EISPIRATEN

So, you know those news reports you've been hearing about how bed bugs are making a comeback? Apparently those reports are true, because the HJ household has a bumper crop. (our whole apt. complex as a matter of fact)

The typical treatment involves throwing away your mattress, replacing all carpeting, and other "convenient" measures. It's usually a multiple-month battle requiring treatment after treatment. This sounds like lots of fun.

HJ

I hope they don't live in stoves... Yikes (jk)

Hikin_Jim wrote: ↑It's usually a multiple-month battle requiring silent treatment after silent treatment.

HJ

Huh?

Mike P wrote: ↑I hope they don't live in stoves... Yikes (jk)

I kind of wish they did.

HJ

Zach wrote: ↑

Hikin_Jim wrote: ↑It's usually a multiple-month battle requiring sweetstack treatment after sweetstack treatment.

Huh?

You heard what I said. When can you come over?

HJ

Exterminator came today for a preliminary inspection. Definitely bed bugs. He says we have a pretty bad infestation.

Good news: we might be able to save the bed and the carpet. Bad news: pretty much everything has to be removed from the apartment in order for them to treat it. And it has to be treated twice. Oh, joy.

HJ

Watch out for bedbug scammers, Jim. Might get a second opinion...

Yeah. Thanks, Mike. The recommendations this exterminator made pretty much square with what we've read on the internet. We worry about toxicity, particularly with our daughter. This guy was from Hydrex, presumably a reputable company and certainly a large company. Hopefully they're up on the latest technology.

HJ

Hikin_Jim wrote: ↑ Oh, joy.

HJ

what about her?

That sucks. Hope they don't get into your sleeping bag(s) too!

Seriously, if you're in an apartment building I'd move, telling the landlord the little buggers make the place uninhabitable (check your lease). Pretty useless to treat only your unit if the bugs are in all the units in the building. If the landlord bauks at returning any deposit, skip the last month's rent and move anyway, or sue 'em in small claims court for the balance after you move. Give them written notice of moving with the pest inspectors report, with the 'notice' sent by cert mail, and keep copies of the cert mail and pest inspector's report to show the judge.

atomicoyote wrote: ↑That sucks. Hope they don't get into your sleeping bag(s) too!

Seriously, if you're in an apartment building I'd move, telling the landlord the little buggers make the place uninhabitable (check your lease). Pretty useless to treat only your unit if the bugs are in all the units in the building. If the landlord bauks at returning any deposit, skip the last month's rent and move anyway, or sue 'em in small claims court for the balance after you move. Give them written notice of moving with the pest inspectors report, with the 'notice' sent by cert mail, and keep copies of the cert mail and pest inspector's report to show the judge.

ugh! so sorry HJ. make sure a copy of that letter is sent ceritfied mail to the CEO of the parent company that owns the bldg, the Health Dept and the state agency that protects renter's rights. amazing what a c.c. can accomplish in helping you get a response when you send it to a governing agency or a parent company. plus if you can take photos of any rashes caused by the bed bugs, send copies of those too. if you get some really good (gross) photos, the L.A. times might be interested. go online and verify what kind of response you should get to a written complaint and/or notification with renter's rights in Calif to make sure your landlord handles it within the regulation timeline. and make sure the Health Dept has been notified.

if it makes you feel any better, my girls got head lice when they were little. by the time i noticed them, they were big ole' beasties and i found hundreds on their heads. i nearly fainted! lice take a week or two to die without a meal. everything wrapped in plastic bags ( not my girls, but their stuffed animals and bedding etc) i just read bed bugs can live up to a year without a meal. freakin' gross.

atomicoyote wrote: ↑That sucks. Hope they don't get into your sleeping bag(s) too!

Seriously, if you're in an apartment building I'd move, telling the landlord the little buggers make the place uninhabitable (check your lease). Pretty useless to treat only your unit if the bugs are in all the units in the building. If the landlord bauks at returning any deposit, skip the last month's rent and move anyway, or sue 'em in small claims court for the balance after you move. Give them written notice of moving with the pest inspectors report, with the 'notice' sent by cert mail, and keep copies of the cert mail and pest inspector's report to show the judge.

We rent month to month, so no problem there.

The sleeping bags are in the attic, so hopefully we're OK there.

HJ

We're definitely going to move; it's just a matter of when.

norma r wrote: ↑ i just read bed bugs can live up to a year without a meal. freakin' gross.

Yeah, that's the real problem. How do we kill the bugs so that we don't just move them into our next place?

The lame-o's at the pest control places we've talked to say put everything in black plastic trash bags and put them in the sun. Like that'll work on a 68F overcast day in May. And the side touching the ground will never get above ground temperature. The bags need to be about 140F throughout for the bugs to die.

Bed bugs have been gone for years from the west coast. No body really knows how to deal with them.

HJ

OK, this is kind of labor intensive - but what if you boiled things? You could do that to clothing and smaller items like towels. I suppose shrinking might be a problem.....

As for the pesticides - you can ask what the chemical used will be. It's likely to be permethrin or a derivative of that. (what we put on our clothes to keep skeeters away). My understanding is that once it's dry, it is very inert and safe for humans.

That just sucks. I'm so sorry. We thought we had termites once, and read all this stuff about having the house tented - I can't imagine having to deal with that.

I don't suppose renters insurance would pay for replacing items? (You could get all new furniture...)

Clothes aren't too bad a deal. The dryer is typically hot enough to kill the bugs and eggs. Tough luck if you have any synthetic clothes (like say if you were a hiker) which heat can often ruin.

Probably can't claim insurance. Strictly speaking, the furniture is "fine" once treated. Never mind the fact that it's hard to get the poison to the bed bugs, particularly in porous or fibrous furniture and that bed bugs are pretty resistant even if you do get the poison to them.

HJ

Know anybody with a kiln...or a giant microwave?

Or a small warehouse in Palm Springs.

HJ

Termites are practically a 'gimmie' here in Southern Calif. with our temperate climate. Paraphrasing the old motorcycle adage, "you either have 'em of you're going to get 'em." If you've got a house, it probably has a wood frame that's enclosed by drywall and stucco, which makes an ideal place for termites. Years ago builders would offer a option for steel framing in a tract house, but they cost 10%-15% more and no one would by them due to the increased cost.

Its suggested you get you house tented and fumigated every 10-15 years. A real pain, but necessary considering the value of real estate. And I'd almost bet the fumigant (sulfuryl fluoride, aka "Vikane") would get rid of bed bugs, roaches, spiders, ants, silverfish, and any other critters too.

Reports are true....for fighting with this bed bugs...using of trained dog..they are giving 90-95% output... to find out the infested area... you can easily understand from here.... http://www.whatdobedbugslooklike.net/in ... tures.html

Haven't been on lately. We've moved. No internet connection (officially) at home yet although sometimes we're able to sneak in on a neighbor's wi-fi.

A bit of a set back though, the bed bugs came with us. We found five bites on my daughter last Sunday. Crud! Not sure how we'll beat these or what we'll do.

Keep us in your prayers, please.

On the good side, I did get out for a hike this past Saturday.

HJ

Please tell me they make those jammies in adult sizes.

Very cute. Looks like a nice day out.

I'm really sorry to hear the bedbugs are still a problem. What a completely horrible experience you're going through. I don't know what to say, other than a very lame "hang in there". I'm sure you'll get it fixed, and can get back to your life soon.

I really hate bed bugs, they irritate me very much and they seem to be everywhere.