Escobar Construction, LLC

Getting Rid of Flies

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 21:55:34 +0000

Houseflies can be extremely irritating as well as unsanitary. I started noticing a lot of flies around my home, and when I went to local stores to inquire on best solutions I found many were experiencing the same. This led me to go home and do some research as I was determined to get rid of this pest.

To avoid houseflies, start by keeping your house clean. Make sure to keep surfaces wiped down and dry. Cover compost, garbage, and platters of fruits or breads. Overripe fruit should be moved into the fridge. Covering fruit platters with a fine mesh allows the fruit to ripen without allowing flies to come in contact with it. Avoid keeping wine glasses, beer bottles, and other alcoholic beverages on kitchen counters for any extended period of time, as flies favor all alcoholic beverages. Use orange, clove, lemon, or basil oil in your cleaning, as these oils repel flies. Flies also don’t like basil so consider planting basil in window boxes, a patch of basil by the front door to get rid of houseflies, or beside outdoor cooking areas. Contemplate installing insect screens on windows, and putting in screen doors to ventilate your house without inviting insects in.

I found two similar natural remedies to get rid of the flies that have made their way into the home:

Use a narrow necked bottles or jars and poke holes on the lid. By adding funnel out of a piece of paper and placing it in a jar will work as well. Bait the trap with sugar water, alcohol, or overripe fruit. The flies will crawl in, but they cannot crawl out.
Use apple-cider vinegar traps. Add an inch of apple-cider to jar, add lid, poke holes to top, and scatter jars in areas. The fruit flies are attracted to the fruitiness from the apple-cider vinegar (regular vinegar won’t work), and they climb into the jars through the holes. As vinegar evaporates, the fruit flies think it is rotting fruit. As flies land in it, their wings get wet and they can’t fly out. Try red wine if cider vinegar not available.

Fly picture from Wikipedia

Prioritize Project Features

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 02:42:10 +0000

Did you ever begin a home project and were not quite sure what items were the must haves? Knowing that a remodel was in the near future, the research on all the new ideas had your mind running in circles? Analyzing how the space will be used can help prioritize while taking into consideration the size of the room. For one of our wonderful homeowners a pot filler faucet was an important feature to incorporate in remodel project to make future cooking experiences a lot more convenient. Because of the large space of her kitchen, two faucets in opposite areas had a lot of appeal. Before being overwhelmed with too much information on trendy fixtures and brand new gadgets, make a mental note while using your space and contemplate some of the conveniences that will suit your family’s lifestyle for years to come.

Free Shred Day

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:21:54 +0000

Free Shred Day is free event hosted by the Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA) to raise awareness of identity theft and of disposing of personal records carefully.

On May 19^th from 8 AM to 1:30PM, households can bring up to five file boxes for shredding to:

Austin High Parking Lot 1715 W. Ceasar Chavez Austin, TX

Mobile shredding trucks will be provided by Austin Shred, Centex Shred, Iron Mountain, Certified Shred and Intel Armor for boxes no larger than 24” X 24”. Monetary donations will be accepted for the Capital Area Food Bank at the event.

ARMA International is a not-for-profit professional association established in 1955 with the authority on managing records and information ~ paper and electronic.

Something old, something new …

admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 22:42:13 +0000

“Something old, something new, something borrowed,” is the beginning of the traditional saying that has become a wedding custom as good luck for a bride, but can also be a useful way to think on the future success of a home project. Incorporating new styles while saving desired existing features can help homeowners with a unique look, saving treasures from a family’s past, and stays on budget.
Recycling allows materials to be used again in new and different ways. Some creative ideas we’ve seen have been adding doors as book shelves, use of a piece of scrap wood with sentimental value as a towel rack by adding hooks to the wood, and framing pictures from other generations to add a new vintage look while preserving meaningful memories. Old tiles converted into mosaic patterns or solid wood doors have been used as table tops. Dressers saved as family heirloom can be sealed to incorporate into a bathroom as a vanity by recalculating draws, adding marble tops, and even adding contemporary bowl sinks.
The reuse of furniture can help defray some of the costs, while serving a useful purpose in another area of the home. Chairs can easily be recovered with fabric and a staple gun or small nails. While new solid wood furniture can be pricey, existing pieces can be painted or stained; usually a darker color for a new look. Adding a new shade, a good cleaning, and possibly switching pairs from another room can make an old set of lamps seem like brand new. Changing out handles from kitchen cabinets can make a kitchen look fresh and more modern.
Moving pieces to different rooms and using them for different purpose can give a fresh look to any house while minimizing cost. Before getting started on the next project consider what items can be saved and how can the look be updated for a newer look while consider both form and function.

Dresser used as bathroom vanity

Existing tile combined with new granite countertop for a fresh look.

Texas Tax-Free Appliance Weekend May 26-28, 2012

admin — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:14:59 +0000

This year’s Memorial Day weekend, Texas appliance purchasers will have the opportunity to buy any energy-efficient appliances, from air conditioners to light bulbs, and pay no Texas taxes. Look for the ENERGY STAR logo on the packaging, appliance or Energy Guide label that insures an appliance has met rigorous energy efficiency and water efficiency standards set by the Federal government. These appliances use less energy and less water than regular appliances and thus help the consumer save money each month on their utility bills.

Anyone in Texas can buy these products on the 3-day holiday weekend at a store in Texas or from an Internet or catalog seller engaged in business in the state with no limit on quantity. Eligible products include:

Air conditioners priced at $6,000 or less
Refrigerators priced at $2,000 or less
Ceiling fans
Incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs
Clothes washers
Dishwashers
Dehumidifiers
Programmable thermostats

For more information on purchases that will allow homeowners to save all year-long including shoppers eligibility visit the site Texas Powerful Smart .