Springer Professional Home Service’s Des Moines-area location offers quality affordable handyman services. Springer’s handymen are bonded, licensed and certified to perform the household tasks you just don’t have time to deal with.

Trust Springer’s crew of handymen to cover all of those tasks that require time, tools – or the expertise – you may not have. Among them are:

Installations

• Window Treatments
• Ceiling Fans  & Locks
• Handrails
• Doors & Windows
• Appliances
• Closet Organizers
• Pet Doors

Outdoor Projects

• Gutter Installation
• Pressure Washing
• Siding Repair
• Fence Repair
• Shingle Replacement

Home Maintenance

• Gutter Cleaning
• Caulking Windows & Doors
• Garage Door Repair
• Deck Cleaning & Staining
• Plaster Repair
• Painting
• Leaking Faucets
• Carpentry Work
• Storage Sheds
• Soffit Repair
• Wood Rot Repair
• Trim Work

You can also trust Springer’s handymen to perform miscellaneous Spring and Summertime projects such as: Planting, Installing Screen Windows, Hedge-Trimming and Deck Repair/Staining.

“The name you know,
The quality you demand”

Radon: What’s the Big Deal?

What You Need to Know:

1. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, second only to cigarette smoke.

2. Radon has been found to cause stomach cancer and gastrointestinal problems.

3. Radon is absolutely odorless and invisible!

4. According to studies, anywhere from 5%-20% of U.S. homes contain dangerously high levels of radon.

5. The EPA recommends determining the radon level for homes prior to purchase.

6. The state of Iowa has one of the highest radon levels in the country.

7. Exposure to high levels of radon is especially dangerous to children and the elderly.

8. Based on data collected from radon home tests, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) estimates that as many as 5 in 7 homes (or greater than 50-70%) across Iowa have elevated radon levels.

Springer Can Help!

Radon Testing (Cedar Rapids Only)

Springer Professional Home Services property inspectors have had extensive training in the detection of radon, a radioactive gas that forms from uranium decomposing in the soil and can seep into homes. The EPA recommends determining the radon level for homes prior to purchase. Therefore, if the home seller hasn’t had the home tested for radon, consider having Springer test for it. This can be done easily during a home inspection.

Schedule an appointment with one of Springer’s Radon Testing Experts today.

Visit our website: http://www.trustspringer.com/services/radon-inspection.html

Call our Cedar Rapids office: (319) 362 – 2626

Well,  we put springer on it to find ways to help cut those costs.

Here are 5 easy things home owners and renters can do to cut down on costs.

1) Use CFLs. CFL’s are “compact flourescent light bulbs”. Replacing some of your most often used incandescent light bulbs with these can save you hundreds of dollars a year. CFL’s last about 10,000 hours, compared to the 1,000 hour lifespan of an incandescent light bulb. And while CFL’s cost around $3 compared to the 50 cents for an incandescent bulb, factor in the number of times you’l need to replace your incandescent bulb and the amount of energy it takes to run them, changing your lights will be a worthwhile investment. And if every family in the U.S. did this, we could cut greenhouse gas emissions by 1 trillion pounds.

2) Program your thermostat. Most people suggest 72 as a good temperature to regulate your home. Bumping up the temperature to 78 while you are away, and programming it to return to 72, before you return can cut your bill by 10%.

3) Install “Low Flow” shower heads. Switching your showerheads to low flow models can greatly cut down on the gallons of water used in your home. Most showerheads used about 10 gallons of water per minute, while low flow models use as little as 1.5 gpm. Partner that with taking shorther showers and installing a low flow toilet, families can save upwards of $250 a year.

4) Insulation- Putting insulation in your home can see a 40% decrease in energy spending. Your insulation can pay for itself even faster through government tax credits or rebates that your utility company is likely to offer. In some cases these rebates can equal as much as 70% off. Check with your tax advisor and energy company to see if you qualify.

5) Buy Energy Star products. If you’re needing to replace a washer and dryer or refridgerator, make the investment and make sure you purchase one that is Energy Star certified. Energy Star washers,dryers and dishwashers can cut down on the amount of water used and the amout of energy used to heat the water. And Energy Star refridgerators can cut down on energy consumption as well, saving homes an average of 10-30%.

We hope these tips help and any other pest and home repair issues remember to Put Springer On It!

Have you ever been told to watch out for a Brown Recluse Spider?  Or maybe a Fiddleback Spider?  Or how about a Violin Spider?  Well don’t get too worked up, they’re all talking about the same spider.  The Brown Recluse Spider has earned it’s nicknames by it’s defining characteristic.  That of a black line down it’s back which resembles a violin.  While this spider is also venomous, it lives up to it’s name and is not aggressive, usually only biting if touched.

There are more than 3,000 species of spiders in North America alone.  However most of these critters do more good than harm by contributing to the ecosystem with their removal of more unwanted insects.  That being said it doesn’t mean you necessarily want them in your home.  Here are a few things to remember in keeping your home spider-free:

• Dirty Rooms – Spiders hate open spaces.  Having a messy room or cluttered closet is like inviting spiders to come hang out.
• Vacuuming – Cleaning up cobwebs encourages spiders to find a more hassle-free place to setup shop.  It also gets rid of the eggs they lay so you don’t find them coming back.
• Porch Lights – Spiders come to where the food is.  If you have an outside porch light that attracts bugs, it will also bring around the spiders.
• Entrance – Spiders have to get inside the house somehow don’t they?  Make sure your windows and doors are sealed properly.  If you can see light coming from under your doorway, that means it’s large enough for a spider to make it’s way through.

If all else fails and you still have a spider infestation, or if they just freak you out that badly and you need them out now, remember Springer Professional Home Services and Put Springer On It!

For most households there are 3 basic types of ants you will see as the weather warms up.

The first is the Carpenter Ant: These ants are the big black ones you see. Carpenter ants can grow to a size of half an inch in length, and nest in moist wood such as rotting trees and stumps, as well as logs or boards on the ground.  Once inside, these ants tend to make their homes in tubs, sinks, showers and dishwashers; as well as under roofing and attic beams. Inside, carpenter ants will feed on meat and sugary foods.

Other common ants you will see in the spring are Odorous House Ants: These ants get their name from the coconut odor their bodies emit when crushed. Odorous house ants are tiny and dark brown to black.  Although they don’t bite or sting, they can be a nuisance once foraging begins and food contamination is possible.

The final house ant you are very likely to see as the weather warms up are Pavement Ants. These are the ants that you find making hills in the cracks of the sidewalk. These ants eat pretty much everything humans eat, as well as other insects, dead or alive.  Pavement ants are known to multiply quickly and can make their homes in kitchens and on patios.

There are multiple home remedies for getting rid of ants.  Lining doors and windows with substances: Splenda, baby powder, and cornmeal have been known to deter ants. As well as ant traps that can be purchased over the counter.

Of course, if at home remedies don’t work, it may mean a larger infestation problem. In which case you should consult with a professional.

We suggest Putting Springer on It!

If you answered yes to any of these questions, call Springer Handyman for a free estimate on any around-the-house project. We can help you hang that door you’ve been meaning to all winter, repaint the living room, hang that new ceiling fan, or just change out the smoke detectors that you just can’t seem to reach. We are here to help with all your around the house projects. If we can be of any assistance, please give us a call.

“The name you know,
The quality you demand”

That’s right. The bugs are back in business, and strong as ever. The early rains on frozen soil was perfect for pests, and bad for you. I do have some good news for you, though. We at Springer Pest Solutions have the most advanced technology we have ever had for the most accurate and effective pest control. We have four certified entomologists, and over 25 licensed technicians on staff to ensure you the best service available.

We have already received numerous calls on ants, termites, spiders, roaches, etc. If you are having any issue with pests in your home, give us a call. The best thing we can do is stop them before a major infestation happens. We want to fight the pests in their habitat, not yours!

Imagine this…A guest checks in at a motel. The next morning the guest comes down to the front desk complaining they have been bitten by something in the night. At first the motel thinks it may just be a reaction or they are allergic to something. After further investigation, the motel discovers the room has bed bugs! The staff strips down the infested room and all rooms around it for a thorough inspection. A very expensive treatment must be done on any infested rooms by a licensed pest control company. The worst part of this story is this has been the easy part. When the guest gets home a week or so later they start getting bit in their own bed. They brought the bed bugs home in their suitcase. Their entire home must be treated. They can’t sleep because they feel like there are bugs on them all the time. They talk to an attorney about litigation against the motel….

We hope you never have to deal with an issue like this. However, the fact of the matter is, bed bugs are becoming a lot bigger issue than most of us would like to admit. Bed bug infestations are up tremendously in the last ten years. Consumers are even starting websites of places to avoid because of bed bug infestation. Currently, they have posted eight different locations in Iowa. Bed bugs are becoming more resistant to treatment and can become a major problem with how quickly they can spread throughout a facility.

Springer Professional Home Services, formerly Springer Pest Solutions, would like to ensure this never happens to you. Springer has been a locally owned company for over twenty years and the leader in innovative pest management. We would like to announce we are one of the first companies to offer a Bed Bug Prevention Program. Springer has treated almost 100 bed bug cases in the Des Moines area just this year. We have had numerous hotels/motels in the area contact us with questions and concerns about bed bugs. We would like to partner with you in becoming proactive not reactive to this nationwide problem.

Springer’s Bed Bug Prevention Program will help to educate you and any employees you may have on early detection signs of bed bugs. It will monitor rooms in your facility on a monthly basis and treat any rooms that become infested free of charge. Best of all, it will protect you by being proactive not reactive.