Start the New Year Off Right With Healthy Choices

At some point or another, we’ve all made New Year’s resolutions…and probably broken as many as we made. This year, why not resolve to make some changes that could possibly save your life? Try making a list of healthy living resolutions and sticking to them. They will positively impact your life for years to come. Here’s a few to help you get started:

Eat your fruits and vegetables. The United States Department of Agriculture recently revamped the food pyramid, adding a customized chart showing how many servings you should eat per week based on your age and gender. Check it out to make sure you’re eating enough.

Drink plenty of water and cut back on caffeine. As your body’s principle chemical component, water is vital to your health. On average, drink about eight glasses a day. If you’re drinking more than three cups of coffee a day, that’s considered heavy caffeine use and you should probably scale back.

Exercise. It sounds simple enough, but with today’s busy lifestyles it’s not so easy. Even just a 30-minute walk once a day can help combat weight gain, prevent disease, provide better sleep and strengthen your body. Stop smoking. According to the American Cancer Society, about half of all smokers who continue to smoke will end up dying from a smoking-related illness. Also, if you quit before 50, you’ll cut your risk of dying in the next 15 years in half.

Relax! Chronic stress can take a toll on your life in more ways than you realize. Making time for yourself, learning to say no and having fun can help you de-stress and enjoy your life.

Getting the Most Out of Your Home Remodel

Believe it or not, now may be the best time to remodel your home. A slow housing market means builders and remodelers are searching for work, and you may be able to negotiate lower labor and material prices. Consider this though: if you’re planning on selling in a couple years focus on small projects such as upgrades, otherwise you won’t recoup the cost of a major remodel.Usually some of the best areas to remodel are kitchens and bathrooms. But according to Remodeling magazine’s 2007 annual Cost Vs Value report, the outside may be the place to start. Adding a wood deck addition usually results in 85.6 percent of the cost being recouped. Next on the list is replacing the siding - 85.1 percent of cost recouped.Other best remodeling values include minor kitchen remodels – replacing cabinet fronts and hardware, installing new matching appliances, replacing laminate countertops with more upscale materials, installing new flooring, replacing the sink and faucet and repainting the walls.If you have an unfinished basement, also consider having it finished. You’ll recoup 80 percent of costs by adding a full bathroom, wet bar, and all electrical, lighting, drywall, doors, insulation and trim.Thinking about an upscale remodel? Then plan to stay in your home long-term in order to recover costs when you do decide to sell. Having said that, more homebuyers are looking for luxury touches such as spa-like baths and professional kitchens. On a major bathroom remodel you’ll usually recoup 78.8 percent of the cost, while gutting your kitchen results in 79.3 percent of costs regained.Whatever you decide to do, make sure you’ve done your research, studied the market and have the cash to finance your project. A little bit of preparation beforehand will ensure a better remodeling experience all the way around.

Don’t Let Your Fireplace Go Up in Smoke

For many of us at Allgood, enjoying the warmth of a fire is a welcome winter ritual. But without proper maintenance beforehand, those glowing flames can turn into a devastating chimney fire. The best course is prevention – having a certified chimney sweep perform an annual inspection ensures your fireplace and chimney are in working order. They’ll also clean and repair it when needed. Following some simple do-it-yourself steps can also prevent a catastrophe. If you’re cutting your own wood, make sure it has time to season (dry out); moist wood promotes creosote build up. Don’t build huge fires; instead burn smaller, hotter fires that produce less smoke and a more complete burn. When building a fire, place logs at the rear of the fireplace. Also, never burn trash in your fireplace and keep the area around the hearth clear of potential fire hazards as well.If you have a screen, whether mesh or tempered glass, always use it to prevent sparks or debris from escaping. Don’t have some kind of shield on your fireplace? Then install one today. Also inspect the outside and make sure the chimney is free of branches or other debris. Stack wood at least 30 feet away from your home. Storing wood in your garage will invite unwanted insects that live under bark and between the grain of the wood. Stacked wood can also provide harborage or living space for rats and mice. Storing wood up against your home can invite termites closer to your biggest investment.As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Take action today so that you can enjoy a roaring fire all winter long.

Pick the Perfect Tree

Whether it’s the frosty winter air, the rich fragrance of freshly cut evergreens or the excitement of finding the “right one”, picking out a live Christmas tree is a memorable event and one that most of us at Allgood look forward to every year. Your family may have already perfected the art of choosing a tree but even if that’s true, here are some helpful reminders.Before you leave on your tree-finding mission, measure the space it will go in. There’s nothing more frustrating than coming home with a tree that’s three feet too tall or wide (or three feet too small) for the area.Once you get there, ask the retailer if they receive one shipment of trees or several throughout the season. If the trees come at different times, try to find one recently delivered as it will be the freshest. Trees that are shedding needles, have discoloration or smell musty aren’t fresh. Usually, Georgia tree lots offer three different types: Scotch pines, Douglas firs and Fraser firs. Which one you choose really depends on which one you like the best. With proper watering all of them should last throughout the Christmas season.To help pro-long a tree’s life, have someone cut about ½ inch off the base before you take it home, then place it in water as soon as possible. Keep it away from direct heat – fireplaces, dryer vents, direct sunlight, etc. Check the water level every day to ensure the base is still submerged.And lastly, after Christmas, properly dispose of your tree at a local recycling station. Many home improvement stores as well as fire stations offer tree drop-offs.

Light the Night Walk for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Allgood Pest Solutions employees, friends and families will come together on Saturday October 11th to participate in the annual “Light The Night Walk” for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It will take place at 6:00 at Centennial Park. The night is a time for celebration, reflection, and hope for those who have and continue to battle blood cancers.

Because of our employees, customers, vendors and friends, along with a company matching gift, Allgood Pest Solutions has surpassed all previous years’ totals with over $42,000 in donations this year. Allgood Pest Solutions has continued to partner up with a number of other Georgia Pest Control companies to donate over $500,000 in the past 6 years.
Allgood Pest Solutions invites you to come out and join our team members and families to support all those fighting this disease. Thank you all for being a part of such a worthy cause.

Before winter sets in and the most you do outside is make a mad dash from the car to house, set aside an afternoon for some auto maintenance.

• Routine checkups will help keep your car in tip-top shape and avoid any future problems. Inspect the tires. Check the air pressure and add more if needed. Also inspect the tread by placing a penny, head down, into a tire groove. If part of Lincoln’s head is covered, you have more than 1/16” of tread left (tires need replacing when worn down to 1/16” or less).


• Check fluids monthly, including the engine, transmission, radiator/cooling system, brakes, battery, air condition, window washer.


• Wax your car. It preserves paint by slowing oxidation and provides a barrier against bird droppings, tree sap and more.


• Change the oil. In the past, auto manufactures suggested changing the oil every 3,000 miles. But with today’s improved oil, you can usually go longer between changes, especially with synthetic oil. – check the auto manual to be sure.


• Check and replace windshield wipers if needed. They should be replaced at least once a year, more often if kept outside in a hot, sunny climate.


• Clean the battery. You’ll extend its life and prevent a dead battery by occasionally wiping it down with damp rag, cleaning the terminals with a paste of baking soda and water and coating the terminals and clamps with a thin layer of grease to prevent corrosion.


• Check brakes. Anti-lock brake systems are sensitive to moisture so have the brake fluid “bled” every three years, or according to the owner’s manual.


• Change the filters. These include the oil filter, air filter (replace when dirty), fuel filter (once a year) and the transmission filter (every 25,000 miles).


• Change spark plugs. Sometimes poor vehicle performance is due to faulty spark plugs. If part of routine maintenance, change them according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.


• Inspect 4-wheel drive components. Be sure the system engages and disengages easily.

Simple Steps to a Greener Home

Did you know that if every home in the country replaced one light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb, it would be like ditching 800,000 cars and would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year, according to Energy Star, a joint program between the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy? When it comes to conserving our resources and “going green” there are many simple things a normal household can do.For starters, you can save the most money and energy by replacing high-use lights with compact fluorescent bulbs. The five highest-use fixtures in a home are typically the kitchen ceiling lights, the living or family room table and floor lamps and outdoor porch or post lamp. CFL’s use 75 percent less energy than normal bulbs and last up to 10 times longer.If you’re not recycling, now’s the time to start. You can recycle everything from cell phones to paper easily. For example, Waste Management (www.wm.com) has a new mail-in program for recycling batteries, compact fluorescent light bulbs and electronics. Also, most of us have a recycling bin provided by our trash service. Use the bin for aluminum cans, glass bottles, paper, plastic bottles and steel cans.You can also stop the never-ending flow of junk mail and help reduce waste. Out of the 17.8 tons of bulk mail the U.S. Postal Service delivers, only 22 percent is recycled each year. Stop junk mail by visiting the Direct Marketing Association’s Web site at dmaconsumers.org. For just $1 you can be put on the “do not mail” list. You can also eliminate the slew of credit card and insurance offers for free at optoutprescreen.com. Lastly, forgo bottled water and buy a reusable bottle. More than 28 billion single-use water bottles are bought every year and 80 percent of those end up in landfills, according to the Container Recycling Institute.For even more ways to help make the world a greener place, visit www.energystar.gov, www.epa.gov or www.earth911.org.

Preparing Your Lawn & Garden for Fall

For many of us, the advent of fall means a welcome break from mowing lawns, weeding gardens and other outside chores. But before you hang up your weed eater and rake, take time for some maintenance and get a jump start on next spring. Allgood Pest Solutions can tackle any pests invading your garden or lawn but the rest of fall preparations are up to you.If you planted a garden this year, make notes of what vegetables performed well and what didn’t. You may also want to draw a garden map and mark areas with problem weeds, wet/dry spots or non-producing plants. Make sure you remove any plant trellises or tomato cages, clean them and store for next year. If you installed an irrigation system, remove and store hoses, sprinklers and other accessories as well. Instead of just piling garden tools in a shed, clean, sharpen and oil them. Before you clean your tiller though, use it one last time to till the garden and chop up any remaining plant matter. You can also plant a cover crop like clover to prevent erosion and build up the soil for next season. Lastly, plan to do a soil test in the next month or two so you’ll be able to apply any needed nutrients well before it’s time to plant again.Other fall chores include prepping your lawn, bushes and perennials. Now is the perfect time to prune flowering annuals and perennials (but don’t prune woody shrubs as it makes them more susceptible to cold damage). If you’re planning on adding new plants, do it now and also replenish your mulch. The mulch will help insulate the roots and retain moisture.If you’ve noticed problems with ants or other outside pests invading your garden or lawn and then migrating inside your home, it’s probably time to give Allgood a call.For lawns, keeping leaves cleaned up allows sunlight, water and nutrients to reach the grass’s roots more easily. Also, if you haven’t had a soil test done on the lawn in the last three years, have one prepared now. Lastly, mow the lawn one setting higher than normal – the extra height will help insulate the grass during the winter.

Get Ready to Tailgate

It’s about as all-American as you can get – football, fans and food.

If you’ve never tailgated before you are missing out on a time-honored tradition. For the uninitiated (or those who just need a refresher) here’s a short tailgating 101 course from your friends at Allgood Pest Solutions.

Any tailgating party needs three basic things: food, friends and a parking space. Beyond that, the sky’s the limit (a double-decker bus with a roof-top patio might be a bit much but, hey, if you’ve got the spirit, go for it!).

For food, bring already cooked items or pack up the grill or smoker. Popular menu choices include sausages, hamburgers, chicken wings and even lobster and shrimp. Whatever the cuisine, practice food safety – keep hot foods hot and cold food cold and don’t let food sit out for more than two hours.

Pack a cooler with plenty of ice or icepacks and store it in the air conditioning – not in your trunk. Bring two other coolers: one for drinks and one for ice. Don’t forget paper goods, aluminum foil, lots of water (for washing hands as well as drinking), toilet paper, garbage bags, wet wipes and anything else you might need.

For seating, bring a tailgating tent or canopy, chairs, table and, depending on the weather, a heater or fan.

Pick a spot with a view of the scoreboard or at least a good view of the stadium, if possible. If you have a generator or some external power, bring along a small TV or radio for play-by-play updates.

Don’t forget to decorate your space. Some outdoor carpet, team pennants, balloons and streamers will give your tailgating party a festive spirit. You also may want to fly a team flag so friends can easily find you in the sea of tailgaters.No matter what, tailgating is all about having a great time with friends and family. So bring out the armchair quarterbacks and enjoy the game!

Allgood Pest Solutions Sponsors "Thunder Ride" for Light The Night

Allgood Pest Solutions & Stone Mountain Harley Davidson are sponsoring the 1st Annual Light the Night "Thunder Ride" to raise funds and awareness for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

On Saturday September 20th at 8:30am co-sponsor Stone Mountain Harley Davidson will be the site for the begining of the "Thunder Ride".

To take place in this event call Karin or Keith @ 770-339-4500 to register. All proceeds raised will be donated to "The Light the Night" Society.

Allgood Pest Solutions & Boy Scouts of America

Allgood Pest Solutions continues to be a supporter of the Northeast Georgia Council of the Boy Scouts of America and shares in their values of developing character in young men.

Atlanta's other Hidden Treasures

Well you found one of the best kept secrets in Atlanta with pest control services by Allgood Pest Solutions, but have you found these?

From Treasure Hunting to Kangaroo Watching: Fun Activities for the Whole Family With only a little more than a month left before school starts, now’s the time to make the most of summer. If you’re tired of trips to the pool, mall or endless rounds of Guitar Hero, then head outside for some summer fun.

Geocaching

Ready for a treasure hunt, 21st century style? Then check out geocaching. All you need is a GPS, time and an adventurous spirit. People all over the world have set up caches and posted the location on the internet. GPS users plug in the cache’s coordinates and the hunt is on.

The rules are simple:
Take something from the cache
Leave something in the cache
Write about it in the logbook You can hide a cache anywhere you want to. For more information, visit http://www.geocaching.com/

Down Under Fun

If you thought the best thing about Dawsonville is the outlets, then think again. It’s also home to the Kangaroo Conservation Center. More than 300 kangaroos live here and you can see them all on an Aussie Adventure tour. The center also houses other native Australian animals, including sugar gliders and bearded dragons. Visit http://www.kangaroocenter.com/for more information.

See Atlanta on a Segway!

Here’s your chance to ride a Segway! City Segway Tours offers guided Segway day tours of downtown as well as a ghost tour. You’ll learn interesting historical as well as current facts about our city and garner lots of attention from passersby!

Check out www.citysegwaytours.com/atlanta to get the scoop.

Staying Safe While Staying Cool

Ahh, summer.

Time for cannonballs in the swimming pool, trips to the lake, tubing down the river and anything else to help keep cool. While having fun is the main goal, safety should also be a top priority. Did you know that in 2005, there were 3,582 fatal unintentional drownings in the United States? And an additional 710 people died from drowning and other causes in boating-related incidents, according to the Centers for Disease Control Prevention. To help you and your family stay safe this summer, here are some important water safety guidelines: Learn to swim. Children as young as six months can be enrolled in swim lessons. Any child over age three should take lessons. Fence in your pool (fences should be at least four feet high) and include a self-locking gate. Learn CPR. Your local Red Cross chapter offers certification courses.Supervise, supervise, supervise. Keep younger children within arm’s reach. If you’re boating, ensure everyone on board has a properly fitted lifejacket. Teach your kids to “buddy up” and always have a partner any time they’re swimming, whether in a pool, lake or ocean. Never combine alcohol and water. One third of boating deaths are alcohol related, and alcohol can be a factor in teen drownings as well. Remove pool toys when not in use so children are not tempted to go in or near the pool. Keep rescue equipment, such as a life preserver or hook, by the pool as well as a phone. If you’re at the beach and get caught in a rip tide, do not fight it. Swim parallel to shore until you’re out of danger or tread water until help arrives. Finally, always swim where there’s a lifeguard. The chances of drowning with a lifeguard present are one in 18 million.

Allgood's Light the Night 2008 Goal

When it comes to charitable causes there are plenty of reasons not to get involved. You hear it all the time or may even be thinking of some now.

“It’s hard enough to keep up with my needs or to keep up with my business”

“I don’t have time for it.”

“I’m involved already with something. I just cut them a check every year.”

“If I start giving to one charity, then I have to give to others.”

“I am the CHARITY!”

I can’t answer for you personally, but I’ve come to see and understand that charitable giving and volunteer work does have an impact on the ultimate intention of changing and helping lives. Whether it’s giving money to charity that one day helps find a new treatment for a disease or it’s someone showing up with meals for families that have spent countless number of days taking care of a friend or family member in a hospital or at home.

While our family’s circumstances are unfortunate and difficult, it has given me the opportunity to experience seeing kids leaving the hospital that may not been so fortunate in the past. Every visit at the hospital is been an opportunity to see someone that has made another person’s life better just because they volunteered to do so.

I’m proud of the company and the employees of Allgood Pest Solutions for supporting charitable organizations. Whether it’s supplying families with food, clothes or toys at Christmas, helping to fund and build a playground and ball field for handicap children or supporting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society; they all impact people and making there lives better.

Having a shared purpose between employer and employees such as a charitable cause can be an important ingredient in supporting and communicating our company’s core beliefs and values:
Allgood’s Philosphy

“We believe that providing a workplace where employees have the opportunity to professionally and personally grow and be part of a TEAM is the key for achieving our mission and realizing growth and economic success.”
“To be the good guys of Pest Control”

Personally, I’m grateful Allgood Pest Solutions has given me the opportunity to grow both professionally and personally and be a part of such a reputable TEAM simply by being involved in charitable causes! - Mike Tindol

Celebrating our Independence

Fun facts about America

We all know that Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492, that Betsy Ross probably sewed the first American Flag and that the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. But how well do we really know our country?

For example, did you know that Virginia is called the Mother of Presidents because eight U.S. Presidents were born there?

Or that any time the United States used mules in wartime, it never lost a war?

To help celebrate the month of July, here are some more fascinating facts about America.

From 1777 until 1818 every time a new state joined the Union, a new star AND stripe was added to the flag. Once the flag became unwieldy, a new policy was adapted. The flag would have 13 stripes and a blue canton where a star would be added for each state. When a state joined, the star was added on the July 4th following the admission.

The District of Columbia is divided into four quadrants. The U.S. Capital Building is the place where the four sections meet.

In 1925, Nellie Tayloe Ross was elected governor of Wyoming and became the first female governor in the United States.

When he was inaugurated, President George Washington only had one tooth left. Because of that he wore dentures made of human, cow or hippopotamus teeth, ivory and lead. Maybe that’s why he had his six white horses’ teeth brushed every morning!

Former president Thomas Jefferson also was an inventor. He invented the swivel chair, a pedometer, a machine to make fiber from hemp, a letter-copying machine and the lazy susan.

Only the President or state governors can order the flag flown at half mast.

Everyone here at Allgood Pest Solutions wishes everyone a happy and safe Independance Day.