Diamond Certified Blog

I love getting a good deal as much as anyone, so when an offer for 50 percent off a luxury manicure/pedicure floated into my email inbox recently, I couldn’t resist. Heck, I deserved a little pampering!

I called a couple days later. The owner was eager to schedule the appointment and emphasized getting there on time. When I showed up five minutes early, the salon was locked up tight. Ten minutes later, the manicurist dashed in, apologized and started setting up. That gave me time to observe the shop’s state of disrepair and neglect—empty display cases, cotton balls under couches, paintings askew. So far, the atmosphere was less than soothing.

When the owner finally arrived, Read more

When your hair starts falling out at an alarming rate, it’s time to see your primary doctor or dermatologist to find out the cause. For some, changing your diet or taking an oral medication helps reduce hair loss. For others, the solution may be a hair transplant. Hair restoration surgeon, Dr. Peter Panagatacos, a Diamond Certified physician, suggests taking your time when choosing your physician and asking lots of questions. “How long have you been doing it? Ask your own dermatologist who he would recommend or who would he go to if he were to have it done. Call the medical society. Find out if that doctor who does it is actually in good standing in the community.” It’s also important to meet with the doctor who will perform the hair transplant, Read more

The worst thing you can do when you spill something on your carpeting? Grab an off-the-shelf spot remover and start rubbing. Charlene Locke, an expert at Sequoia Cleaning & Restoration, Inc., a Diamond Certified company, says this can just make your problem worse. “The right way is to first remove any solid matter with a spatula. Then, fold a towel into a tight square; place it on top of the spilled area and then step on it — using your whole weight. And keep on turning this folded square towel until the spill is fully absorbed.” Ms. Locke says next, pour one cup of cold water onto the spill. Get another towel, and keep blotting as before, Read more

Teenage drivers are at higher risk than other drivers. That’s why they’re required to take driver’s education, including behind the wheel training and they must be monitored and tested. Safety experts believe in involving parents from the beginning by inviting them to ride along for the driving lessons. They can see for themselves what and how the teen is learning, and this helps with continuity and consistency when the parents monitor practice sessions.

A good driving teacher shows parents not only how to communicate with their teens, but specifically explains what it means to be proactive in preventing automobile crashes. He shows them how not to overwhelm students by putting them beyond their skill level when practicing. Read more

Every time I use my dryer, I clean out the lint screen. Unfortunately, not all the lint is captured there. According to Doug Francone, owner and President of Ductz of Walnut Creek and The Tri-Valley, some lint slips into the duct that’s used to move the hot, moist air from the dryer to the outside. Over time, that lint can build up and cause problems.

Your dryer has to work a little harder when its venting line gets clogged—it might take two hours to dry a load that used to take 45 minutes. Besides wasting energy, clogged venting lines wear out dryers sooner. On a more serious note, they’re also a leading cause of home fires. Read more

This is useful consumer advice from CALPIRG (California Public Interest Research Group) that I want to share with you. They say we leave up to $5 billion on unused gift cards.

“It’s tough to beat the convenience of a gift-card, but consumers should be aware that about 2-5% of gift-cards end up going unused,” said Jon Fox, Consumer Advocate with CALPIRG. “In California that money stays with the retailers and is essentially a $5 billion gift from consumers every year.”

“Here in California, consumers have some of the toughest laws regulating gift-cards,” added Jon Fox. “For example, most gift cards are prohibited from having expiration dates or service fees,” noted Jon Fox, Read more

I will be the first to admit that I have never thought twice about throwing any and all pre-approved credit card solicitations into the trash. David Rhoads, Vice President of SureShred, a Diamond Certified company, warns against being so careless. He says that identity thieves can easily take these offers from the garbage, change the return address, sign it and get a credit card in your name.

This can be just the beginning of your troubles. Once you put something in the trash, it is considered public property and anyone can sift through it. Besides pre-approved credit card ads, you should also destroy credit card and bank statements, driver’s license renewal forms, hospital bills, Read more

Trees take decades, sometimes centuries, to grow to maturity, and they must be cared for with more expertise than shrubbery and ground covers. A qualified arborist needs an in-depth knowledge of trees that a general landscaper usually doesn’t possess. Tree work also poses different safety and liability concerns, so arborists must carry more insurance and be better trained in how to safely work with and among trees.

Accreditation and certification are the most important things to look for in a tree care company. Are its arborists certified by the International Society of Arboriculture? Are they accredited by the Tree Care Industry Association? You should also ask how long the company has been in business. Read more

There’s an abundance of information involved in any real estate deal, so it’s important that your agent is able to effectively communicate, explain the details of the process and answer any questions you may have. Ideally, you should be able to communicate on the same level and fully understand all the information that’s being presented to you.

Experience is also an important factor to consider when hiring a real estate agent. Relatively new agents may bring enthusiasm and other positive attributes, but if they haven’t completed at least 30 deals, they should be working closely with a veteran agent. Read more

Here’s a doozy. Have you seen this on a clothing care label? “Do not dry clean. Do not hand wash. Professional spot clean only.” Gary Casassa, owner of Marin Cleaners, Inc., a Diamond Certified company, usually sees these types of labels on high-end items such as evening dresses with beads and sequins. Customers don’t like hearing that even a professional dry cleaner can’t do a thorough cleaning on these items. Some garments become unwearable as a result.

The problem with professional spot cleaning is that it requires water in order to rinse out the spot remover. Also, spot cleaning can leave a small circle and/or a watermark. Mr. Casassa suggests that you look closely at those care labels before you spend a lot of money on a garment. Read more