You spent countless Sundays at open houses. You signed 50+ legal documents. You wrote a check for a single, heart-stopping, six-digit figure. And now, drumroll please…you’re the lucky owner of your very first house! Congratulations! Now it’s time to get to work. Here’s a checklist of all the things you should do when moving into a new house. Read more

If you’re like most people, you think of your home as your sanctuary—a refuge from the uncertainties of the outside world. However, you may not realize just how many dangers can be present within its very walls. Hazardous substances like mold, lead and asbestos are present in many United States homes, often without the homeowners’ awareness. Since the only way to identify these threats is with professional inspection, you should consider having the following tests performed in your home:

1. Mold testing
When mold develops inside a home, it’s typically due to an excess of moisture, whether from a slow leak, poor ventilation or as a secondary effect of catastrophic water damage. Read more

Have a fireplace? Make sure you properly store your firewood to avoid insect infestations and other problems. Read more

Updated October 24, 2018

Citing a phenomenon known as Pineapple Express, climatologists are predicting heavy rainfall for Northern California this winter. Wikipedia defines Pineapple Express as “a meteorological phenomenon characterized by a strong and persistent flow of atmospheric moisture and associated with heavy precipitation from the waters adjacent to the Hawaiian Islands and extending to any location along the Pacific coast of North America.” While it’s uncertain just how much rain this weather pattern will bring, it’s a good idea to prepare your home for a potentially wet winter. Here are some important steps: Read more

Most people assume electrical work is best left to a professional, and for the most part, they’re right. However, in the instance of a power outage, there are a couple of things that even a novice can do to restore it. We’ve asked four Diamond Certified Expert Contributors to explain simple steps homeowners can take to restore power to their homes and avoid unnecessary service calls.

How to reset a GFI

Due to the presence of water, safety codes require the electrical outlets in bathrooms and kitchens to be equipped with ground fault interrupters (GFIs), which protect against electric shock in the event of a “ground fault,” which is an inadvertent electrical path between a source of current and a grounded surface. Read more

Back-to-school signals a fresh start: it’s time for new socks, new notebooks and new routines. With that in mind, here are some fresh ways to reorganize your home and make your school day routines flow with ease.

Find more back-to-school resources for Bay Area families

Create a family launch pad
A launch pad can help soften the pain of school-morning madness…at least according to Cynthia Ewer, editor of Organizedhome.com. Using bookshelves, hooks and cubbies, you can create an area for all of the things your family needs to get out the door in the morning. Read more

Most people assume their refrigerators are working fine as long as they don’t notice any obvious problems, but few realize they’re paying far more than necessary to keep their food fresh. The reality is that an inefficient refrigerator can consume up to three times the amount of power used by a properly functioning unit, often without anyone noticing. That’s why it’s a good idea to periodically inspect your refrigerator and address any issues that may be causing energy loss. Read more