Is your landlord responsible for getting rid of bed bugs?  Imagine moving into a brand new apartment, and with-in a few days or weeks your whole family is complaining about tiny bites and lots of itching.  At first you probably wonder, is it fleas from the dog?  Then you realize that the new apartment you are renting was infested with bed bugs when you moved in! What responsibility does the landlord have to remedy the problem? As a landlord there is a well-established legal duty to provide habitable premises, and obviously a bed bug infestation greatly effects the habitability.  If you find yourself in a situation like the one above your first step should be to review your rental agreement for any pertinent provisions as to your rights and obligations, as well as those of the landlord. In addition, you should always report the problem to the landlord or property manager as soon as you suspect a problem.  Always submit the report in writing and ask him to deal with the problem immediately.  If the infestation is extremely bad you may be entitled to an offset on rent and reimbursement if you have any out-of-pocket expenses.   One of my tenants...

Bed bug infestations are on the rise!  In the past 3-5 years we have seen a huge rise in the number of pest professionals that offer bed bug treatments.  99.6% of pest professionals have treated bed bugs in the past year.  The top 3 places that we see infestation occur (not including homes and apartments) are hotels/motels, college dorms, and nursing homes. Bed bugs are seemingly everywhere and are also commonly found in offices, schools and daycare centers, hospitals, public transportation, theaters and more.  In addition to these environments, pest professionals also have reported treating bed bugs in very unusual places, such as a vent above a bathtub, dance clubs, 911 call centers, and on boats.  While more and more pest professionals are being called to treat bed bugs, they still remain one of the most challenging pests to exterminate for many professionals that rely on traditional extermination methods.  So why are bed bugs so hard to treat, you ask?  Bed bugs are extremely hearty insects and are experts at hiding and “hitching rides” on unsuspecting people.  Over the past 10 years scientists have been studying bed bugs and their ability to evolve resistances to many of the traditional chemical...

Finding a bed bug infestation as soon as possible is key in being able to perform a QUICK and EFFECTIVE heat treatment.  Treating a minor infestation requires less time and is easier to treat then after the infestation becomes more widespread.  Therefore, professional exterminators highly encourage proactive inspections for all hospitality, multifamily and commercial clients. Here are a few tips to perform a simple bed bug inspection of your home, business, or hotel/motel room:           Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation One way to identify a possible infestation is to look for physical signs of bed bugs.  When cleaning, changing bedding, or spending the night away from home look for these signs of bed bugs: Blood and fecal spots - Rusty red/brown stains and dark spots on bed sheets and mattress. Sometimes these stains are described as looking like ink spots. Live bed bugs – usually found around the ribbing of a mattress or under bedding. Skin castings – Bed bugs shed their skin before each growth stage. These discarded shells can be found by inspecting in and around the bed area. Bites – If you have stayed in a new place and wake with bites...

Convectex heaters are well known for killing bed bugs in record time and with great accuracy…but did you know all of the other problems you can solve using HEAT?  Here are a few other uses for your Convectex Heaters and Fans that will keep your home or business clean, dry, and bug free. Pest Elimination Convectex Heat treatments are an ecological and technological breakthrough in treating structures for bugs.  Heat treatments are extremely effective in single family homes, apartments, condominiums, hotel/motel rooms, hospitals, senior home facilities, office spaces and more.  Heat eliminates the need for chemical treatments and will rid the treated space of bed bugs, drywood termites, scorpions, dust mites, carpenter ants, cockroaches, and rodents. Heat treatments can be used in entire structures, confined areas or for spot treatments.  There is no odor, and after a cooling period the area is safe for people and pets to re-enter and resume business as usual. On the Convectex blog we have discussed many of the advantages of heat treatments for bed bugs and the steps needed to perform a successful treatment.  You can find this info at: http://convectex.com/blogs/blog/118513157-bed-bug-awareness-week-2016-bed-bugs-are-everywhere Moisture Drying and Mold The Convectex Heat process uses clean, dry, heated air...