Are you noticing all the large black ants crawling around your sidewalks and driveways?? Another sign of SPRING!!
The ants you are seeing in or around your gardens or in your kitchen are workers -- foraging for food -- they find food and communicate with other workers by depositing a chemical pheromone trail on the substrate as they crawl back to the nest. The trail pheromone sticks to the substrate for long periods of time and helps other ants find the food at the end of the trail...like in your kitchen.
There are no fire ants in Iowa -- as our ants are not biting or stinging pests but there are two categories of ants that infestation issues...
1. Ants that live outside and forage in the home. Ants that live outside will travel inside the home to search for food.
2. Ants that live (nest) inside your home. Some types of ants actually establish a nest inside your home instead of merely entering to forage for food and returning outdoors.
Ants are foraging for a wide range of food. They feed on sweet foods, greasy materials, starchy substances, wood, and all kinds of plant and animal materials. Part of the reason that ants become a nuisance in our homes is that they often like the same kinds of food that we do. Ant infestations are not easy to control.
In the spring, ANTS DEVELOP WINGS & fly to new locations to invade homes to forage for food or to establish a new nest. TERMITES also develop wings. Unlike other home-inhabiting ants, CARPENTER ANTS cause structural damage to wood by tunnelling & nesting inside wood structures.
DO YOU KNOW FOR SURE WHAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH?
Pest experts are knowledgeable about pest identification and biology, treatment options and state regulations. A licensed professional also has both the professional and interpersonal skills to identify a pest issue effectively and communicate to you the steps needed to handle that issue.
Eddie has 16 consecutive years in the pest management industry. C&C Home Services offers Professional ~ Knowledgeable ~ Trustworthy services at AFFORDABLE prices! Call Eddie today for a free pest inspection at 537-7752!!
Pictures from 2009 jobs are slooooowly starting to pop up on our website! Check them out! Eddie tends to be more focused on working & getting the job done...and even despite my constant reminders, he quite frequently forgets the camera and I end up with lots of work-in-progress photos. Sometimes -- on rare occasions -- he'll bring me back photos from the beginning to the end of the job...and those make it on the website. :-)
If you have before & after photos of work he's done for you -- I'll happily take them!!
If you have any questions for Eddie - please call or use the contact form to send him an email!
Spring has FINALLY sprung so he's busy doing decks! If yours needs a little help -- call C&C Home Services for an estimate! We'd LOVE the opportunity to work with you!!!
Are you seeing an ant or a termite? Both produce winged swarmers when the weather finally starts to warm. Regardless of which insect it is - there is no reason to panic - BUT it does signal the time to become pro-active!!
Termite swarmers are a sign that you may have a termite infestation in your home.
Call C&C Home Services to schedule an inspection today!
INSPECTIONS ARE FREE!!
ALL homeowners should periodically have their homes inspected for termites...regardless of age!! Each year, termites cause over 5 BILLION dollars in damage in the United States. Termites are active ALL year!!
Eddie has 16 personal (and consecutive years) in the pest control industry and specializes in doing termite inspections for real estate transactions. Trust his experience and knowledge!
Seriously!! If you are thinking that this is the year you need to pay some extra attention to your deck...it's time to have Eddie come look at it and give you an estimate!!
Preserve your wood's beauty and structural integrity by following through with a regular wood care maintenance program. Damaging effects of Iowa weather on exposed, unprotected wood begins immediately and lasts forever. "Pressure treated" does not mean "weather-proofed". Wood surfaces will continue to absorb water until they are protected.
Have COMPOSITE decking? Although composite decking has been touted as "maintenance free", studies have shown they are still subject to ultraviolet damage and mildew. Protective stains address these issues and protects composite decking. Composite decks "weather" and if you are not happy with the appearance of your decking, C&C Home Services can apply transparent protectant to get your deck back to a color that you are happy with. Composite decks are also prone to staining. When properly applied, protective coatings help guard against permanent stains, too!
C&C Home Services also can cleaning & re-stain your wood patio furniture, gazebo and children's play equipment. All of these things weather and fade quickly in the hot Iowa sun!
CHECK OUT OUR BEFORE & AFTER PHOTOS of the work Eddie has done on area decks!!
Eddie has been hard a work doing more painting for me. Lucky for him....he's about out of walls to paint at our house. :-)
Sorry for all the pictures from work at our house....he's got a bad habit of not remembering to take his camera with him on the jobs he's been doing this winter. But he's been VERY busy -- lots of termite inspections (the housing market isn't that bad) & visits to his regular pest control customers -- he's also been getting rental properties ready for new tenants, installing new closet organziers & shelving and more painting -- so I'll cut him some slack for now!!
Our living room was a standard flat ivory paint the builder used and it was changed to a satin warm gold. Very comfy, cozy & calming!!
If you need help painting or installing something new in your home, please give Eddie a call!!
Winter is in full force and we are stuck in the house and this particular winter, it seems, is keeping us inside quite a bit. Are you starting to look around and notice all the things that could be changed or need to be changed?
One of the easiest changes to make that will have the most impact on your home and even your mood – is fresh paint! It’s also one of the least expensive changes you can make.
Some great reasons to paint now….
*If you’ve had the same paint color for years and are ready for a change.
*You chose the wrong color – you had something in mind, but it didn’t turn out like you imagined.
*Too many boring white/ivory walls – ready to take the leap and add some color.
Warm colors tend to stimulate your mind.
Cool colors tend to calm and relax your mind.
Painting a room can make your space warm & welcoming or bright & alive. Don’t be afraid to experiment with color. The beauty of paint – it can always be changed!
Ready to get started? We can help you pick out something nice that will make you forget about the snow & ice outside and remind you that spring is right around the corner. Eddie has color wheels to make it easy to select something perfect. Or if you have a favorite brand of paint, let him know and he can get a color wheel or samples and bring them to you.
Interior painting is affordable if you choose C&C Home Services! Call Eddie for a free estimate today!!
As a homeowner, there are some pro-active steps that you can take to help keep unwanted pests from entering your home. Pests transmit disease & pose health problems for your family and some cause property damage. The NPMA (National Pest Management Association) recommends that homeowners do the following to help prevent bugs & rodents from entering your home: (http://www.pestworld.org/For-Consumers/Prevention-Tips)
1. Seal cracks and holes on the outside of the home including entry points for utilities and pipes.
2. Keep tree branches and shrubbery well trimmed and away from the house.
3. Keep basements, attics, and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.
4. Store garbage in sealed containers and dispose of it regularly.
5. Repair fascia and sofits and rotted roof shingles; some insects are drawn to deteriorating wood.
6. Replace weather-stripping and repair loose mortar around basement foundation and windows.
7. Store fire wood at least 20 feet away from the house and five inches off the ground.
If you need help with any of these things around your home - call Eddie!! Remember that inspections are always FREE, too!! You DON'T have to put up with bugs or rodents because you cannot afford the high cost of pest control! PEST MANAGEMENT is affordable with C&C Home Services!
WHAT A YEAR!! LOOK AT HOW FAR WE'VE COME!!!
We cannot THANK or express enough appreciation for family, friends and the amazing clients and business associates who we are fortunate enough to serve!!!
During this year, Eddie left a job he truly loved after 14 years of service to start a business with a friend - something that he dreamed about for years. We could NEVER have imagined that this "friend" who we trusted and cared for would hurt us so deeply, nor could we have imagined that he was capable of doing what he did....but because of that experience - and the loyal people who we worked with, who encouraged us to go on & keep fighting - C&C Home Services was born....and we are in an amazing place now!
There hasn't been a day that has gone by that Eddie hasn't been busy and or has been without work. He has such a great personality and gets along with everyone - no matter what happens -- or who tries to slow him down -- he keeps plugging away and doesn't let it affect him. He has such a good relationship with all of our clients, realtor friends and even a business competitor (mentor & life-long friend) – which is a huge testament to the kind of person Eddie is - and they have each touched our lives in so many ways.
I cannot even begin to adequately express how truly blessed we are by all of the people who we serve. We are successful and will continue to be successful because of each one of you! Our goal isn’t to be huge and neglect the people and things that truly matter…our goal is to be happy & content with what we have and with all of the real fortunes that we have been given...and we are!
From the bottom of our hearts....THANK YOU! And may your Christmas be magical & blessed with His spirit!!
Merry Christmas!
Krista and Eddie, Carter, Cole & Gabby (woof)
Cherish His Christmas
©2004, Roger J. Robicheau
Christmas brings such a time of love
Each tender heart holds so much of
Unselfishness thrives, trust is strong
The purpose to give, send love along
A time of pleasantries, patience too
Good wishes to all, all feelings true
Thankfulness follows each fine deed
Gifts from our God, never from greed
Great the rewards that joy does bring
Like the beauty in hearing angels sing
We pray for our loved, each so dear
Especially those who can’t be near
Many leave home to bravely serve
All freedoms we have, they preserve
Do pray for our troops, as we should
And their families too, if you would
Give thanks to our Lord, His only Son
And cherish His Christmas, everyone.
WOW! I am really bad at this blogging thing! :-) I promise to try to do it more frequently.
Eddie has been busy doing lots of handyman work in between his pest control & pest inspections. He's been doing lots of painting, picture & shelf hanging and staircase repairs. If you need help painting, changing out light fixtures, putting down some new flooring...or whatever - give him a call!
And speaking of flooring and painting -- Eddie's been so busy that I've patiently put up with my bathroom remodel taking extra long (you see how I rate J LOL!!) – but I can finally announce that IT IS DONE! And I am thrilled with how it turned out!!
Notice the GORGEOUS porcelain tiles??? See my friend Bill at Royal Flooring in Altoona – they rock!! They have tons of beautiful tiles, woods and laminates to choose from! (Make sure you tell him we sent you!)
Enjoy the pics!! And remember - if you are interested in updating your bathroom or any other room in your home....please call C&C Home Services to help you with your project!
(click on a photo to enlarge)
Before
After
