# Questions from a Texas Newbie \[Absolutely posivitely non-political\]
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-from-a-texas-newbie-absolutely-posivitely-non-political/820329
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [August 27, 2018, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-from-a-texas-newbie-absolutely-posivitely-non-political/820329 "2018-08-27T01:10:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2018, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-from-a-texas-newbie-absolutely-posivitely-non-political/820329/21 "2018-08-27T22:00:16Z")
This time of year is pure hell. Like Thelma Lou said, most of us go dormant for the month of August. Fair warning, fall will not arrive until mid to late October. Live oaks do not make an impressive fall display. Sorry about that.
Check with your electricity supplier. Most of them around here will send someone out free of charge to make suggestions on how to improve your HVAC situation. Austin Energy will come blow out your ducts and provide you a programmable thermostat if you agree to them cycling you off on occasion (max 20 minutes). They have low cost loans and rebates, too. If you’re between Austin and San Antonio, sounds like you’re either in San Marcos or else with one of the cooperatives. Check their websites.
As for bill averaging, I prefer to do it on my own terms. I pay a set amount every month. In November through March when my bill averages about $30 a month, I’m still paying $80. So by the time summer rolls around, I’ve got a credit built up. I still get bills to show how much I’m actually using and usually, I’m far enough back into the black that I don’t have to pay in December so I skip a payment and apply it towards Christmas shopping. If you sign up with the utilities averaging program, you can’t do that.
Diatomaceous earth is great stuff. It tears up the insides of bugs and spiders, but is harmless to pets and people.
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### Author:  [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-from-a-texas-newbie-absolutely-posivitely-non-political/820329/22 "2018-08-27T22:04:51Z")
> [@Baker](#):
>
> **Northern Piper** , you may know chiggers by another name, like “no-see-ums” Whatever, they are tiny nasty bugs that I’ve suffered from but never actually seen. Avoid brushy areas or over the ankle grass. When I was a child and went fishing with my grandfather, he insisted on applying powdered sulfur at the ankles, the waistbands, or anyplace under stretchy bands. It seemed to help at the time.
Chiggers and no see ums are two different pests…a chigger is a tiny little mite that bites you and raises a welt on your leg…a no see um is a biting sand fly.
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### Author:  [@K2500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K2500)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-from-a-texas-newbie-absolutely-posivitely-non-political/820329/23 "2018-08-27T22:10:12Z")
> [@j666](#):
>
> Are rubber rain boots thick enough for snakes?
> I’m a bit nervous about burning the spiders while everything is so dry. I’d just set the dogs on them. but they’d probably just get trapped in the web.
>
> But the basic advice is to kill everything, except, I assume, the lizards. Got it
I squish the back widows and brown reculuses. I save the burning for their eggs if I see them. I’m fine with most other spiders.
Your local pest Control should have some pet safe control methods for your ants.
I dont know about rain boots and snakes but they do make snake garters for your lower legs if you think you’ll need them on occasion. Those and a shovel will do wonders.
My position is if it can kill me or cause great pain or discomfort it’s probably gonna get kilt if it gets close enough. If it’s in my house or yard it’s a definite death sentence for a poisonous, venomous, or dangerous anything.
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### Author:  [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2018, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-from-a-texas-newbie-absolutely-posivitely-non-political/820329/24 "2018-08-27T23:36:15Z")
> [@j666](#):
>
> …I moved here from the Northeast, so I did not grow up with airconditioning, and I just don’t like keeping the house that cool in the summer. I like it around 75 or so, with a room fan. But at that temperature, the house stays kind of muggy…
I grew up in California and the northeast, too (Air Force brat), and didn’t have a/c. Didn’t have it in Texas either in the 60s when we moved here. Not at home, not in school, not in the car. I’m guessing anyone older than 50-ish did not have it growing up in South Texas. There was a campaign in San Antonio in the 80s called “Cool Schools” to get schools air conditioned (can’t find a link).
Having said that, my ideal indoor temp in summer is 78. Seventy-five would be waaaaay too cold for me.
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### Author:  [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2018, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-from-a-texas-newbie-absolutely-posivitely-non-political/820329/25 "2018-08-28T00:59:39Z")
> [@Baker](#):
>
> … When I was a child and went fishing with my grandfather, he insisted on applying powdered sulfur at the ankles, the waistbands, or anyplace under stretchy bands. It seemed to help at the time.
They’re giving me antibiotics orally and topically, so I guess it did. I cover up neck to toe, shower immediately when I come in, and soak the clothes for at least two hours. Chiggers are evil.
> [@BeeGee](#):
>
> This time of year is pure hell. …
>
> Diatomaceous earth is great stuff. It tears up the insides of bugs and spiders, but is harmless to pets and people.
I don’t really mind the heat, especially if I can catch a breeze, but that sun! We have got to find a way to turn that _ **down.** _ And the bills aren’t any higher than heating through a New England winter, so that’s okay.
Does diatomaceous clump and ‘go bad’ in humidity? I’d like to keep some on hand, just in case, if it doesn’t.
> [@K2500](#):
>
> …
> My position is if it can kill me or cause great pain or discomfort it’s probably gonna get kilt if it gets close enough. If it’s in my house or yard it’s a definite death sentence for a poisonous, venomous, or dangerous anything.
Selected relatives excluded.
> [@ThelmaLou](#):
>
> …
> Having said that, my ideal indoor temp in summer is 78. Seventy-five would be waaaaay too cold for me.
78 is nice, but just too muggy. I set it too 78 when GVEC specifically asks us to, but it goes back to a nice dry 75 at 9:00 p.m. (We’d be bragging about how low we set a thermostat in February, if I were still in New England, wouldn’t we? I was a wuss, and never set it below 65 until we went to bed.)
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### Author:  [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2018, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-from-a-texas-newbie-absolutely-posivitely-non-political/820329/26 "2018-08-28T02:16:39Z")
> [@AirFarce1](#):
>
> Welcome to Texas and good luck with the bugs!
Some of which are actually rather cool.
I was in west Texas recently and encountered a [Vinegaroon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelyphonida) a good 3 inches long (not counting his whip tail) marching across the pavement like he owned the place. These are commonly considered beneficial (they prey on cockroaches) and are sometimes kept as pets.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2018, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-from-a-texas-newbie-absolutely-posivitely-non-political/820329/27 "2018-08-28T03:47:42Z")
> [@CurtC](#):
>
> iswydt
I think yhwidt
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