Your air conditioner is designed to keep your home cool during the summer, but like any system, it requires ongoing maintenance to sustain peak operating efficiency. While some maintenance steps are best left to an HVAC professional (such as handling refrigerant), there are others you can perform yourself. Here are four DIY air conditioning maintenance steps: Read more

It’s tempting to hire a contractor that you see working in your neighborhood. I recently noticed a company’s truck at three different houses near me and casually asked the supervisor if they trim trees or do concrete work. Right away, the “tree guy” gave me a bid of $800 to prune a large Japanese maple, and within minutes he offered a $100 discount because I was in their service area. The next day, their “concrete guy” made an estimate for $12,000 with no mention of permits or a written contract. Read more

The 2022 Diamond Certified Directory has started arriving at homes and businesses throughout the Greater Bay Area. We mailed more than 800,000 directories and we’ve been thrilled with the response! (If you didn’t get your FREE copy, click here.) Read more

Do you have questions about your upcoming plumbing job or plumbing work in general? You’re not alone. Below, we answer some commonly asked questions about plumbing, as well as hiring and working with a plumbing contractor. Read more

I was looking up at some cobwebs in the ceiling corners of my living room and they’re always a good reminder that it’s time for a deep clean. Many of us get motivated to do spring cleaning when the flowers start blooming, the days warm up and the sunlight lasts longer. In fact, one survey found that more than 70% of us do some form of spring cleaning every year. So, take our quiz to see how prepared you are for the job at hand. Good luck! Read more

Like a lot of you, I haven’t gone anywhere on an airplane in a long, long time, but that’s about to change. With out-of-state trips planned for this month and next, I decided to read up on my rights in case I have to cancel a flight or get bumped or delayed. Read more

The 2022 Diamond Certified Directory is in the final stages of production, which means printing is just around the corner! More than 800,000 copies of the Directory will be sent to homes and businesses throughout the Greater Bay Area. Read more