The Financial and Social Burden of Bed Bugs

The truth is, society is feeling the economic and financial burden of bed bug infestations now more than ever. Increasing daily, the economic losses include the disposal of belongings, repeated non-effective treatments, replacement of belongings, health care costs, loss of wages, loss of business income, and reduced productivity. Taken together, these losses can be quite substantial. 

THE FINANCIAL BURDEN

There are several ways bed bugs cause financial stress for business owners and individuals.  The first is simple: people often discard their belongings after discovering a bed bug infestation.  Throwing out beds, couches, and other furniture is relatively common after infestation, although it is not required if proper treatment is applied and cleanup performed.  The cost to replace those items plus removal and/or dump fees can add up to a big bill.

Then there’s missed work hours due to bed bugs.  No employer wants you to come in if there’s a risk  you’ll carry bed bugs into the office.  Likewise, businesses will usually shut down until a bed bug problem can be eliminated to avoid spreading the problem to their customers and employees.  As you can imagine, these lost funds add up very quickly as well.

And finally, traditional bed bug treatments are expensive; it’s just a fact.  Chemical treatments  usually require multiple visits before the problem is solved, plus some companies charge an inspection fee after the first treatment.  The bed bug treatment for multi-family homes (apartments and condominiums) is much more complicated than in a single-family home because bed bugs frequently travel between units, either by direct human transport or structurally through wall voids. There are also additional costs and complexities associated with coordinating and encouraging the participation of multiple residents.  Taken together, this can lead to an extremely heavy financial burden for the owners of multi-family units.

Adding to the financial burden is the fact that no insurance companies offer coverage that alleviates these costs. Insurance companies consider clearing infestations a maintenance problem and therefore do not extend coverage for this event to homeowners. Although some states have considered allowing a tax credit to cover damage caused by bed bugs, insurance companies have yet to cover the property damage or costs associated with cleaning up infestations. 

The cost of traditional bed bug treatments compared to other pests is like night and day.  For this reason, it is absolutely essential that a correct identification is made and a heat treatment is applied as soon as bed bugs are identified.  To learn more about bed bugs and their identification, download our FREE e-book at https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0277/4229/files/Convectex_Ebook_Quick_Guide.pdf?107

THE SOCIAL COST OF BED BUGS

There are many costs to bed bug infestation that extend far beyond the financial. From the first encounter with a bed bug to the compromised health of the public, social stigma, and isolation and stress, bed bugs can have a broad and devastating impact.

Health Problems:

• Allergic reactions
• Secondary infections & extended antibiotic use
• Fear & anxiety
• Losing sleep
• Losing weight
• Diseases and reactions to pesticides
• Daily physical and emotional stress

Loss of Personal Belongings/Accreditation:

• Bed bugs can be as devastating as a house fire, forcing people to discard infested items and replace them with new ones
• If you rent and move, you risk taking bed bugs with you and tarnishing your reputation

Social Stigma:

• Being blacklisted from going to a friend's house, work, church, school, etc.
• Friends might not want to go to your house
• Children may be teased and ostracized at school

Impact on Identity:

• Feeling "dirty," beaten, or cornered
• Feeling degraded
• Obsessive behavior
• Sense of shame and fear
• Panic attacks
• Isolation
• Interruption of family life
• Anxiety
• Decreased quality of life in the home
• Despair
• Shame
• Fear of traveling or socializing

Although long, this list is not exhaustive, and dealing with even a few of these hurdles can throw a person into a severe financial, emotional, health crisis, or even collapse. The implications of this global bed bug epidemic will continue to have serious adverse outcomes over time if we don't take the time to educate the public on ways to treat and prevent bed bugs from moving in before the problem grows to infestation level.

MOVING FORWARD

It is Convectex's mission to bring affordable, fast, and easy treatments to business owners, professionals and DIYers alike.  By solving bed bug problems quickly and educating the public with proper information, we aim to help lift the economic and financial burden bed bugs and reduce the stigma around bed bug infestation.  If you’re a business owner, pest professional, or someone who has bed bugs, we encourage you to consider a professional quality bed bug heating package to end your bed bug nightmare.  Contact Convectex today to discuss which package is right for you!  Call us at 877-375-0005 or visit https://convectex.com/collections.