Protect Your Dogs from Heatstroke

Would you sit in a car or go jogging wearing a fur coat on a hot summer day? Dogs already have high body temperatures and when you add on a coat of fur, you can see why they're susceptible to heatstroke. They cool off only by panting, not sweating. Dr. Howard Schutzman, owner of Antioch Veterinary Hospital, a Diamond Certified company, says the first sign of overheating is rapid, frantic breathing. Wet your pets down with cool, not icy, running water. Moisten their mouths with water, but don't let them drink much. Find shade and apply ice packs to the groin area.

If your dog's temperature exceeds 104 degrees or if the animal starts vomiting, Dr. Schutzman recommends getting to a veterinary hospital as soon as possible. Prevent overheating by restricting exercise on hot days, providing plenty of water and shade, and not leaving animals in a confined space such as cars or outdoor kennels.

Get a Safe Summer Tan

You no longer have to go to the beach to get a suntan. You can use a tanning booth or have color sprayed on through a new misting process. Another alternative is an organic bronzing treatment.

The process begins with an exfoliation treatment where dead skin cells are scrubbed off. Next, an all-organic bronzing cream is massaged into the skin, creating a streakless, non-greasy, natural bronze. Your suntan will last about a week, but it might need touch-ups, especially if you’re in the water a lot. Three to five treatments before vacation will make your skin tan more quickly when you are in the sun.  You still need to slather on the sunscreen at the beach to fend off the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.

Here's the Deal on Decks

Yearly deck maintenance is required on all deck types to maintain their value, according to an Executive Vice President of a Diamond Certified construction company. On wood plank decks, cleaning the leaf matter and animal hairs that accumulate on top of the wood joists between deck boards is essential. If not removed, they hold water and foster decay. If your deck boards are heavily weathered and need a "face lift", you can power wash them or sand them if they are in really bad shape.

Remember to set the nails below the deck surface you are about to sand off, or the nails will rust and stain your newly sanded deck. Finally, apply a sealer to your deck boards. Clear ones typically last about one year, while stains last longer. He recommends against painting wood decks because they will eventually chip and peel, leading to continual high maintenance costs.

Hair Growth Products that Work!

Why spend your money on bogus products that promise to restore hair when there are drugs that work? A male friend with a pre-disposition to hair loss was thrilled when I passed along a brochure on Propecia I saw at my dermatologist's office. Now his barber keeps saying his hair is thicker than ever. According to Dr. Peter J. Panagotacos, author of Hair Loss Answers By the Hair Doc, a Diamond Certified professional, there are effective prescription medications for treating hair loss.

If you are trying different unproven remedies ordered over the Internet or from the back of magazines, stop wasting your money. Instead, spend it on an appointment with your dermatologist to learn more about drugs that work. And of course, if you have enough hair loss requiring replacement into bald areas, follicular-unit micrografting now gives undetectable results after hair transplantation.

Keep Cool with an Attic Fan

One of the hottest places in your house in the summer is your attic. The temperature there can rise to more than 120 degrees, and if you don't have an attic fan, your air conditioner will have to work a lot harder to cool things off downstairs. Reid Worth, owner of The Only Electricians on Earth, a Diamond Certified company, says attic fans push out the hot air while drawing in the cooler air. Fans are programmed to start up when temperatures go up, so you don't have to remember to do it.

Some people prefer to have a switch downstairs, which they can control manually. You might want to start cooling the attic early in the day to get a jump on it. The price range for having an attic fan installed is reasonable and sounds like a worthwhile investment when you think about how much you'll save on air conditioning.

A Tale of Two Auto Repair Shops

It was habit and loyalty that kept me going to the same auto repair shop for so long, even after its customer service had dramatically deteriorated. Every time I had the car serviced, they kept it longer and longer. On the latest visit, it took a month to repair the fuel pump and speedometer!

My new repair shop calls to remind me of my appointment the day before. The service manager provides updates on the job and has the car ready when promised, usually the same day. They provide coffee, newspapers and a ride to BART when you drop off the car. And several days afterwards, someone calls to ask if I was satisfied with the service and repairs. Since making the switch, I can see how much better customer service can be. You don't have to put up with mediocrity. Seek out companies that know how to serve customers because they truly deserve your business.

Secret Credit Card Interest Rate-Hike Revealed!

Did you know that your credit card company can monitor your credit history to find out if you're making payments late to ANY creditor? With some card companies this late payment to another vendor can trigger an interest rate hike up to 29.99% on your card, according to Gerri Detweiler, author of The Ultimate Credit Handbook and co-founder of credittraps.com.

The enclosure with your bill has to disclose that a "universal default clause" allows them to apply a default rate, which generally ranges from about 20% to almost 30%, to your existing credit card balance. If you are carrying a large amount of debt, it may not be easy to switch to another low rate credit card and this sudden interest rate hike will be costly. Check out whether your credit card has a universal default clause, and if you don't like the sound of the terms, shop around for another card. About 30% of the issuers do hike rates automatically when you're late on paying another creditor.

Think About Depreciation When Choosing a New Car

It's no secret that all new cars depreciate, even as you're driving them off the dealer's lot. Dave Sutch, President/CEO of My Car Guy, a Diamond Certified company that provides auto buying services, encourages his clients to consider how quickly one make and model will lose value over another. For example, a new Kia Spectra and the MINI Cooper S have about the same monthly lease payment, but the MINI's suggested retail price is about twice as high as the Kia's. Why is the lease payment the same? It's because the MINI retains more of its value at the end of the lease than the Kia does.

Asking a new car salesperson about a vehicle's residual value may help you decide whether it makes sense to buy the model new or used. Better yet, check out the free depreciation ratings and the residual value awards at the Automotive Lease Guide's website — www.alg.com —before you decide which car to buy or lease!

The Latest in Lens Implants

Are you between 50 and 65 years old and having trouble seeing things up close and far away? This happens because the intraocular lens in your eyes hardens as you age. A new type of lens implant may be a solution for you, especially if you don't want to fuss with eyeglasses. According to a Doctor of a Diamond Certified Eye Institute, the Food and Drug Administration has recently approved a new implant procedure called Crystalens.

During the 15-minute surgery, your old hardened lens is removed. A special lens with hinges allowing it to flex is implanted into the back of the eye cavity. He does one implant at a time, waiting 2 weeks in between surgeries. Once both eyes are done, you must do reading exercises to get the most benefit from your implants. The improved vision from the surgery is permanent

Sensible Kitchen and Bathroom Remodels Pay Off

In the Bay Area housing market, some home improvements give you a better return on your investment than others. Greg Brumley, General Manager of Paul Davis Restoration and Remodeling, a Diamond Certified company, says he encourages clients to focus on a sensible remodel and to choose features and designs that have mass appeal. Why? Sensible remodels add the full value of your remodel investment to your home. So, when it comes time to sell your home, you'll get what you invested in the remodel back in the form of a higher sale price. In most cases, you will get back 100% of your investment on a kitchen or bathroom, if you keep in mind what most people like.

Mr. Brumley says you don't always need a complete makeover in a bathroom or kitchen to achieve a dramatic effect. Compare this to the return on a room addition or a swimming pool, where the average return is 50%. How much money do you need to come up with for a sensible kitchen or bathroom remodel? Depending on your tastes and budgets you can spend from 5% - 20% of your home's value.

House Painting Choices – One Coat or Three Coats?

Before hiring a painting contractor, you should find out the pros and cons of having one coat or three coats of paint applied to your house. The decision should be based on your budget and length of time you plan to stay in the house, according to an owner and operator of a Diamond Certified company. A one-coat job includes priming problem areas and one complete coat of the finish color.

It is less expensive than the other alternative, and will start to show wear after two to three years. A three-coat job involves more prep work, patching, and spot priming. A complete primer paint coat will be applied before two coats of the finish color. The paintwork will require some maintenance after five to seven years, but generally, it will last ten to twelve years. Additionally, a thorough job will protect your home from dry rot and leaks.

House Painting Tips from a Professional

Two similar houses on my street are being painted. One painter sprayed the stucco. The other is brushing and rolling the primer and paint onto the surface. Which method is better? According to some painting professionals, brushing and rolling is always preferable. For one thing, the paint is better absorbed so it lasts longer. With spraying, some painters over-spray and you can end up with paint on your roof, cars, and even your neighbor’s house. Many contractors who spray don’t do proper prep either before applying paint. One of the most common mistakes in the prep phase is not tinting the primer. Some use white primer instead of tinting it to about 50% of the color chosen for the topcoat. Your final color will be more solid and true, and when it starts failing over time, you will have another line of defense.

Your Car's Blind Spot May Be Bigger Than You Think

A blind spot is literally that — the area you can't see when backing up your car. Parents have run over their own young children because they ran behind the car and couldn't be seen. Some cars' blind spots are huge, 6 feet wide and 50 feet long, according to Janette Fennell, Founder and President of the non-profit group Kids and Cars. The taller, longer and wider a car is, the more trouble you'll have with blind spots, increasing the chances someone could get hurt.

Besides taking precautions such as making sure you know where your kids are before you move a vehicle or having another adult supervise children at that time, Ms. Fennell says new technology can save lives too. Many new cars have rear sensors with warning signals or video cameras, which are like having eyes in the back of your head. Older cars can be retrofitted with either one or both of these options.

Choosing Kid-Friendly Furniture Fabrics

If you have kids and your furniture takes a beating, you want to choose the right fabric when you’re ready to reupholster. Fabric experts from Diamond Certified companies recommend that families choose a heavy and dark fabric, and suggest something with a pattern in it, that is multi-colored. Another good alternative to leather upholstery is vinyl, which gives that same textured look, but costs less and is extremely durable. Most vinyls come in a variety of qualities.

Look for scotch-guarded fabrics to prevent staining. They are not hard to find because nowadays most companies do the scotch-guarding at the factory. When getting furniture reupholstered, what they do on the inside is as important as what they do on the outside. Ask how the seats are re-built. A quality job includes correctly rebuilding the product so that it has a longer life.

A New Way to Prevent Cavities

We all know how important brushing and flossing is in preventing cavities and maintaining healthy gums. The big news is that you can further reduce your chances of getting cavities by chewing gum! According to Dr. Leslie William Jow, a Diamond Certified dentist, Xylitol, an artificial sweetener in some gums and breath mints, has been proven to have an anti-bacterial effect in the mouth. Dr. Jow says it's bacteria which produces an acid that breaks down tooth structure and causes cavities.

Another benefit of chewing gum is that it increases salivary flow. It's the minerals in your saliva that repair the damage caused by acid. Saliva re-mineralizes your teeth and helps to reduce the effect of the bacteria. In addition to finding a chewing gum with Xylitol high up on the ingredient list, you can also fight tooth decay by using anti-bacterial rinses, toothpaste and mouthwashes with fluoride. And, of course reducing sugars in your diet is beneficial.

Time to Replace an Old Mattress?

Do you even remember exactly when you bought your last mattress? Many people have no idea that they're sleeping on a worn-out mattress until they go on vacation and wake up well-rested from a good night's sleep on a good quality supportive mattress. Al Koran, owner of Sleep City Mattress Centers, a Diamond Certified company, says hotels replace mattresses every 4 to 5 years, and it's not uncommon for guests to tear off the sheets, look at the label, and buy that identical brand once they get back home.

On average, most of us wait close to 16 years to buy a new mattress, while the Sleep Council recommends replacement every 8 to 10 years. If your back is hurting in the morning or you're just not sleeping well, look for signs of mattress wear and tear. Worn-out mattresses are spongy, stained, uneven and unsupportive.

Say Good-Bye to the Moss on Your House

Many of us have plenty of moss growing on our houses to remind us of the rainy season we just had. It’s a bad idea just to let is stay there because spores will eat through your paint surface.  To eliminate moss, you need to make a 50/50 bleach and water mixture. Spray it on the house, wait 10-15 minutes, and then scrub the surface area with a stiff brush. You can spray the tough spots again. A simple garden hose sprayer will work if you don’t have a power wash unit. Some hardware stores rent them. If you’re removing the moss before painting, add TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) to the bleach and water solution. You need to let a stucco surface dry for 2 days before applying any paint. A wood surface will need up to 7 days to dry out completely.

Details About Auto Detailing

The last time I had my car detailed, it came back from the shop with swirls in the finish. They were especially noticeable in the bright sun. Detailing experts tell me the swirls mean my detailing job wasn’t properly finished. A thorough detailing will include rubbing an abrasive compound on the exterior of the car in swirls to remove oxidation and even small scratches. Next, you buff the surface with a finer swirl-removing compound and finally, you apply finishing cream to bring up the shine. A good detailing job will last up to two years, if you keep up with maintenance. That means washing your car about once a month and waxing it (not in direct sunlight) 3 to 4 times a year. The best waxes contain the ingredient carnauba because it allows the finish to breathe.

Give Your Old Cell Phone a New Lease on Life!

I don't know about you, but I have at least 3 or 4 old cell phones cluttering up a dresser drawer. The problem is only getting worse now that we can switch service providers and keep our same phone numbers. You usually have to buy a new phone. Seth Heine, President of Collective Good, runs a website that lists charities who need phones. Many are reused in developing countries. The group also recycles phones for their parts, keeping toxic materials like Mercury and Cadmium out of landfills. You can recycle instruction manuals, batteries and chargers.

Whether you mail your phone directly to a charity of your choosing or to Collective Good, you will receive a donation acknowledgement letter with a tax deduction receipt. Some charities offer free shipping labels on-line. And finally, you can drop off used mobile phones at local Staples office supply stores. For more information, go to www.collectivegood.com.