Diamond Certified Blog

The massive distribution of the 2011 Diamond Certified Directory has begun! On April 1st, we mailed more than 800,000 directories to homeowners, select local business owners, property and apartment managers, and insurance and real estate

agents throughout the Greater Bay Area. Most people will be receiving their directories within the first couple weeks of April, so if you’ve used the Diamond Certified Directory in the past, expect the newest version to be arriving soon. There are nine different versions available: Sonoma County, Marin County, San Francisco/Daly City, Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, Solano County, and Monterey/San Benito/Santa Cruz Counties.

The Diamond Certified Directory has become an increasingly important resource for consumers who are seeking local top-rated companies. Read more

Safety should come first when your home is being remodeled. According to Diamond Certified contractor Matthew W. Johnson from San Mateo County, your contractor should always make sure that windows which are removed are boarded up with both plastic and plywood when the carpenters finish for the day. Anyone trying to break in would need a power tool to remove the barriers.

Another great idea is to continue to use your alarm system, but create an alternate code for the contractor and his subcontractors. When the job is completed, you delete that code and the workers never have access to your personal code for the home alarm system. And finally, Mr. Johnson makes a special point of keeping all of his power tools locked up at night. Read more

Recently, American Ratings Corporation CEO Jim Stein and I visited Creel’s 300,000-square-foot Las Vegas printing facility to take part in the final press check for the 2011 Diamond Certified Directory (to be released in April). Creel runs a 24/7 printing operation in order to maximize its production, which was good news for the 815,000 Diamond Certified Directories being printed at astonishing speed…and not-so-good news for Jim and me, who found ourselves working from 8am until 3am! Even though I’ve been heavily involved in digital media for many years, it was my first time experiencing a press check, and I like to think I learned some valuable lessons for next time…like how the Creel facility is within short driving distance of Starbucks. Read more

As of last year, the federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA) started requiring airlines to collect certain information from all passengers. Under the Secure Flight Initiative, travelers now have to provide their full name, date of birth, gender, and a redress number, if they have one. (A redress number is for passengers who request a correction after having been repeatedly misidentified as being on the “No Fly” watch list.)

If you’re like many people, you go by different names—sometimes you’re Mary Rachel Smith, or you’re Mary R. Smith, or just Mary Smith. Small differences between your government-issued ID and your airline ticket shouldn’t impact your travel. However, to avoid problems, use the exact same name that appears on your ID to make your flight reservation. Read more

Financial institutions have tightened their lending criteria, so that makes having a good credit score more important than ever. The higher your score, the more likely your request for credit will be approved. And consumers with higher credit scores typically pay lower interest rates.

Here are some tips for increasing your score. Pay your bills on time and make up any past-due payments. Keep the outstanding balance on any credit account at less than 50% of your available credit line. Don’t open a lot of new credit accounts in a short period, and don’t close older, unused accounts—your credit history will appear shorter and your outstanding debt will increase relative to your available credit. Read more

Kris Cesena, owner of Auto Medics, a Diamond Certified auto repair shop, first has a tip is about spare tires. She says, “Most cars have a space-saver spare tire, or what we affectionately call the donut-spare. This tire is only intended to take you from where you got a flat tire to the auto shop. Don’t drive around on your donut spare for days, and don’t drive over 55mph with this spare on.”

The second tip is a warning about having too many things dangling from your key ring. According to Ms. Cesena, “A heavy key ring can cause your ignition switch to wear out as the weight bounces and swings while you drive. Read more

If you or someone in your family has difficulty using a standard telephone, you may be eligible for a free phone that makes it easier to make and receive calls. The California Telephone Access Program (CTAP), sponsored by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), provides free devices to California residents who have difficulty hearing, speaking, moving, seeing or remembering due to an illness, disability or medical condition. There’s no income restriction, but you do need a doctor’s signature on your application.

The various types of phones and devices do everything from make voices louder and numbers easier to read to flash a light when a call is coming in and convert conversation to text. Read more

You may be one of the 50 million Americans affected by tinnitus. Tinnitus sufferers often describe hearing a ringing, buzzing, hissing, clicking, roaring, or beeping, although there is no external noise creating it. Tinnitus can be a result of hearing loss after exposure to excessive or loud noises as well as stress. I know people who have complained about this for years.

According to audiologist, Mark Sanford, Owner of the Better Hearing Centers, Diamond Certified companies, tinnitus is a treatable condition. With a success rate of 80-85% respectively tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) and Neuromonics are two options that are clinically proven for long-term, significant relief of tinnitus. In fact the Veterans Administration is now using Neuromonics for returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Read more

Besides expecting to be pampered, you should expect the chauffeur to arrive on time and be professional. According to Kathy Bimrose, manager of Style N’ Comfort Transportation & Tours, a Diamond Certified company, licensed operators are expected to pass safety checks performed by the California Highway Patrol and must meet other state and federal requirements. For example, drivers must be drug tested periodically. Any company transporting children under the age of 18 has to undergo special training.

When hiring a limousine service, you usually are asked to sign a contract. Deposits may be required and some companies want a credit card on file in case of damage. If someone gets sick in the limo, Read more

The biggest thing I learned from watching this is that you have to lean as far as you can in both directions to adjust the side view mirrors.

The idea is to eliminate those dangerous blind spots. Read more