Diamond Certified Blog

You rely on your home appliances to perform a lot of tasks, from cooking food to cleaning dishes and clothes. Not surprisingly, when even one appliance stops working, it can throw a wrench into your daily routine. That’s why it’s wise to invest in quality appliances and be proactive about keeping them maintained. In the following article, seven Diamond Certified Expert Contributors provide their tips for choosing and maintaining home appliances. Read more

Modern society relies on computers more than ever, which means when something goes wrong, everything in your life can come to a halt. However, if you run into computer trouble, you don’t have to rely on a big-box electronics store for service—there are many independent companies that provide a full range of repair options for computers, tablets and cellphones. In this article, we’ll go over what these companies offer and learn some of their tips for keeping your electronics running at their best. Read more

Due to concerns over high wildfire risk, PG&E has scheduled power blackouts throughout much of the Bay Area on Wednesday, October 9. Starting at midnight, the utility company will begin shutting off power to targeted areas in more than 30 counties, including Sonoma, Napa, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara. It’s estimated that up to 800,000 PG&E customers will be affected by the blackouts. Read more

I’ll admit, I like being greeted at the front door. For me, the home environment is the hug that wraps me in a warm embrace on a rainy day or the kiss of cold that greets me at the door when it’s over 100 degrees outside. That’s my kind of “welcome home.”

Unfortunately, my home is insulated to 1970 building code standards, so I’d be surprised if it even had insulation in the attic (I’m afraid of the attic, so I’m not going to check). My home’s exterior walls aren’t insulated and the windows are single-pane, aluminum-framed, and leaking air in all the wrong directions. There’s a fireplace but it doesn’t warm the air in front of it. Read more

In California, anyone offering home improvement services must be licensed if the project will entail at least $500 worth of work from start to finish. The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) issues contractor licenses, enforces contracting laws and resolves disputes related to contractors working in California. Here are some quick facts: Read more

October 17, 2019 marks the 30-year anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake. Triggered by a slip along the San Andreas Fault in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the 6.9 temblor was the largest to hit the San Francisco Bay Area since the infamous 1906 quake. While the shaking lasted a mere 15 seconds, it was more than enough time to unleash a volley of catastrophic effects. In the end, the earthquake took 63 lives and caused nearly 4,000 injuries, along with more than $6 billion ($13 billion in today’s money) in damage to infrastructure and property. Read more

I’ve been a label reader for all of my adult life, and I continue to be amazed at the exaggerated (and sometimes deceptive) claims that food manufacturers make. Take vanilla ice cream, for example. When carefully reading labels, you’ll discover that not all vanilla flavoring comes from vanilla beans. Some “vanilla” comes from wood pulp or a coal tar derivative and is listed as a “natural flavor.” A class action lawsuit has been filed against four brands for this practice. Read more

Few things are more disconcerting than when the “check engine” light illuminates on your car’s dashboard. What’s most alarming isn’t the light itself but the ambiguity it presents. Since the “check engine” light can be triggered by a wide range of factors, you don’t know if you’re dealing with something insignificant (a loose gas cap) or something serious (a catalytic converter failure), which can produce a sense of anxiety every time you drive. Read more

There’s a reason hardwood flooring has become an industry all its own—it’s a complex and challenging trade that requires an extensive amount of expertise. Accordingly, whether you’re planning to install a new hardwood floor or just want to maintain the one you have, there are a lot of things you need to know. To give you some insight, we asked 10 Diamond Certified Expert Contributors to provide their tips about hardwood flooring selection, design, installation and maintenance. Read more

Even though Bay Area residents are known for embracing the newest gadgets and technology, homes in the region tend to be on the older side—in fact, nearly half of all units in San Francisco were built before 1940. Some of these older homes still have their original wiring and electrical panels, which can be problematic or even dangerous as the electrical requirements of a household grow. Read more