One fall afternoon, Derek Thomas, an experienced landscaper and certified professional horticulturist, was driving down a sleepy neighborhood street when something caught his attention: homeowners carelessly pruning a maple tree.
To an untrained eye, they appeared to be taking good care of their yard, but with his wealth of knowledge rooted in his lifelong love of gardening, Thomas couldn’t by. He stopped his car, rolled down the window and shared a piece of wisdom that he learned throughout his decades of hands-on experience: you cannot prune maple trees in the fall.
“They look at me like I’m crazy, but the tree will literally just continue to bleed out,” Thomas said. “It literally kills itself.”
Whether it’s cultivating your garden, deterring pests from your property, maintaining air conditioning during a heatwave or ensuring you don’t accidentally kill your favorite maple tree, the expertise of local maintenance contractors can be important. They can adeptly step in during a crisis, but contractors can also share knowledge to prevent problems, improve efficiency and ensure your home and garden remains in good shape for years to come.
Landscaping
According to Thomas, owner of Thomas Landscapes, the historic streets of Capitol Hill are home to some of the “most enviable” gardens in the District. While many of these homes have limited green space, landscaping services have the ability to transform and personalize the exterior of any home. “And even small backyards can become oases if they’re properly planned,” he said.
Thomas Landscapes offers a variety of “bookend” services to help homeowners prepare their yards and gardens for different seasons. Technicians will visit once in the spring to assess the condition of the home and provide clean up services including soil amendments, mulching and plant preparation. In the fall, the technician will return to prepare the space for winter through additional soil amendments and other routine maintenance. For gardens in need of additional attention, or for clients looking to develop a more personalized space, both quarterly and monthly maintenance plans are available.
Any type of yard maintenance is a worthwhile investment, Thomas said, noting that customers tend to require landscaping services less frequently over time if well maintained. “Weeds tend to grow back in untended soil, and plants get diseases in untended environments,” he noted.
Thomas Landscapes also collaborates with local experts to help their clients secure the services they need to keep their outside sapce looking its best. Their relationships with local arborists, and other contractors help streamline the maintenance and design processes for clients by seamlessly connecting them with the right people for the job.
Pest Control
When a rodent or insect makes its way indoors, many homeowners turn to traps. Fleurie Kamga of FLK Pest Control says this common practice may do more harm than good “That bait is food, even though it’s going to kill them,” Kamga said. “You’ll end up having even more [pests].”
“Exclusion” services, Kamga said, are the answer. These specialized treatments work to preventatively find the access points used by rodents and insects and seal them. Living in a city, he added, exposes homeowners to a variety of infestation risks that are often out of a homeowner’s control. Routine services, particularly for those with frequent infestations, can come in the form of monthly treatments or check-ins on the integrity of sealed access points.
While the use of chemicals is necessary to eliminate some pests like termites, Kamga prefers to treat homes without them. When chemicals are needed, they spot-treat the cracks and crevices where pests are entering the home so as to “not spray chemicals all over the house,” he said.
Owner and Chief Operator of BioTech Pest Management, Clifford Akpan, echoed Kamga’s emphasis on the benefits of a “proactive rather than reactive” approach that identifies potential risks early and focuses on long-term prevention efforts all year round.
“Investing in preventative pest management is one of the most effective ways for homeowners to protect their properties from costly damage and health risks,” Akpan said, citing the health hazards, contamination threats and structural risks that pests and wildlife pose for homeowners.
Homeowners can also protect themselves from summer mosquitos through the treatment of their outdoor living spaces. Capitol Mosquito Control specializes in organic treatment options that are safe for your home and the environment. Unlike alternative synthetic treatments, the organic application is safe for pets and beneficial insects like bees and butterflies and does not require a delayed reentry into the yard, manager Al Nelson said.
The preventative service includes an outdoor treatment every two weeks from April through September. The spray kills mosquitoes on and has a long-lasting repellent effect. Most exterior areas of the home including bushes, grass, mulch, plants and around outdoor decks are treated. They also offer one-time services for homeowners hosting special events, but Nelson recommends regular treatments to better control the large population of the mosquitoes in the summer months.
Beyond the spray, technicians are also on the lookout for anything that may attract mosquitoes to their client’s property. “They’ll address anything that they see,” Nelson said, noting that standing water in trash cans and alleys can become a breeding ground for the pests. “Even if it’s not on our customer’s property, we’ll take care of it.”
Heating, Cooling and More
The District’s temperature extremes make heating and cooling services a necessity all year round.
Sila Services offers HVAC, plumbing and drain services for emergencies, installation and routine maintenance. The Sila home maintenance services are part of a unique hip program that includes comprehensive coverage for the entire home under a single monthly or annual fee resulting in “whole home protection,” according to general manager Evan Brodowski.
Per manufacturer recommendations, Sila suggests that homeowners undergo annual inspections of their heating, air conditioning systems and plumbing systems. An annual inspection, Brodowski said, is generally sufficient to identify any issues the homeowner may need to address.
In case of emergency, Sila also provides 24/7 services for the unexpected circumstances every homeowner fears. Their professional, licensed and certified technicians are always there to help. Brodowski said technicians are at work on nearly every major holiday and noted the importance of relationships between homeowners and contractors, especially in emergency situations.
“You’ll become a priority to them,” Brodowski said. “I one Christmas a new customer called us multiple times to come out because they couldn’t get a response from any other company. Typically we wouldn’t have sent a tech out on Christmas but we felt terrible so we sent a technician out and he ended up fixing the problem
very quickly.”
Sarah Payne is a reporter for Capital Community News. She can be reached at [email protected].
