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Summer has given way to autumn, and people throughout the Greater Bay Area are starting to get ready for the upcoming holiday season. However, amidst your fall decorating and holiday shopping, it’s important to remember another key seasonal measure: preparing your home for imminent winter weather. With its chilly temperatures and heavy rainfall, winter can take a toll on any home, but with proper preparation, you can fortify yours against the elements and avoid common problems.

Weatherproof your exterior
Whether to keep out water or cold air, weatherproofing your home is a vital preparatory measure during winter. Read more

When it comes to retrofitting and renovation, San Francisco homeowners face challenges as unique as the city itself. One issue that many homeowners face is how to make their older homes more energy efficient. A great way to increase energy efficiency in any house is to upgrade the windows and doors. However, according to John Gorman of Save Energy Company, swapping out old windows for new ones isn’t always a simple task in San Francisco. Read more

And now, the epic conclusion of our Best Diamond Certified Tips of the Day from 2012! Look for the series to continue in 2013 with the addition of several new media channels. In the meantime, if you want to get the Diamond Certified Tip of the Day on a regular basis, make sure to “Like” us on Facebook!

5. Cabinets
If you want to avoid a full-scale cabinet remodeling project, consider refurbishing your existing cabinets. In the case of kitchen cabinetry, this can be accomplished by simply repainting and refinishing the wood. Functional modifications, such as replacing deep drawers with roll-out shelves for easier access, can further reinvent your cabinets without the need for replacement. Read more

Have you ever heard of “weep” holes?  John Pope, the General Manager of Old Town Glass, a Diamond Certified company, tells me that many people are unaware that their vinyl, aluminum and even fiberglass windows have small holes in them, weep holes, to allow water to drain. Without regular maintenance, the weep holes become clogged by dirt, stucco and debris, causing water to back up and leak into the wrong places.

As part of your fall/winter maintenance, check those weep holes and if they’re not clear, blow them out with an air compressor, or clean them out with a small tool. While you’re checking your windows, touch up cracks in the caulking between the window and trim. Read more

Washing your windows properly can be trickier than it sounds. Watch this video for some helpful tips. Read more

Maintaining the windows in your home is relatively easy and can save you money on future heating, cooling and repair work. Depending on the type of window you have, consider the following tips:

Maintaining metal or vinyl frame windows

• Start with a visual inspection of the window and frames. Rubber seals hold the glass in place, and if the seals deteriorate over time, you’ll have an air or water leak. To replace the rubber, remove the window
  sash and take it to a glass repair shop. You may need to call a professional to remove the window.
• Check for cracked or broken glass, which should also be replaced by glass shop professionals.

Read more

One of the Diamond Certified company owners, John Gorman from the Save Energy Company in Petaluma, is today’s guest blogger. I like what he has to say about asking for a “ballpark figure” on windows.
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I recently got off the phone with a potential client who at one point during our conversation had asked me, “So how much are replacement windows going to cost? Just a ballpark figure.” I know that he was anxious about the cost and standing in his shoes I can completely understand, but I had to tell him, “Honestly, it’s so hard to say.”

Because window replacement jobs or any other construction related project is so site-specific, Read more