Eastern Iowa Home and Landscaping Show warms winter guests

WATERLOO | It's a good time to be selling home heaters and insulation.

Another dose of snow and frigid temperatures may have hurt attendance at the Eastern Iowa Home and Landscaping Show on Saturday in the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center. But Eric Weber was keeping warm in front of a row of toasty fireplaces at the Fireplace Creations booth.

"It seems like (attendance) is down a little bit," Weber said. "I don't know if that's due to the weather or something else. It's been steady though."

In the next booth, Dennis Kayser also said the unusually cold winter wasn't hurting his business, Arctic Seal Urethane Insulation Systems of Jesup.

"The colder it gets the more business we do," said Kayser, who insulates quite a few exterior home foundations to keep out the cold. "It warms the basement up so the pipes don't freeze and the wind doesn't blow through it."

About 175 vendors focused on home construction, remodeling, landscaping and related businesses filled the convention center for the annual event, which started Friday and concludes today.

"It was a little slow (Saturday) morning because of the weather," said Barbara Miller, of Iowa Show Productions Inc. "It's picked up this afternoon."

Vendors weren't the only attraction.

DIY Network star Paul Ryan, also known as "The Kitchen Magician," held seminars providing tips on home remodeling projects from hanging drywall to plumbing and tiling.

"Let's talk about the bane of my existence," Ryan told the crowd. "Plumping can be one of the most frustrating things you can do or one of the most rewarding if it's done right."

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Eastern Iowa Home and Landscaping Show warms winter guests