When it comes to dealing with termite infestations, prevention is always the best policy. Regular monitoring can prevent up to 90 percent of termite damage, so watch for telltale signs of termites and have them exterminated before they get too out of control.

One of the most obvious signs of a termite infestation is the presence of earthen tubes (also called migratory tubes) outside your house. These tubes are the result of termite swarms during the spring and fall, when it first starts to rain. Another thing to watch for is irregularly shaped piles of a powdery, brown substance protruding from your structure’s framing—usually in attics and crawlspaces or on windowsills.

There are several steps you can take to prevent termite damage and sustain an effective termite treatment plan throughout the year. 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

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

A quality paint job always starts with a thorough prep job. Recently I had 5 rooms in a small cottage painted and it took the painter more than 2 weeks of prep work before he even applied the primer! Greg Kuzmicki, owner of Solidarity Painting, Waterproofing & Restoration says too many painters cut corners by not prepping thoroughly and rushing through the job.

Mr. Kuzmicki thinks homeowners should be on the lookout for dry rot in particular. He says, “Most painters paint over dry rot because they just don’t notice it, but more often they just want to finish the job, get paid for it, and move on to the next job. This can be very costly to the homeowners in the future.” To be on top of things for your next painting project, Read more

With today’s advancements in wood flooring stains and finishes, cleaning wood floors has become much less of an arduous process. Regular maintenance requires little more than sweeping with a soft bristle broom and vacuuming with a soft floor attachment (if the floor has a beveled edge that could collect debris). To minimize maintenance and maintain the beauty of your wood floors, consider the following preventive maintenance tips:

• Don’t use sheet vinyl or tile floor care products on wood floors. Self-polishing acrylic waxes can cause wood to become slippery and appear dull.
• Use throw rugs inside and outside doorways to help prevent grit, dirt and other debris from being tracked onto your wood floors.

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Once it starts raining, roofers get calls from people who say their roof is leaking. But many times, it’s simply clogged up gutters causing the problem, according to David Imhof, Manager of Bay 101 Roofing, a Diamond Certified company. Everything from baseballs, lemons, pet toys, pine needles, and leaves can cause a blockage. Squirrels scurry around your roof, dropping nuts and twigs that float down into your gutters. So get out your garden hose now. Test by squirting water up into the gutter to check for flow. If it’s just a trickle, then take a closer look for drips and leaks at the seams. After you clear the gutters, consider installing gutter guards, which will keep out most debris. Read more

People have many reasons for switching to solar power, from rising electricity consumption and energy costs to growing concerns about the environment. Regardless of why you want to install a solar system on your residential or commercial property, there are numerous factors to consider before making a final decision. To ensure you’re as knowledgeable as possible when going through the process, consider the following tips and information:

Make sure you understand your utility company’s rates. In many areas, there are different “tiers” of usage and each has a different formula to calculate cost. Higher energy usage tiers have higher rates. In these schemes, you pay more as your energy demands increase. In the Bay Area, Read more