Savvy Consumer Blog

Teenage drivers are at higher risk than other drivers. That’s why they’re required to take driver’s education, including behind the wheel training and they must be monitored and tested. Safety experts believe in involving parents from the beginning by inviting them to ride along for the driving lessons. They can see for themselves what and how the teen is learning, and this helps with continuity and consistency when the parents monitor practice sessions.

A good driving teacher shows parents not only how to communicate with their teens, but specifically explains what it means to be proactive in preventing automobile crashes. He shows them how not to overwhelm students by putting them beyond their skill level when practicing. Some families draft a parent-teenager agreement; it might include rules about night driving, number of passengers and cell phones. Another tip — set a good example by always being a good driver yourself.

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. If you aren’t sure how to clean the vent, get a professional to do it—they’ll use special brushes and high-pressure air lines to push or pull all the lint out.

I will be the first to admit that I have never thought twice about throwing any and all pre-approved credit card solicitations into the trash. David Rhoads, Vice President of SureShred, a Diamond Certified company, warns against being so careless. He says that identity thieves can easily take these offers from the garbage, change the return address, sign it and get a credit card in your name.

This can be just the beginning of your troubles. Once you put something in the trash, it is considered public property and anyone can sift through it. Besides pre-approved credit card ads, you should also destroy credit card and bank statements, driver's license renewal forms, hospital bills, old tax returns, and anything that has your social security number on it.

Here’s a doozy. Have you seen this on a clothing care label? “Do not dry clean. Do not hand wash. Professional spot clean only.” Gary Casassa, owner of Marin Cleaners, Inc., a Diamond Certified company, usually sees these types of labels on high-end items such as evening dresses with beads and sequins. Customers don’t like hearing that even a professional dry cleaner can’t do a thorough cleaning on these items. Some garments become unwearable as a result.

The problem with professional spot cleaning is that it requires water in order to rinse out the spot remover. Also, spot cleaning can leave a small circle and/or a watermark. Mr. Casassa suggests that you look closely at those care labels before you spend a lot of money on a garment. Avoid those with an “X” through BOTH the dry cleaning and washing symbols.

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, know where your home has dry rot and inform the painting contractor. Check out areas around the windows, the trim and roof lines.

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. Mr. Imhof likes one product called “Gutter Glove,” because of its strong cast aluminum frame and fine stainless steel mesh, which screens out anything larger than eight microns.

The biggest mistake people make when complaining is that they don’t ask for what they want. Joe Ridout, Consumer Services Manager for Consumer Action, says you should be specific if you want your complaint resolved to your satisfaction as quickly as possible. Do you want a refund, a replacement, a discount, or an apology?

When talking to a customer service representative, a supervisor, or one of the super-supervisors (also called executive customer relations or retention specialists), Mr. Ridout advises that you stay away from making legal arguments. “If you appeal on the basis of fairness, that’s usually going to be more persuasive. Also some customer service reps are trained transfer complaints to the legal department once a consumer alleges the company is involved in illegal conduct, so it’s better to appeal on the basis of fairness.” If your own complaining doesn’t get results, get outside support from a consumer action hotline or consumer protection agency.

You can have an ant problem all year round in the Bay Area, if you don’t take some precautions. Richard Estrada, owner of ATCO Pest Control, a Diamond Certified company, says the first step is “getting rid of fruit, garbage, sodas and other food items that attract them. They love the same things we do!” Mr. Estrada doesn’t recommend spraying store-bought repellents because that just scatters the ants. What you want to do is apply bait primarily to the areas where the ants originate in order to get things under control.

Inspecting the outside of your home is also a good idea. Mr. Estrada says maybe a bush or tree touching the house is infested with ants. By cutting those limbs back, you’ve shut off the ants’ path into your home. While ants are valuable to the environment, you want to keep them outside by being proactive instead of reactive.

Deciding whether it’s still safe to eat an older item from the cupboard or refrigerator can be a gamble: Waste what might be perfectly good food, or risk a bout of intestinal upset or worse? In the absence of obvious warning signs such as the smell of sour milk or a green layer of mold fuzz, it can be difficult to know when food has gone bad.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a sell-by date is a guide for retailers to know when to move old stock off the shelves and replace it with new stock. You should purchase the item before the sell-by date, but you don’t necessarily have to eat it by then for it to be safe. Likewise, a use-by or best-by date simply guarantees optimal flavor or quality if eaten by that date. The expiration date is more telling, particularly with things like meat and dairy. Of course, if food is not stored properly or the packaging is damaged, it can become unsafe even before the expiration date. Visit the USDA online to learn more about food package dating and home food storage guidelines.

Because packaging codes don’t always reveal the whole story, experts say to trust your senses: If it doesn’t look, smell, or taste right, don’t take a chance—toss it.

If you’re like me, you probably don’t think much about your home’s plumbing. Of course, the day the bathtub won’t drain or the toilet won’t flush, we’re reminded of just how dependent we are on free-flowing pipes. When the time comes to call in a professional, you’ll be relieved to have a great plumber programmed into your speed-dial. Although plumbing problems can be expensive and inconvenient, the right plumber will provide value for your money and make the repair process as painless as possible.I’m often asked what you should look for in a plumber. Based on interviews with both customers and plumbers, I’ve developed a “great plumber” checklist. Here it is:

A great plumber:
1. Holds a current and active C36 contractor’s license with the State of California
2. Maintains active liability and workers’ compensation insurance
3. Answers your call, or returns your message promptly
4. Has the experience and expertise to handle your particular plumbing issue
5. Arrives as scheduled and gives updates if running late
6. Explains the problem and solution in simple terms, and offers options
7. Is clear about rates and service charges and provides a written estimate
8. Comes prepared with the tools and parts needed to complete the repair (unless it is a major job that will require more than one visit)
9. Communicates with you during the job if your decision is needed on any aspect of the work
10. Cleans up after himself, leaving the area as it was before he started working
11. Provides a detailed bill and can explain all charges
12. Follows up after the job to see if everything is working well
13. Offers a performance guarantee

We’re all familiar with the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution that were ratified in 1791. But have you ever heard of the Consumer’s Bill of Rights? President John F. Kennedy outlined them in a speech to Congress in 1962, at a time when the consumer movement was just blossoming. I think you’ll agree with me that these rights are still as important today as they were nearly 50 years ago when they were first articulated.

The six basic rights are:
1. The right to be safe. Manufacturers should cause no harm. The Consumer Product Safety Commission was formed in 1972 to uphold this right.
2. The right to choose freely. We can choose the products and services we want, and monopolistic practices are outlawed through anti-trust legislation.
3. The right to service. Businesses should be responsive and treat customers with courtesy and respect. Companies that earn the Diamond Certified award are committed to making this their highest priority. You’ll see this repeatedly in the customer comments found on each company’s report at www.diamondcertified.org.
4. The right to be informed. The Internet has made this right easier than ever, but it also means businesses should provide complete and truthful product information so we can make intelligent choices. False and misleading advertising is illegal.
5. The right to education. Consumers need access to programs and materials that help them better understand how to make buying decisions. Here again, Diamond Certified companies stand out because they spend extra time educating consumers on services they’re about to purchase.
6. The right to redress and be heard. We can voice our complaints and someone will listen, whether it’s the Better Business Bureau, the Attorney General or nonprofit mediation groups. Small Claims Court is another avenue for redress and complaint resolution. Consumers who have unresolved disputes with Diamond Certified companies get extra help through the mediation process, which is explained in detail at www.diamondcertified.org.

So now you know your basic consumer rights. Use them wisely.