If bed bugs are found, treatment must be completed to the unit and all of the surrounding units as well.  PHAs may offer special services to tenants such as inspecting furniture, non-chemical treatment of furniture prior to moving into a unit, the use of bed bug detection devices or mattress encasements, but tenants are not required to use the services.  All special services must be incurred at the expense of the PHA.

Public Housing Agencies cannot deny residency to tenants who have had previous bed bug experiences.  Preferential treatment may not be provided to tenants based upon their response to the question regarding exposure to bed bugs.  Any person who lives in a HUD owned Public Housing Unit cannot be charged for bed bug eradication services.  All costs for bed bug eradication must be covered by the PHA.

Recognizing that tenants have some responsibility in controlling bed bugs, tenants must also take an active role in avoiding and eliminating the pests.

In the regulation, “tenants are strongly encouraged to immediately report the suspicion of possible bed bugs in a housing unit or other areas of the property.”  This should be a REQUIREMENT, not an encouragement!  Bed bugs spread very quickly.  It is imperative that pest control professionals be called at the first sign of a bed bug infestation.

Tenants will not be reimbursed for bed bug infested items so it is important for them to cooperate and aid in the eradication process.  When bed bugs are concerned, tenants, PHAs and pest control professionals must all work together for full eradication.

Public Housing Agencies and Pest Control Professionals are encouraged to keep abreast of the new HUD guidelines by reading Notice: PIH-2012-17 provided by HUD.

It has been recommended that Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plans be implemented to help control bed bugs as well as other types of household pests and HUD is strongly encouraging Pubic Housing Agencies (PHAs) to incorporate a good IPM plan.  According to HUD, the procedures include:

“Raising awareness through education on the prevention of bed bugs.

Inspecting infested area, plus surrounding living spaces.

Checking for bed bugs in luggage and clothes when returning home from a trip.

Looking for bed bugs or signs of an infestation on secondhand items before bringing the items home.

Correctly identifying the pest. Keeping records indicating dates and locations where pests are found.

Cleaning all items within a bed bug infested living area.

Reducing clutter where bed bugs can hide.

Eliminating bed bug habitats.

Physically removing bed bugs through cleaning.

Using pesticides carefully according to the label directions.

Following up on inspections and possible treatments.”

In the new guidelines, PHA must respond to complaints of bed bugs within 24 hours and discuss what measures will be taken to get rid of the pests with tenants.  Inspection of the unit in question, as well as the units above, below, and on the sides must also be performed within three business days.  If bed bugs are not found, re-inspection must be completed periodically over the next several months.

Please check back on Friday for the conclusion.

• If a unit is suspected to have bed bugs, but no bugs are found, O/As should continue to re-inspect the unit/s for several months.

• When bed bugs are found in a unit, that unit, as well as the units surrounding it, must receive treatment for the pests.  Treatment can be in the form of heat, freezing, using mattress encasements, vacuuming, steaming, and interception devices.

• O/As may ask for financial help from HUD to treat bed bug infestations in a dwelling.  O/A’s should submit a request via the “Reserve for Replacement” or “Residual Receipts” accounts at HUD.

• O/A’s can help keep the incidents of bed bug infestations low by offering tenants bed bug mattress covers, monitoring devices, or other detection tools.  The O/As may not charge a tenant for the use of any of these products.

• To protect the building, O/As may voluntarily offer to inspect a tenant’s furniture before they move in and inspections of luggage when a tenant returns from a trip out-of- town, and inspection of any used furniture before it is brought into a building. The O/As may not charge a tenant nor can they require a tenant to be subjected to any of these services.

• Tenants that have had a bed bug problem at a previous residence cannot be denied residency based upon that history.

• The cost of bed bug eradication cannot be passed along to the tenant.  The O/As must incur the costs associated with the bed bug infestation or ask for financial assistance from the “Reserve for Replacement” or “Residual Receipts” accounts at HUD if necessary.

• Tenants should immediately report any bed bug sightings to the O/As so that treatment can commence before the infestation spreads throughout the building.

• Tenants should expect the O/As to perform treatment within 5 days of calling to report the bloodsuckers.  If not possible, tenants should be kept aware of when the pest control professional will provide treatment.

• Tenants must cooperate with all bed bug treatment efforts and OA’s can offer assistance free of charge if needed.

Despite the fact that bed bugs are not known to spread disease, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consider bed bugs to be a “pest of significant public health importance.”

Three new notices that must now be followed have been released by HUD.  Here are some of the interesting highlights from Notice H 2011-20.

• Owners and Management Agents (O/As) are encouraged to develop and follow an Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM).  The goal is to prevent bed bug infestations as well as have a program in place when there is a bed bug infestation occurrence.

• O/As should consider a tenants complaint of bed bugs to be an urgent matter.  Tenants should be contacted within 24 hours by the O/As and an inspection of the property should occur within a reasonable time period.

• O/As should inspect a dwelling to determine if bed bugs are present using a variety of detection tools such as bed bug sniffing dogs and visual inspections.

• The O/As should have the affected unit inspected within three calendar days by a licensed pest control operator, or keep documentation as to why those services could not be completed within the recommended time frame.

• At the minimum, any unit above, below, and on both sides of the suspected bed bug infested unit must also be inspected for bed bugs.

Please check back on Wednesday for the conclusion.

Bed bugs are commonly found living in the seams of mattresses and within the confines of box springs.  While experiencing an infestation or if you are concerned about encountering bed bugs, searching for the bloodsuckers in these locations on a regular basis can be a tiresome task.

The Protect-A-Bed Bed Bug Bite Proof Encasements are the perfect time-saver as they make any wandering bed bugs easy to spot.  These mattress encasements are seamless so bed bugs are unable to hide and multiply in their normal locations.  Unlike other types of mattress covers on the market, the Protect-A-Bed products have a patented BugLock zipper enclosure that permanently locks in any bed bugs and their eggs.

The easy installation and long term protection makes these covers the best alternative for hotels and consumers alike.  At Stern Environmental Group you will find a full line of Protect-A-Bed products for the crib, twin, full, queen, and king size bed.  It is our goal to help you achieve a good night’s rest, without bed bugs biting!

Out of panic, many people choose to discard their mattress immediately upon discovering bed bugs.  This however will not solve the problem because bed bugs can and will live and breed in other locations within a room.

Mattresses, box springs, nightstands, dressers, curtains, floorboards, electrical outlets, headboards, books, picture frames, and carpet can all harbor bed bugs in a home.  Cluttered living spaces make for a perfect living environment for bed bugs as well.  Stern Environmental Group has many products that will help keep bed bugs from biting you at night so you will receive a good night’s sleep.

Whether you have bed bugs or not, it is highly recommended that you use a mattress encasement that is specifically designed to keep existing bed bugs from biting.  The Protect-A-Bed Mattress Encasement has a miracle membrane that won’t allow bed bugs to bite through the fabric.   Its seamless design means that bed bugs will not be able to hide within the piping or stitching areas on the mattress.  This mattress encasement’s easy installation, and the many sizes to choose from, makes it the perfect choice for homes and hotels alike.

You can find the Protect-A-Bed Mattress Encasements as well many other useful bed bug prevention, travel, monitoring, and treatment products available at Stern Environmental Group.

The new survey from the NPMA reveals that 99% of the pest control professionals that were surveyed confirmed that they have treated bed bug infestations during the past 12 months.  Of those who responded, 73% believe that bed bugs are they most difficult pest to treat.  Infestations are occurring in homes as well as public arenas such as college dorms, hotels, schools, retail stores, day care centers hospitals, movie theaters, airplanes, taxis, buses, and apartment buildings.

Nationwide, the increase in reports of bed bug infestations is staggering in comparison to information collected just one year prior.  According to the NPMA, examples of bed bugs increasing include:

• College dorms:  Current: 54% – Previous 35%
• Hotels/Motels:  Current:  80% – Previous 67%
• Nursing Homes:  Current:  46% – Previous 25%
• Office Buildings:  Current:  38% – Previous 18%
• Schools/Day Care Centers:  Current:  36% – Previous 10%
• Hospitals:  Current:  31% – Previous 12%
• Transportation (train, bus, taxi):  Current: 18% – Previous 9%
• Movie Theaters:  Current:  17% – Previous 5%

You may read these and more bed bug statistics from the National Pest Management here.

A NYC pest control expert like Stern Environmental Group can help you pin-point the exact location of your bed bug infestation problem.  We have multiple treatment options available and state-of-the art equipment to kill bloodsucking bed bugs with the greatest of ease.

According to reports by the New York Daily News on August 30, 2011, tenants in the Bay Ridge building in Brooklyn have been battling the bloodsucking pests since 2005.  Long-time residents claim to have spent huge amounts of money replacing mattresses and furniture in an effort to escape the nighttime nibblers.  Residents have been forced to keep their belongings in plastic bags so that they can remain free of bed bugs.  Tenants claim that on occasion, pest control experts have been called to provide treatment to a unit here or there in the building, but the bed bug problem persists because the entire building has never received bed bug treatment at the same time.  “The landlord currently has 43 open housing code violations, with the most recent bed bug violation issued August 16th.”  The residents also complain of trouble with rodents running amuck in the building.

You may read the article here.

It’s important to educate yourself about bed bug infestations if you want to win the war against them.  Mattresses can be saved with the help of Protect-A-Bed Mattress Encasements.   These amazing covers will trap any remaining bed bugs and their eggs inside of the encasement and keep any new bed bugs from being able to infest the exterior of the mattress. The special bite-proof cover guarantees that you won’t need to worry about any existing bed bugs biting through the fabric or escaping into your home.

There is a variety of bed bug monitors that can help trap and control bed bug infestations.  Working in conjunction with pest control services, these devices will help get an infested building or room under control in no time at all.

If you live in a rental unit, communication and cooperation with your landlord about how bed bug preparations, treatments, monitoring, and follow-up will occur is paramount to the successful elimination of any bed bug infestation.

To date, there have already been a number of colleges and universities throughout the United States that have reported having trouble with bed bug infestations.  Maysville Community and Technical College has found them in their tutoring center.  Wake Forest University had bed bug infestations thriving in 2% of their dorm rooms and the dorm rooms at Old Dominican University have the buggers lurking around too.  This is likely only the beginning of the bed bug nightmare for many college students!

New Jersey pest control experts report that many colleges throughout the United States are being proactive by having pest control experts at the ready in case an outbreak occurs.  If the bloodsuckers are discovered, colleges are using high tech devices such as heat treatment, Cryonite, pesticides, and bed bug sniffing dogs to clear any area of the infestation to have the least amount of disruption and to keep students healthy and safe.

The recent study from the National Pest Management Association called “2011 Bugs Without Borders Survey” revealed that 73% of pest control professionals believe that bed bugs are the most difficult pest to eradicate.  Upon arriving at any campus dorm room, New Jersey pest control experts recommend that you carefully examine the room for bed bugs prior to bringing in any personal belongings.  Bed bugs can easily be lurking in the tufts and seams of the bed so you so definitely buy a Protect-A-Bed Mattress Encasement. The encasement will not only fully encase the entire mattress, trapping any potential bed bugs or their eggs inside (forever), they will also keep bed bugs from being able to make a nest on the mattress if any exist in the room or hitchhike their way inside at a later date.

Always remember, avoiding bed bugs is easier than dealing with an infestation!

• Something is biting me, where should I look for possible bed bugs?  Bed bugs can typically be found within 20 feet of their host.  In a bedroom, look for bed bugs signs in the bed, paying particular attention to the seams, bed frame, headboard, bedding, and box spring areas.  Look for bed bug skins, fecal matter, or actual bed bugs in dresser drawers, light fixtures, floor boards, picture frames, mirrors, electrical components, books, papers, etc.

• I think I have bed bugs, can I treat them myself?  NO!  Although over-the-counter bed bug treatment products are available, they have proven to be ineffective in the killing of bed bugs.  Some types of products (foggers) will actually spread the infestation as bed bugs detect the poison and scatter through the walls and floors to seek shelter in other rooms.  NYC pest control experts have an arsenal of treatment methods that are proven effective in killing bed bugs.

• I’ve got bed bugs; does that mean that my home is dirty? NO.  Bed bug infestations are common occurrences and are not related to sanitation issues.  Even the cleanest living conditions are subject to bed bug infestations.  Cluttered conditions however do provide ample opportunity for bed bug harborages.

• When do bed bugs eat?  Bed bugs survive solely on blood…preferably from a human but they will seek out cats, dogs, rodents and birds in the absence of human blood.

• Do bed bugs spread diseases?  NO.  Although bed bugs are known to carry a variety of pathogens, to date there is no concrete evidence that bed bugs transmit any disease to humans or pets.

• Do I need to throw all of my belongings away?  NO.  Although some people opt to dispose of bed bug infested property, The National Pest Management Association and NYC pest control experts say that this is not necessary.  Bed bug infestations can be controlled with professional treatment.  Clothing and bedding items can easily be saved by washing and drying on hot temperature settings.  Mattresses can be salvaged by using mattress encasements.

Please check back on Wednesday for the conclusion.