Diamond Certified Blog

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

As I was thinking of potential topics for this month’s Diamond Certified Consumer Report, I decided it was time for something completely different. Rather than writing about how to be a savvy online shopper, giving wisely during the holiday season or the pros and cons of gift cards, I wanted to share something more personal.

Every year, I ask my family members to think about how we can simplify our celebrations. For example, how about drawing names for gifts instead of shopping for every person? I’ve introduced the idea of a “white elephant” gift exchange where we re-gift items we already have on hand. Rather than going out for a family restaurant meal before Christmas, Read more

Throughout the year, we’ve heard from so many Bay Area consumers who’ve been thrilled by their results of working with Diamond Certified companies. Some of the most grateful are those who’ve embarked on major projects, like David White of Oakland, who chose Paradigm Concrete & Construction, Inc. to build a retaining wall for his home. He writes, “This project was a significant commitment for my wife and me, and we’re happy we found Paradigm Concrete & Construction to do it. If we have another such project at our home, we’ll definitely call Paradigm again. This experience confirms our inclination to consult the Diamond Certified Directory first when we need to find a company.” Read more

Earlier this week, we posted an article about modern innovations in dental technology. One of the innovations referenced was dental implants, a technology that has vastly improved both the aesthetic and practical attributes of dental prosthetics. To learn more about dental implants and how they work, watch this video by Dr. Alfred dela Cruz. Read more

In our scientifically advanced age, technology is altering the landscapes of many professional fields. The dental field is no exception, with innovation yielding improved methods and products for treating age-old problems. To learn more, we’ve asked six Diamond Certified Expert Contributors to expound on some of these innovations in dental technology.

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As the year comes to a close, many of us have money on our minds. Maybe you’re mulling how much to spend on gifts or how much to donate to your favorite charity. As you draw up your end-of-year accounts, one thing to consider is your health insurance benefits. If you’ve been putting off seeing your physician, optometrist, dentist or chiropractor, you may want to make an appointment before January. There are two reasons why December is a crucial time to plan for health care costs: 1) deductibles will reset in January and 2) it’s your last chance to use any money you’ve put in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). Read more

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, gratitude is “a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation.” And to quote a North Bay fire survivor, “Gratitude is a big word in my vocabulary right now.”

“Words are powerless to express my gratitude.”

As I looked deeper into the roots and meaning of this word, I found that psychologists have added a social element to the definition. Read more

When it comes to water intrusion, even small issues can lead to large consequences. For example, a minor leak can be a catalyst for dry rot, which, if allowed to progress unchecked, can spread throughout a home’s substructure and create a dangerous condition (not to mention a costly repair bill). That’s why it’s best to take a preventative approach by learning how to waterproof your home. Whether sealing your exterior siding or your kitchen sink, waterproofing your home will help to avoid water intrusion from both exterior and interior sources. Read more

“Radical gratitude is about cultivating the ability to hold a paradox. We can both feel the deep pain of grief, loss, and tragedy and be grateful for the ways in which such experiences crack us open, shatter the illusions of the ego, and wake us up to the truth of being.” —Lissa Rankin, M.D.

It’s November and we’re thinking about gratitude, even more so than usual this time of year. In the last few months, we witnessed a seemingly endless series of natural disasters, from hurricanes and earthquakes to devastating fires right here in the Bay Area. Recovery will take time, patience and resources. It’s all hands on deck for those who have been immediately affected by disaster and those on the periphery who want to help. Read more