Thursday, June 7, 2012

Bed Bugs; Homeowner DIY or Hire Pest Management Professional??

Bed bugs in your home? Not good, but you have options! 

What should you do? Get rid of them yourself, or call a professional pest control company? 

Homeowner Do It Yourself (DIY):
  • Clean, clean, clean! A clean environment does not get rid of bed bugs, but it will give them less places to hide, and make detecting them easier. 
  • Talk to a local bug mart or business that sells pest control chemicals to the public, and gain the knowledge it will take to tackle the task yourself. Be careful of buying just anything off the Internet as there are a lot of "miracle cures" that simply do not work!
  • Do as much research as you can to make sure you are using the right products, and have a clear understanding of what it will take to get rid of the bed bugs.
  • Do NOT use any products that require a professional license to apply, and only use approved products for homeowner use with full knowledge of how, where, and when to use the product.
  • Tackling a bed bug problem yourself can get costly, and may even be more time consuming and expensive than hiring a pest management professional!
Hire a Pest Management Professional:
  • Be picky on who you choose! Ask for bed bug specific references, and check them.
  • A few questions you can ask them:
    • Do they specialize in bed bugs?
    • Do they offer a warranty? If so, what are the details of it.
    • How long have they been doing bed bug cases? This may not be dated back several years, as bed bugs are a newer problem in many parts of the world.
    • Do they have a specific plan or protocol for you to follow in preparing for the treatments, and what is your involvement in the process? Be prepared to invest some of your own time in preparation of the bed bug treatment, as it can be labor intensive for you and the pest control technicians.
  • What are their inspection methods? K9s, visual, monitors, etc... If K9s are used, are they certified?
  • Do they do follow up inspections?
  • If you find a reputable company and are willing to work with them, you will have great success in dealing with your bed bug infestation, big or small.
  • There is many options available for bed bug treatments, which also means the price range of services available will fluctuate dramatically. 
Our Recommendation:

If in doubt, Hire a Pest Management Professional!
Be sure to get multiple bids, do your research, and make sure you are comfortable with your decision. Try not to make a decision based solely on price... Sometimes you really do get what you pay for! 

Our Advice:

If a pest management professional comes to your home and says they can fix the problem with one simple, super cheap solution..., we worried! Dealing with bed bugs can be a process of multiple treatments, follow up inspections, and labor. There are one time treatments available such as thermal remediation (heat), but may still require multiple inspections, and possible additional residual chemical treatments.

Sounds Daunting!

Rest assured, I have been working with many pest control professionals and if you find a reputable company who specializes in bed bugs, it will make the process more enjoyable and less stressful knowing you are in good hands.

If you are experiencing a bed bug issue, feel free to contact me through our contact form at http://www.cimtrax.com/Contact_Us.html I will be happy to assist any way I can!

Regards,

Ben Forstie

CimTrax Pest & Bed Bug Documentation Software