Orkin Pest Control Prices

Friday, March 28th, 2014

When you’re looking for pest control services, besides company reputation, you’re naturally interested in costs. How much does it cost to get rid of a termite infestation or vanquish bed bugs or any other critters? The answer varies, according to several factors. Let’s see what they are, so that you know what to expect when looking for pest control services.

Orkin Pest Control Prices

Orkin is actually synonymous with pest control services. Orkin pest control prices are determined by several aspects:

Type of Treatment

Pest control services use a variety of products. Some are more effective than others are, but also more expensive. Toxicity is another element that differentiates pest control products. Basically, all treatment methods can fall into two categories: one includes chemical products and the other encompasses eco-friendly substances, which don’t harm the environment. Eco-friendly pest control products tend to have a higher price as compared to chemicals.

Treated Surface

Orkin pest control prices also depend on the infested surface. A bigger house with a large yard will naturally require pest control professionals to use more resources, time, and labor than a condo, for instance.

Treatment Frequency

Some pest control methods require multiple applications for effective results. This means that you will have to pay more to make sure you got rid of critters for good. Or, you could opt for preventative pest control plans which might turn out to be more cost effective on extended periods of time.

Type of Bugs

Pest control prices may be determined by the kind of bug you intend to have killed. The necessary products and resources to be deployed may differ from case to case.

Need Professional Pest Control

The best way to get an accurate idea about pest control prices is to ask for an estimate. Once you choose a particular pest control service, you can have your house inspected and get a quotation based on that. Make sure you compare the prices offered by several pest control services, as well as their reputation in the industry.

TalkLocal can make your search easier by putting you in touch with up to three local pest control services, right away and for free.

Tags: Orkin Pest Control Prices
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Outside Wood Stoves

Thursday, March 27th, 2014

Most people who want to heat up their homes and businesses in a convenient manner choose to purchase and install an outside wood stove. Outdoor wood stoves trigger lower utility bills, display increased efficiency, and help users save a significant amount of time otherwise invested in lengthy maintenance routines associated with traditional wood stoves.

Check out the Main Advantages Provided by High-Quality Outdoor Wood Stoves

Those who want to turn their properties into warm, cozy environments the easy way, without breaking the bank while addressing their unique heating needs, should consider investing in an outdoor wood stove which offers multiple benefits, including:

– Lower Utility Bills (no heating bills for those who choose to utilize only scrap wood): Recent studies indicate that homeowners and business owners who use outside wood stoves benefit from financial savings ranging from $20,000 to $100,000 over an entire decade.

– Reduced Safety Risks and No Mess: The wood burning process takes place at least 500 feet away from your property, so modern outside wood stoves pose minimal safety risks, as long as they are properly operated.

– Increased Efficiency: Sophisticated outdoor wood stoves are specially designed to boost the combustion and ensure superior heat delivery.

– No Health Concerns: Burning wood inside your house may cause a wide range of respiratory problems and lower your level of comfort. Outdoor wood stoves eliminate this threat and boost your quality of life.

Identify the Disadvantages of Outdoor Wood Stoves

Outdoor wood stoves also have their fair share of disadvantages. They are relatively expensive (newer models cost somewhere between $3,000 and $6,000 on eCommerce websites) and installation services are quite pricey.

Moreover, some models display a low efficiency below 50%, inferior to the one associated with most traditional wood burning stoves, estimated at 70-80%. This means that these low-efficiency stoves emit darker, smellier smoke that could attract many complaints from your neighbors. Furthermore, cheaper models have a short lifespan, rust easily and can deteriorate over a short period of time.

Ask an Expert

Is an outside wood stove the best alternative for your family? When in doubt, discuss your heating options with your heating and cooling expert. Find the best ones with TalkLocal, your trusted connection to the best professionals in your area.

Posted in Heating and Cooling, talklocal | No Comments »

Benefits of Tailor Alterations

Thursday, March 27th, 2014

Undoubtedly, tailor alterations ensured by a reputable specialist can save you time and money. However, how could you possibly spot the most gifted specialists who operate in this line of work? What is the key to success when it comes to relatively complex tailor alterations and how could you minimize failure risks and obtain excellent results? Keep reading to find out.

Alterations Are Perfect for People Who Want to Dress for Success

If your dress, shirt, pants, vest, skirt, and various other clothing items don’t fit you perfectly for one reason or another, this means that you should try to schedule an appointment with a local tailor, specialized in alterations. A pro can make anything look good on you and he/she could help you “recycle” and “reinvent” older clothing pieces that have started to gather dust in your closet.

Alterations Can Trigger Considerable Financial Savings

Moreover, alterations enable you to make smart, fashion-forward decisions without overbalancing your monthly budget. A tailor, who can ensure a perfect fit for you in any given set of circumstances, will tell you which pieces are worth altering and which alterations would involve too much labor, time, and money.

For instance, a specialist can gently mask that tiny tear in your jacket, help you take in a dress and hem your favorite pair of pants. The same expert can help you decide if you should actually invest in that designer coat that’s loose around the waist and if you should donate those inherited suits that are one size too small.

Furthermore, a kindhearted pro will also provide great advice on how to keep your clothes looking and smelling like new for a long period.

Alterations Can Save the Day

What would happen if the zipper of your wedding dress would break three hours before your wedding ceremony? This worst-case scenario makes all brides tremble in terror. Fortunately, a tailor providing emergency alteration services could save the day and let you enjoy those special moments to the fullest.

Ask an Expert

Most people are unable to alter their cloths on their own. If you are one of them, don’t hesitate to consult a respectable local tailor, especially if your favorite clothing items require fast or complex modifications.

Find the best tailors in your area with TalkLocal, your dependable expert that will you in contact with professionals who provide time and cost-efficient services.

Tags: Tailor Alterations
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Athletes Use Kinesiology Tape At The Olympics

Thursday, March 27th, 2014

If you watched the Olympics this past winter, you’ve undoubtedly seen high-profile athletes wearing brightly colored tape on their bodies. The tape is more than just a fashion statement; it’s a flexible cloth tape called kinesiology tape. Keep reading to find out why athletes use kinesiology tape at the Olympics.

What is kinesiology tape?

Traditionally, athletes have taped their muscles over gauze to form a stiff bandage so they can immobilize or support a joint to help it heal. Kinesiology tape (or kinesio tape for short) differs from traditional tape in the fact that it’s extremely flexible and strong and even has a proprietary taping technique. The tape is stretched across certain muscles in a specific pattern depending on the type of injury or muscle group. Olympic athletes all around the world are turning to kinesio tape to help relieve pain and heal muscle strains faster.

What are the benefits?

Kinesio tape was invented over 30 years ago by a Japanese doctor name Kenzo Kase. He says that kinesiology tape allows athletes to support their muscles and joints without restricting their movements by mimicking the elasticity of the skin. Other practitioners also claim that the tape lifts the skin to reduce inflammation and increase blood circulation.

However, many scientists have questioned the efficacy of kinesiology tape and whether or not it’s anything more than a colorful placebo. Some scientists argue that the physics of “lifting the skin” as simply sticking the tape on the skin cannot produce the opposite reaction necessary to lift the tape upward.

Furthermore, while many professional-level athletes really believe in the powers of kinesio tape, all the medical studies on kinesio tape have offered extremely inconsistent results, leading many to doubt the true benefits of the tape.

Should I use kinesiology tape?

It’s hard to say. Research currently is inconclusive on whether or not kinesio tape actually has real medical benefits, but it may be helpful when you’re recovering from an injury. If you’re seriously considering using kinesio tape, you may want to talk to a personal trainer so that they can give you a personalized assessment of your situation. Talk with a high-quality, local personal trainer in just minutes by using TalkLocal. It’s fast, easy, and completely free!

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Viking Gas Stove

Thursday, March 27th, 2014

Many people who enjoy the unique taste of a home-cooked meal choose to invest thousands of dollars in modern, sophisticated, expensive kitchen appliances. If you want to cook as fast as a master chef, then you need to rely on fabulous, energy-efficient gas stoves introduced on the market by respectable manufacturers, like Wolf or Viking, for instance.

What’s so special about the Viking gas stove, currently considered a hot must-have by numerous homeowners? How much is too much when it comes to purchasing great kitchen appliances? Keep reading to discover accurate answers to these questions and find out how you could easily spot a respectable appliance repair expert with minimal effort.

Viking Gas Stoves Offer Endless Possibilities

A simple meal can be turned into a spectacular culinary artwork, as long as you count on a modern device like the Viking gas stove. For instance, the VGCC Custom Gas Ranges come with flawless gas ovens. You have the option to opt for a model with a width ranging from 30″ to 60″ width and 24″ depth.

Freestanding ranges launched by this respectable manufacturer enable users to profit from unrivaled performance for every fuel type (gas or electric). These advanced kitchen appliances are extremely versatile and seem to be designed to match different cooking styles.

What Makes the Viking Gas Stove an Appealing Candidate

When it comes to rating the well-liked Viking gas stove, there are many factors that should be taken into consideration. For instance, every single burner of this model has 15,000 BTU’s, compared to less-efficient ranges displaying only 7,000 BTU’s for each burner. In other words, a Viking gas stove will always cook your food evenly in record time, allowing you to receive numerous compliments for every home-cooked meal.

It comes with a spacious convection oven and with incredibly powerful fans designed to cut one third of the overall baking or cooking time. Most people who have used this range for a long period of time state that the oven prepares a meal in record time. Cooking while using the Viking gas stove might be just as easy and time-efficient as using the microwave.

All of these advantages justify its heavy price tag of approximately $5,300.

Ask an Expert

If you want to buy a Viking gas stove, start by discussing your options with a real expert specialized in appliance repairs. Find the best one by consulting TalkLocal, a great free service designed to help you meet the best professionals who are only one call away.

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Keeping It Weird in Austin

Thursday, March 27th, 2014

Austin is known in for being the Texan hub of live music and creative arts, individual self-expression of any means, fierce environmentalism, and subcultures ranging from the eclectic to the downright weird. The city’s motto is “Keep Austin Weird”, and they are succeeding!

Bringing More Weird to Austin

This is exactly why TalkLocal is pumped to be in the Texas capitol. Now, personally, all of us at TalkLocal like to think of ourselves as innovative, but some people frankly find us weird. We are personalizing the way people find local professional services to an individualized level.

Don’t believe us? See how we do it with this quick video.

At TalkLocal, we don’t use the conventional service search method – reading customer review after customer review and calling company after company. Instead, when you give us a call or go online to www.talklocal.com looking for a plumber, handyman, or even a massage therapist, you will speak directly with one of our service representatives who will gather all the necessary details of your request.

Then, he or she will find the best compatible local professional based on the details of your job, location, and availability. In around 90 seconds, you will receive a call from your TalkLocal representative telling you that we’ve got a company on the other line who would be happy to do the job for you.

Most individuals who use TalkLocal end up doing work with the first company we put them on the phone with, but if you’d like to speak with a second or third company, we’d be happy to connect you to them as well.

Austinites won’t find a more individualized service anywhere else. So check us out, and save a call with TalkLocal.

Tags: Austin, culture, Texas
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How to Maintain Clean Heating Ducts

Thursday, March 27th, 2014

Heating ducts serve to distribute warm air effectively all throughout your home, but on the downside, they are great at collecting dust, dirt, mold spores, and other disease-causing microorganisms that can trigger or make breathing problems worse and, in general, just make your indoor air unpleasant.

A healthier environment inside your home is a benefit worth having from clean heating ducts, especially if there are members in your family who have allergies, asthma, or other respiratory problems.

Basic Cleaning

If your ducts have a buildup of dust or dirt, it doesn’t take a lot to solve the problem. However, it is best to prevent dust and other debris from building up in the first place by regular cleaning to maintain clean heating ducts. One thing you can do by yourself regularly is to make sure that heating vents as well as cold air returns are free of dust. Also, change the filter frequently.

Professional Cleaning

It’s also a good idea to have heating ducts professionally cleaned every two years to make sure there is no mass buildup of dust and especially mold taking place inside the system.

You’ll want to hire a reputable and qualified cleaning professional so that the job gets done properly. Otherwise, the dust and any other airborne substances collecting in your ducts may end up being spewed out into your home and could cause damage to the heating system.

When to Clean Heating Ducts Thoroughly

A simple visible check of your ducts is all you need to determine whether the entire duct work needs cleaning. To check heating ducts, remove the grill first by unscrewing it from the wall or floor. With a flashlight and a small mirror, check the length of the duct as far down as you can see. Do this with a few ducts. You know the ducts need cleaning if you find any of the following:

– Thick dust layer (more than 1/8 inch)

– Obstructions due to masses of dust or debris

– Signs of mold or mildew

– Signs of rodent infiltration

Usually, when you have any of the above, the register grills will be quite dusty or dirty as well. If all you see are a few dust bunnies, this is not a cause for concern. You can just use a high-efficiency filter on your heating system to help prevent dust buildup.

Hire a Heating Pro

When hiring a contractor to clean your heating ducts, look for someone with the right qualifications and a great track record. TalkLocal can help find the right professional who fills your criteria. Send us the details of your service request and speak to local experts in minutes. Try us now!

Tags: clean heating ducts
Posted in Maid Services, talklocal | No Comments »

Porch Column Repair Kit to Restore the Beauty of Your Porch

Wednesday, March 26th, 2014

By design, porch columns typically hold significant weight, whether from the roof or a second story area. As such, it is important to ensure that porch columns are strong enough to support the structures of your house. However, porch columns are naturally exposed to weather conditions and they eventually are damaged.

The top and bottom of a porch post have the tendency to deteriorate or rot. Porch columns also tend to split without proper maintenance. Fortunately, rot and other types of damage can be easily repaired and reversed with a basic porch column repair kit. Do not attempt to repair severely damaged columns.

Dealing with Wood Rot

1. Stop the spread of wood rot by removing the rotted section of the column. Make sure there is no drop of moisture on the remaining material. If necessary, leave your work area open for a couple of days to allow moisture to evaporate.

2. Use water putty or an auto body-filling product to fill in the damaged sections.

3. Sand the post into shape with the appropriate sanding tool.

4. For large rotted sections, cover them with new material from crown molding or baseboard. Nail the cover in place. Use silicone caulk to seal any seams.

5. Paint or apply stain to match the existing surface.

Fixing Cracks and Missing Areas

1. If the wood grain of your porch columns has vertical cracks due to drying, you’ll need to have wood glue (exterior grade) in your porch column repair kit and apply this into the cracks of the wood using a large syringe.

2. Wrap the column with double-strap clamps, placing clamps each at the top and bottom of the crack. Tighten the straps and cinch them up together with a ratcheting clamp until the crack seals.

3. Clean up the excess glue on the column. Leave it overnight to dry.

4. Apply water putty or auto body filler into any missing areas. Color the putty with dye stain or paint to match the rest of the porch column.

Applying a New Coating

1. If the paint on your old porch is already faded or chipped, it’s high time to give it a fresh coat of paint or stain.

2. Bring out your porch column repair kit and start by sanding down the column to its base material. Use a belt sander to quickly sand big sections and use small sanding device or hand sanding for details.

3. When it comes to the type of paint, go for exterior house paint with semi-gloss latex finish. If applying wood stain, apply clear finish over the stain. Painted columns should be primed first.

4. Using a fine bristle brush, apply paint in long, even and vertical strokes without any drips as much as possible. Make sure the first coat is already completely dry before applying the next coat.

No Time to Repair Your Porch?

TalkLocal can save you time finding a qualified local handyman who can do any porch repair job. Contact us and you’ll be in touch with service professionals in no time.

Tags: Porch Column Repair Kit
Posted in Handyman, talklocal | No Comments »

Top 5 Ways to Hail a Taxi

Wednesday, March 26th, 2014

Let’s face it: only those who are eager to enjoy an unexpected shower are willing to wait for a ride in the pouring rain. The rest are looking forward to discovering the most effective cab hailing techniques. Want to stop a cab fast and with minimal effort? Below you will find the top 5 ways to hail a taxi that provide the desirable results.

1) Wave

Wave a few times to capture the drivers’ attention. This is a classic way to hail a taxi that works every single time.

2) Whistle

Sometimes, drivers who are slightly distracted need a little more than plain hand gestures to notice you. In this case, don’t hesitate to whistle, especially if you are waiting for a taxi in an overcrowded area with reduced visibility.

3) Make Eye Contact

This is a secret tactic that can ensure your success. Make eye contact to convince the drivers that you’re actually requiring their services. Also, this method is well-liked by most people who are regularly using cabs to reach their destinations because, in most cases, it triggers immediate feedback. When drivers are willing to stop for you, they usually let you know by nodding their heads.

4) Pick the Best Vantage Point and Make Yourself Noticed

Stay one-step ahead of your main competitors who are also waiting for a taxi by choosing the best vantage point. Make yourself noticed by lifting your arms up. Jump around and flash some cash to separate yourself from the crowd.

5) Use Special apps

Did you know that there are special apps for your mobile phone that you could use to catch a cab in some of the most densely populated urban areas? They come in handy and they pretty much simplify the whole taxi hailing process.

Taking a Shortcut to Reach Your Destination

Don’t want to test the top 5 ways to hail a taxi? If so, note that you can have the best taxi drivers at your disposal 24/7. Use TalkLocal, an excellent free service, to find 5-star professionals in your area in no time and with minimal effort.

Tags: Top 5 Ways to Hail a Taxi
Posted in talklocal, Taxicabs | No Comments »

Main Sewer Line Repair

Wednesday, March 26th, 2014

Plumbing problems are always annoying, but if you address them early on, you can restore the good functioning of your home and avoid high costs in the long run. In case you have trouble with your main sewer line, it’s important to know what to do.

The most common problem that may occur is main sewer line clogging. However, main sewer line repairs often require more than a simple unclogging procedure. If you don’t know much about plumbing, it’s best to call a professional to check your main sewer line.

Here are some tips that will help you better understand what is involved in a main sewer line repair. If your main sewer line repair involves replacement, there are several aspects to be considered. A licensed plumber has the skills and expertise to inspect your main sewer line and perform the right repair method.

The Size of the Water Main

The first thing to deal with is the size of the new water main. This is important because water pressure depends on it. A plumber can suggest an upgrade of your water main before replacing it if your household needs a larger water supply. Of course, this means a larger water bill, but it will also be more convenient for you and your family. The choice is yours to make, depending on your needs.

Main Sewer Line Material

Materials used for main sewer line repairs need to be approved by the municipality. That’s why you need professional advice when choosing your new main sewer line. The most common materials include copper, iron, and brass.

Water Pressure Problems

These can be caused by a leaking main sewer line or because your tap connection is not big enough. Installing a new tap connection is not difficult and can increase the water volume in your household.

Find Help Right Away

If you need a plumber for main sewer line repair or any other problems with your plumbing system, TalkLocal can put you in touch with local professionals in minutes.

Tags: Main Sewer Line Repair
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