Bed Bugs: Spotting & Getting Rid of Them

I invest in Cincinnati (among other markets) and live in NYC – the two bed bug capitals of the world. Needless to say, I’ve had to become familiar with how to quickly spot those little dudes. And they are nasty.

Here’s why:

Bed bugs can take over an entire house or apartment building. They are hitch hikers and if left untreated they can condemn an entire building causing it to be completely evacuated for at least a month. Or, worst case, causing it to be torn down. And, guess what, bed bugs aren’t covered under insurance so you’re out of luck trying to collect anything should this doomsday scenario happen.

Now, it’s highly unlikely it would get to a “tear-down-building” level but, if left untreated or not treated properly, it could get to a “evacuate for a month” level that costs you thousands of dollars.

I recommend using a professional extermination company to do the work for you but it’s also important to know what they look for.

So, when you’re reviewing an area that might have them, this is what to do.

First, arm yourself for battle with a flashlight (to spot with) and long pants (to protect with). You’ll want to remember to continually move while in the inspection area – as long as you are walking around they are unlikely to hitch a ride.

How to find them:

- When you enter the room, scan the ceiling corners and along the edges to see if you find black little dots – that’s bed bug poop. The more poop the more of a problem you have.

- Look where people sleep – couch, recliner and beds. You’re going to shine the flash light into the little crevices on the coach and see if you can find them. Check along the headboard of the bed, between the mattress and the box spring and along the edge of the mattress. Don’t forget to look at the pillows too.

----- Unfortunately your tenants are probably getting bit at night and the reason why is because bed bugs feed off of blood. Told you they are nasty dudes. They stay around the sleeping areas because they are primarily nocturnal and it’s super convenient for them to feed there.

How to get rid of them:

- Hire a professional extermination company. A treatment will likely cost you about $125 for the first and then $75 for each additional treatment. You can expect to have about 3 – 4 treatments depending on how bad it is.

----- You’ll want to ask if they are spraying and putting down dust. This combo approach tends to be the most effective.

----- If a company quotes you $5 a treatment – run away cause they are probably spraying bed bug food! This is a real example (the quote, not the food part J)

- The tenants will need a prep sheet that you can get from the extermination company. One thing the tenants will need to do is move stuff away from the walls so they can be sprayed. There’s a significant amount of preparation work involved in the spraying and if preparation work is not done you might as well not spray because it won’t be very effective.

----- You’ll want to give you tenants at least 4 days to get the preparation work done because it is significant

Have you had a problem with bed bugs or heard any horror stories? Do you have any prevention or treatment tips? Please share below.