Now that Bay Area counties are finally reopening, many residents are playing catch-up with maintenance tasks that normally would’ve been completed earlier in the season. For example, your home’s windows may still be caked with residue from the rainy season. Before you reach for that bottle of glass cleaner, consider a better option: hiring a professional window washer. Here are a few reasons you should leave your panes to the pros. Read more

Everyone knows about spring cleaning, but some forget this annual ritual pertains to the yard as well as the home. After sitting dormant all winter, your lawn and plant beds need some freshening up to help them thrive throughout the spring and summer. Here are five maintenance steps to set your garden up for success: Read more

From gutters and gardens to oil changes and tire rotations, it can be challenging to keep up with the annual maintenance for your home and car. And let’s not forget that the Bay Area is a unique place where seasonal maintenance looks a little different. Where else in the country do you have heavy fog one month and wildfire risk the next? That’s why we’ve created the 2018 Diamond Certified Home Service Calendar. It’s designed to help Bay Area residents organize and execute all their maintenance tasks throughout the year, and it also features numerous helpful tips and insider knowledge from Diamond Certified Expert Contributors. Read more

It’s no wonder the custom of adopting annual resolutions coincides with the year’s beginning rather than its middle or end. A new year means a fresh start—a milestone that signals an opportunity for positive change. Like a blank canvas to a painter, the New Year invites us to entertain new possibilities, inspires us to innovate upon the past and fills us with “momentum of purpose.”

While this sense of positive propulsion is often directed toward personal development, it can also be useful for accomplishing tangible goals, which is why the New Year is an ideal time to review and renew your to-do list. Whether you need to catch up on overdue maintenance, have a project you’ve been putting off or simply want to start off on the right foot, Read more

Earlier this week, we posted an article featuring expert tips on DIY home maintenance. One of the tips was a step-by-step procedure for repairing a damaged area of drywall. To see this procedure demonstrated firsthand, watch this video by Diamond Certified Expert Contributor Charles Irwin of Irwin Construction.

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Previously, we published a compilation of DIY home maintenance how-tos provided by Diamond Certified Expert Contributors. Here’s another batch of useful home maintenance how-tos from the pros: Read more

I vividly remember one Christmas Eve when toilet water backed up into my shower and flooded the entire bathroom floor and laundry room. Our many houseguests were taking showers every day and both toilets were being flushed more than usual. What we didn’t know (until it was too late) was that our main sewer line was clogged with tree roots. With extra stress on an already compromised drainage system, it was a recipe for disaster. Since that expensive and embarrassing emergency, I’ve had a professional clean my drains every year to make sure the roots are cut and the water has an easy path to the main line. I haven’t had this problem since. Read more