While the great city of Columbus, Ohio boasts impressive rankings such as being the 15th largest city in the United States, as well as having the 4th largest football stadium in the nation, there is one official ranking that does not bode well for Columbus residents. In 2014, Columbus was ranked number 3 in the nation for being one of the most bed bug infested cities.
A pervasive and stubborn pest, bed bugs are very difficult to treat. In almost every case, do it yourself treatment methods prove to be ineffective, making this a task for pest professionals with expert knowledge and training. Though treatment of this pest can be a challenging experience, there are certain precautionary measures that homeowners can take to decrease their chances of bringing bed bugs into the home. In addition to these measures, at the first sign of bed bugs, homeowners should be prompted to call their Truly Nolen Columbus pest expert who can quickly and accurately identify the bed bug issue and apply the necessary treatment methods to alleviate bed bug problems.
What are Bed Bugs and why are they so hard to control?
Bed bugs are small, flat bodied parasitic insects that feed off of sucking blood from humans or animals. The difficulty in controlling this parasite is as a result of several factors:
- Due to their small, flat size, bed bugs can hide in just about anything in the home including inside mattresses, between headboards, picture frames, inside curtain rods and many other inconspicuous places. This also means that they can be easily transported from the outside environment to inside your home, undetected until they begin to spread.
- If bed bugs are not noticed right away, a small infestation can escalate quickly as females can lay around 5 eggs per day.
- Since these insects feast on blood, they are not actively feeding off of other food or particles. This means that pesticides that are commonly used to kill other pests, will not work on bed bugs as they do not ingest substances that could potentially be chemically treated.
How to Spot Bed Bugs
The most obvious sign that bed bugs are in your home will be if they happen to bite you in any exposed area, such as your arms, legs or face. While their bite is not painful, most people will see a reaction such as a small, itchy welt on the skin with more than one occurring in close proximity to each other.
If these bites do occur, checking for other signs is important in order to confirm that the bites did in fact come from the bed bugs. Other signs can be seen in either small blood stains found on areas that they typically infest (which means that bed bugs have been squashed) or in the small, black spots (bed bug feces) that they leave behind.
Tips for Preventing Bed Bugs in the Home
Not only is a bed bug infestation a timely and costly problem for homeowners, but the difficulty in controlling them can take an emotional toll, disrupting your everyday routine as careful attention will now have to be devoted to fixing this problem. To help avoid this, Truly Nolen outline several ways that Columbus, OH residents can help prevent bed bugs from invading your home:
- If you are travelling, inspecting your hotel room upon arrival can help stop the problem before it even begins. Although it is not the first activity youd like to be doing on your vacation, quickly inspecting your hotel rooms mattress, box spring, sheets or any exposed areas on the bedding is a good way to see if there are bed bugs present. Always try to keep your suitcase off the ground and avoid resting it on the bed or couch.
- After returning home, it is important to inspect your luggage carefully for any signs that bed bugs may have found their way onto your suitcase. It is recommended that clothes be taken from the suitcase and directly put into the washing machine. Drying the clothes at a higher temperature will also help to kill any existing bed bugs. Luggage should also be vacuumed and cleaned immediately.
- Bed bugs can also enter the home on packages, boxes or second hand furniture. These should be carefully inspected before they are brought inside.
- Keeping a high quality, tear resistant cover on your mattresses and box springs helps to keep bed bugs out.
- Bedding should be washed frequently, including bedspreads, pillows and blankets.
- Although a common misconception is that bed bugs exist in homes that are not clean, keeping clutter at a minimum can deter bed bugs from finding places to lay their eggs.
Truly Nolen Bed Bug Control
Truly Nolen of Columbus, OH focuses on both preventative and corrective treatments for alleviating bed bug problems through detailed inspections and remediation techniques:
- The first step in the bed bug treatment process involves a thorough inspection of the areas that are suspected of infestation. Often times, your Truly Nolen professional will actively engage the homeowner in the inspection, in order to demonstrate the best way to go about looking for these pests. As the inspection progresses, detailed findings are documented so that a proper course of action can be determined.
- With the customers cooperation, bedding should be removed, as well as items in nightstands or dressers so that a truly thorough inspection can take place.
- For prevention and correction of bed bugs, Truly Nolen uses various liquid application and high misting techniques such as the Tornado and Temprid, allowing for the liquid to be injected into areas where bed bugs can hide such as cracks and crevices in bed frames, headboards, box springs, luggage, bedding and wall voids.
- After the area has been treated, an encasement system is recommended for each bed in the house and at least one monitoring station is installed near to the suspected hot spot.
After your inspection and treatment, Truly Nolens professionals can also outline ways to help reduce the possibility of bed bugs in the home. With a 90 day warranty on the applied treatment, homeowners can feel confident that if any bed bug activity occurs within that time, your Truly Nolen professional will return to address any issue that needs immediate attention. Bed bugs may be challenging, but with Truly Nolen on your side, residents of Columbus, OH might just be able to let go of their infamous ranking of being a bed bug infested city. Contact your Truly Nolen Columbus pest professional today at 614-448-5030 to schedule your bed bug inspection.