’s entrance is one of the best … Read Full Post »

Refresh Your Home With New Decor

January 11, 2017. Posted by ABC Home & Commercial in Home Improvement • Austin

Many of us spend so much time out of the house that it can be easy to forget to update our home decor. Do you look around your home and notice things are looking a little shabby? Is your house in need of a little TLC?

If your home’s interior could use a little updating, you don’t necessarily need to call an interior decorator. There are little things you can do, such as tossing or refurbishing worn-out furniture, lighting, and other decor, and bringing in new items, which can easily refresh your home.

Easy Ways to Update Your Home’s Decor

Check out all of our ideas that can help freshen up the look of your house without breaking the bank.

Switch Out Lighting and Candles

Nothing says last season like melted candles. Banish all of your old candles to your pantry or emergency supplies tub. Get new accent candles for every room … Read Full Post »

Will Capybaras Become Orlando’s Next Pest?

January 10, 2017. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Rodent & Wildlife • Orlando

For anyone who has seen the cult-classic movie The Princess Bride, capybaras might bring to mind “Rodents of Unusual Size,” the giant, fanged rat creatures inhabiting the film’s Fire Swamp. While adult capybaras aren’t nearly as big or ferocious as the R.O.U.S., they’re certainly an arresting sight, at least for those of us used to smaller rodents like rats, mice, and guinea pigs. But unlike the R.O.U.S., capybaras aren’t a fantasy animal. They’re genuine and make their home in certain parts of the United States and Central and South America regions. Capybaras have recently been spotted in Florida, which has caused some scientists to wonder what impact they will have.

Will Capybaras Become Orlando’s Next Pest?

While not indigenous to the United States, capybaras are sometimes kept as pets in the U.S. Some of them have been sighted in Florida rivers and swamps. Florida’s capybara population is thought to have originated from … Read Full Post »

How To Keep Pipes From Freezing Without Heat

January 9, 2017. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Air Conditioning & Heating • Houston

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 »