Diamond Certified Blog

Due to its sheer size and scope, a moving project requires a great deal of preparation. To help you stay on track with preparing for your move, we’ve asked four Diamond Certified Expert Contributors to provide their pro tips. Read more

Everybody wants to be cool, and in more ways than one. Besides sporting stylish clothes and a laid-back attitude, we all want to maintain a comfortable body temperature. However, just as it’s tough to look cool in outdated attire, it’s difficult to stay cool when you have an outdated roof, especially during summer. The question is, how cool is your roof? Read more

Today, we’re revisiting a subject important to anyone embarking on a home improvement project: how you can help streamline the process by being a good customer. Below, Greg Louie, CEO of American Ratings Corporation, discusses what you can do to help foster the success of any project.

How to Be Their Favorite Customer
When you work with a local company, it’s ultimately their responsibility to perform a thorough and complete job, but you play a big part in the success of your project, too. Here are a few simple steps you can take to be their favorite customer:

• Be clear and upfront with the company representative.
• Outline the problem,

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Most of the cars and trucks you typically see on the road today were built within the last 25 years. With modern vehicles, maintenance tends to be pretty simple, thanks to improved technology and designated preventative maintenance schedules. In contrast, when it comes to premodern vehicles (whether vintage, classic or just plain old), maintenance can be a real challenge. Read more

“I hate nature,” my 12-year-old daughter mumbled years ago as the urgent care doctor removed a tick embedded in the middle of her back. She’d been away at a week-long school camp in Northern California, so we had no idea how long the tick had been there. Fortunately, she didn’t contract Lyme disease from the bite.

I’ve always been afraid of ticks (along with snakes and poison oak), and I was reminded of my fears last month while taking a nature hike in the redwoods near the Russian River. Read more

On May 9, 2018, the California Energy Commission (CEC) adopted a significant update to its Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards. Most noteworthy is the landmark requirement that solar photovoltaic systems be installed on all new construction homes. From the moment this groundbreaking mandate was announced, the Internet has been abuzz with commentary from both supporters and dissidents. To cut through the noise, we’ve provided some answers to frequently asked questions regarding the newly adopted mandate. Read more

Have you received your free copy of the 2018 Summer Diamond Certified Directory Update in the mail? It provides instant access to hundreds of local, top rated Diamond Certified companies across a wide range of service industries, from auto repair and landscaping to optometry and dentistry.

Every Diamond Certified company must continue to deliver on its promises to you, the consumer. That’s why we conduct ongoing customer satisfaction research, perform credential-based ratings, monitor each company’s performance, and back you up with mediation and the Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee. Read more

Earlier this week, we posted an article featuring five questions you should ask your pool technician. One of these questions was in regard to chlorine alternatives for pool sanitation. As mentioned, a popular chlorine alternative in use today is the method of salt chlorination. To learn more about salt chlorination, watch this informative video by Shane Toland of Classic Pools.

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Preparations for summer are underway. Maybe you’ve been dusting off the grill, opening the patio umbrellas and cleaning the pool. But as you turn your attention to the outdoors, don’t forget about your indoor comfort. A functioning air conditioning system plays a big part in helping you enjoy the lengthy, languid days of summer. To help you stay cool this season, we’ve collected the following tips and articles on HVAC maintenance and repair. Read more

We break down the steps for hiring a kitchen and bath contractor with this handy infographic. We hope you find it helpful, and let us know how your kitchen or bathroom remodel goes! Read more