Diamond Certified Blog

If you still have more questions about electric vehicles, follow the links below to learn more about specific government incentives, where you can plug in your new car and just how electric cars compare when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions.

• The Department of Energy provides this concise history of electric cars.
• California has a high rate of electric vehicle ownership thanks in part to laws created by state and local governments. The Department of Energy lists California’s incentives and regulations for electric vehicle owners.
• DriveClean.ca.gov allows consumers to research and compare electric and hybrid vehicles.
• The California Energy Commission invests heavily in promoting renewable energy sources,

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Labor Day is just around the corner, and if you’re like most people, you already have plans for how you’re going to spend the three-day weekend. If those plans include having friends and family over, you’ll need to make sure your home is in suitable condition to receive guests. Here are five quick things you can do to get ready:

1. Clean your living room. Expelling the clutter that has accumulated in your living room can be a daunting task, so it’s best to take a systematic approach. Begin at the top of the room (removing cobwebs and dusting high shelves, for example) and work your way downward—this will help you avoid having to redo things like floor cleaning. Read more

…or return to Trending Topics: Home Organization.

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Flooring is a major part of any home—not only does it provide a surface to walk on, it’s also a focal point of interior design. While homeowners were once limited in their flooring options, today there are countless choices available, including a diverse array of both natural and synthetic materials. However, since every home needs floors, it’s easy to see how the materials needed to manufacture them can have an impact on the environment. That’s why many Bay Area homeowners are interested in eco-friendly options that allow them to walk on their floors without leaving an oversized carbon footprint. Read more

Nine times out of 10, driving is as simple as getting from point A to point B, but every so often, things don’t go according to plan. Whether a minor collision, a mechanical failure or a dead battery, vehicle emergencies are an inevitable part of driving, so it’s important to be prepared. To gain insight on how to do this, we’ve asked five Diamond Certified Expert Contributors to weigh in on some common scenarios. Read more

Have you ever hired a service provider to perform a repair and found that while certain elements of the performance were acceptable, other elements weren’t performed correctly? Here are some tips for speaking with the manager/owner to request a partial refund.

1. Prepare your mind
Be rational when asking for a partial refund—it shows the other party that you’re realistic and makes an implicit promise that a speedy fix is within sight. Separate what you know to be true (the service contract, industry requirements) from what you believe to be true (your subjective assessment and intuition).

2. Temper your approach
Try to gradually escalate pressure in your tone, Read more

• Pick a fire extinguisher classified as A:B:C to fight three kinds of fire (combustible, flammable liquids and electrical).
• Select the largest fire extinguisher that you and your family members can comfortably operate.
• Stock at least one fire extinguisher on each floor of your home.

For more details on selecting and using a fire extinguisher, check out this article from This Old House.

For fire extinguisher ratings, read about fire extinguishers at Consumer Reports. Read more

It’s that time of year again: students in San Francisco go back to school in less than a week, and the rest of the Bay Area follows quickly behind. Whether you’ll miss the lazy, crazy days of summer or can’t wait for the structure of a school day, it’s time to (re)develop your “school’s in” routine. Last year at this time, we discussed four great ways to get your home ready for the school year. New year, same helpful tips. Here are four things you can do to jump back to school with panache.

Create a family launch pad.
A launch pad can help soften the pain of school-morning madness…at least according to Cynthia Ewer, Read more

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With the beautiful weather in the Bay Area, it’s no wonder that one of the biggest local home improvement trends is to extend one’s living space to the outside with add-ons like decks and covered patios. However, even though these exterior additions are great, you can take your alfresco experience to a whole new level by building an outdoor kitchen, which will allow you to prepare meals and dine under the sun or stars. To learn about the process of outdoor kitchen construction, we’re joined by North Bay Area landscaping contractor Alain Joske.

Plan way in advance. An outdoor kitchen isn’t built overnight—it’s a lengthy process, and the actual construction is often the shortest part. Read more