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
Spring Garden Maintenance in 5 Steps
Posted on April 02, 2019 by James Florence

Posted in: Seasonal, Landscaping Tips
Tags: consumer tips, spring cleaning, home maintenance, landscaping, irrigation, landscape maintenance
Spring Maintenance for Your Home
Posted on March 19, 2019 by Suzanne Carroll

After being cooped up indoors during a rainy winter, many Bay Area residents are looking forward to spring. But before you start enjoying the longer days and milder weather, it’s a good idea to survey your property to see how it has come through the winter months. It’s time for springtime home maintenance. Read more
Posted in: Home Maintenance
Tags: hvac, termites, home maintenance, roof maintenance
Patio Potential: A Guide to Revamping Your Outdoor Living Space
Posted on May 22, 2018 by James Florence

Like most Bay Area residents, you’re probably looking forward to spending lots of time outside this summer. If that’s the case, you’ll want your outdoor living space to be ready—particularly your backyard patio. While most homes have patios, few are as comfortable or attractive as they could be. If you’re feeling underwhelmed by your patio’s current state, consider investing some time and money into helping it reach its full potential. Read more
Home, Health and Auto Checklist: January 2018
Posted on January 04, 2018 by Suzanne Carroll

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
Posted in: Consumers, Diamond Certified Extras
Tags: home maintenance, auto maintenance
Start Fresh: A New Year’s Checklist
Posted on January 02, 2018 by James Florence

In addition to implementing personal resolutions, the New Year is an ideal time to review and renew your to-do list.
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
Posted in: Holiday Related, Consumers
Tags: moving, painting, home improvement, home maintenance, house cleaning, tax preparation, remodeling, swimming pool, home
Video: How to Patch Drywall
Posted on August 14, 2017 by James Florence

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.
Posted in: Diamond Certified Experts
Tags: home maintenance, home
Diamond Certified Experts: Home Maintenance How-Tos, Volume 2
Posted on August 14, 2017 by James Florence

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
Posted in: DIY Home Repair, Diamond Certified Experts
Tags: home maintenance, home