Rosie likes a product called Termidor, which contains a very small
amount of fipronil, the same ingredient used for flea and tick control
on dogs and cats.
It’s odorless, so you won’t be able to smell it, and termites can’t
smell or taste it. So they won’t notice that they’re walking on it or if
it gets on their bodies, so they ingest some of it and carrying the
rest back to their nests, where they share it with their disgusting
little friends every time they touch one of them.
Termites have been found across 70% of the world and have survived environmental changes from creation.
In North America alone, termites invade more than 1.5 million homes
causing 2.5 billion in damage. Termites only require 1/64 – inch space
to enter your home; that’s the thickness of a piece of paper.
Read more and reference an informative article from Blue Sky Pest Control, What you need to know about Arizona Termites.
For more information and for answers to all YOUR Landscape, Garden and Home Improvement questions, visit our website, Rosieonthehouse.com
Friday, September 28, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
Tile Roofs: Pros and Cons
Tile roofing, which lasts a long time and won’t rot or burn under a scorching summer sun, is a great choice for Arizona rooftops. And nothing says “Southwestern style” quite like it. The most common tile roofs on Arizona homes are clay, concrete and sand-cast.
Pros:
Longevity. A concrete tile roof will last and last, and clay tile will probably longer than any other kind of roofing material. Some manufacturers estimate their product will last 50 years, but many Arizona homes sport tile roofs that are older.
Style. Clay, concrete and sand-cast tiles make a beautiful roof that gives a home a distinctly Southwestern flair.
Improvements. Manufacturers are making concrete tile to look like wood shakes—but without the fire danger. And they’re coming out with lighter-weight tiles.
Other. Tiles are fireproof and resist rot and insects.
Cons:
Weight. Most tiles is so heavy that your roof needs reinforcement to support its weight. If you’re replacing a shingled roof with tiles, you’ll need to hire a structural engineer (cost: $400 - $600) to tell you where to beef up the wood in the attic to hold the extra weight. Then you might have to spend $1,500 or so on adding that woodwork, in addition to paying for the tile.
Read more...
For more information and for answers to all YOUR Landscape, Garden and Home Improvement questions, visit our website, Rosieonthehouse.com
Pros:
Longevity. A concrete tile roof will last and last, and clay tile will probably longer than any other kind of roofing material. Some manufacturers estimate their product will last 50 years, but many Arizona homes sport tile roofs that are older.
Style. Clay, concrete and sand-cast tiles make a beautiful roof that gives a home a distinctly Southwestern flair.
Improvements. Manufacturers are making concrete tile to look like wood shakes—but without the fire danger. And they’re coming out with lighter-weight tiles.
Other. Tiles are fireproof and resist rot and insects.
Cons:
Weight. Most tiles is so heavy that your roof needs reinforcement to support its weight. If you’re replacing a shingled roof with tiles, you’ll need to hire a structural engineer (cost: $400 - $600) to tell you where to beef up the wood in the attic to hold the extra weight. Then you might have to spend $1,500 or so on adding that woodwork, in addition to paying for the tile.
Read more...
For more information and for answers to all YOUR Landscape, Garden and Home Improvement questions, visit our website, Rosieonthehouse.com
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Reading your Utility Bill #1
#1 Your Service Plan (At what time of day it is least expensive to use your utilities)
#2 Total Charges for Electricity
#3 Total Electricity Used (KwH)
#4 Average Base Load (Electricity you use everyday, not including cooling or heating)
Reading your Utility Bill #2
#1 Your Service Plan (At what time of day it is least expensive to use your utilities)
#2 Total Charges for Electricity
#3 Total Electricity Used (KwH)
#4 Average Base Load (Electricity you use everyday, not including cooling or heating)
For more information and for answers to all your Landscape, Garden and Home Improvement questions, visit our website, RosieontheHouse.com! Listen to our Podcast!
Reading your Utility Bill #3
#1 Your Service Plan (At what time of day it is least expensive to use your utilities)
#2 Total Charges for Electricity
#3 Total Electricity Used (KwH)
#4 Average Base Load (Electricity you use everyday, not including cooling or heating)
For more information and for answers to all your Landscape, Garden and Home Improvement questions, visit our website, RosieontheHouse.com! Listen to our Podcast!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Rosie's Centennial Reading List
- The Lazy B by Sandra Day O’Connor
- Hashknife Cowboy by Mack Hughes
- Pioneer Hunters of the Rim by Myrtle Bransetter
- Cavalcade of Arizona History by Marshall Trimble
- On the Border with General Crook by John Bourke
- Crossing Arizona by Leland Hanchett Jr.
- Majestic Journey by Stewart Udall
- Arizona Sheriffs by Jane Eppinga
- These is My Words by Sarah Agnes Prine
- Sharlot Hall by Margaret Maxwell
- Scottsdale by Joan Fudala
- Sedona by Lisa Schnebly
- Filaree by Marguerite Noble
- Arizona Rangers by Bill O’Neill
- History of Gisela by Jayne Peace
- Catch the Stage to Phoenix by Leland Hatchet Jr
- Roll Away Saloon by Rider and Paulsen
For more information and for answers to all YOUR Home Improvement, Landscape and Garden questions, visit our website, Rosieonthehouse.com
Friday, August 10, 2012
Pest Guide
How can I get rid of crickets in and around my home?
If you’re seeing crickets inside your home, the more serious predators are sure to follow. So get rid of those crickets—fast.
Here’s what not to do: Don’t empty a can of Raid on those creepy crawlers. Sure, you’ll drown the ones you can see, but their friends will simply sidestep the chemicals when they come out of their hiding places.
A better strategy is to find out where they’re hiding and lure them out with a granular food bait that will trap them. You also can use sticky traps or concoct your own traps using a jar containing some water and molasses. Read more...
How can I get rid of ants around my house and yard?
We are always amazed at the topics that generate a significant response from our listeners; in this case ants!
If you'd like to catch up or follow along on our ant journey in search of an eradication method that is effective, yet acceptable to all, below are the links to the segments covered on air, in chronological order. If you are just looking for the quick answers and all the recourses and methods you've heard us laughing about with our callers simply scroll to suggestions from listeners. Read more...
How can I prevent bugs from getting in my house?
Here are some tips from my exterminator friends:
Is termite control a do-it-yourself job?
No way!
Termites congregate in the thousands. It takes full-strength pest-control products and a trained professional to locate them and destroy them.
You can try baits and pesticides, but it’s unlikely that you will eradicate a significant number of the bugs—or that you’ll have the time or discipline to shoo them away for good.
The Pros have special equipment that the average homeowner is unlikely to have, like hammer drills, sub-slab injectors, rodding devices, engines equipped with pumps and protective gear.
Read more...
How can I keep scorpions away from my home?
You live in the desert - and so do scorpions. It is estimated that the Arizona desert is home to three scorpions for every 10 square feet. Fewer live in busy neighborhoods.
If you have any kind of insects in and around your home, you’ve got scorpions.
You can drag them into your house when you pick up a blanket, a box or your shoes that have been left on the ground outside. Look for them when you pick up those items.
Scorpions have poor eyesight, so they hide during the day and come out at night. They like to hide under rocks, your patio and your foundation.
Read more...
How can I keep spiders out of my house?
The best way to keep spiders and scorpions out of your house is to keep crickets out of your house. To spiders and scorpions, crickets are gourmet food!
Here are some ways to keep spiders out and how to get rid of them once they get in:
How can I get rid of common insects like cockroaches?
Cockroaches and ants are probably the most common pests.
Arizona ants can get out of control. You can douse them with Raid, but that will only kill the ones you can see. Their friends are on their way, and will sidestep the poison.
Read more...
For more information and for answers to all your Summer Pest, Home Improvement, Landscape and Gardening questions, please visit our website, Rosieonthehouse.com
If you’re seeing crickets inside your home, the more serious predators are sure to follow. So get rid of those crickets—fast.
Here’s what not to do: Don’t empty a can of Raid on those creepy crawlers. Sure, you’ll drown the ones you can see, but their friends will simply sidestep the chemicals when they come out of their hiding places.
A better strategy is to find out where they’re hiding and lure them out with a granular food bait that will trap them. You also can use sticky traps or concoct your own traps using a jar containing some water and molasses. Read more...
How can I get rid of ants around my house and yard?
We are always amazed at the topics that generate a significant response from our listeners; in this case ants!
If you'd like to catch up or follow along on our ant journey in search of an eradication method that is effective, yet acceptable to all, below are the links to the segments covered on air, in chronological order. If you are just looking for the quick answers and all the recourses and methods you've heard us laughing about with our callers simply scroll to suggestions from listeners. Read more...
How can I prevent bugs from getting in my house?
Here are some tips from my exterminator friends:
- Expect unwelcome houseguests like spiders and scorpions from March until the end of November. In the winter, they’re content to live outside because the weather is pleasant.
- Scout around your yard to find their hiding places. Favorite hangouts are under decorative boulders because there’s usually a space of an inch or so between the rock and the soil—plenty of room for them to live without being noticed. Roll the rock away, kill the pests you can see, and then fill that space in with gravel or expansion foam.
Is termite control a do-it-yourself job?
No way!
Termites congregate in the thousands. It takes full-strength pest-control products and a trained professional to locate them and destroy them.
You can try baits and pesticides, but it’s unlikely that you will eradicate a significant number of the bugs—or that you’ll have the time or discipline to shoo them away for good.
The Pros have special equipment that the average homeowner is unlikely to have, like hammer drills, sub-slab injectors, rodding devices, engines equipped with pumps and protective gear.
Read more...
How can I keep scorpions away from my home?
You live in the desert - and so do scorpions. It is estimated that the Arizona desert is home to three scorpions for every 10 square feet. Fewer live in busy neighborhoods.
If you have any kind of insects in and around your home, you’ve got scorpions.
You can drag them into your house when you pick up a blanket, a box or your shoes that have been left on the ground outside. Look for them when you pick up those items.
Scorpions have poor eyesight, so they hide during the day and come out at night. They like to hide under rocks, your patio and your foundation.
Read more...
How can I keep spiders out of my house?
The best way to keep spiders and scorpions out of your house is to keep crickets out of your house. To spiders and scorpions, crickets are gourmet food!
Here are some ways to keep spiders out and how to get rid of them once they get in:
- Destroy spider webs as soon as you see them.
- Regularly dust the corners of your ceilings and behind always-open doors.
- Turn off your outdoor lights. They attract the flying insects that spiders like to eat.
- If you have scorpions or black widows, which can be dangerous, call a pest-control professional to get rid of them.
How can I get rid of common insects like cockroaches?
Cockroaches and ants are probably the most common pests.
Arizona ants can get out of control. You can douse them with Raid, but that will only kill the ones you can see. Their friends are on their way, and will sidestep the poison.
- Your best prevention is a clean house. Ants love food, so don’t leave any around. Sweep and mop your floors often.
- Keep debris and wood away from your house.
- Cockroaches don’t cause any structural damage to your home, but they can spread germs and even trigger your children’s asthma.
Read more...
For more information and for answers to all your Summer Pest, Home Improvement, Landscape and Gardening questions, please visit our website, Rosieonthehouse.com
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