When it comes to outbreaks, none are quite as severe or as frustrating as bed bugs. These critters have been making their way across the US, infesting homes, businesses, and hotels all over the country.
Naturally, people are really wary about an infestation taking over their homes. Once you get a batch of bed bugs, they are notoriously hard to get rid of, save for fumigating the whole property.
But what if your neighbor has bed bugs? Should you be worried?
We want to talk about how to avoid an infestation of these blood-sucking critters, especially if they are in the place next door. Just because your neighbor has to deal with them doesn’t mean you should.
Step One: How Far Away are They?
One of the nice things about bed bugs is that they don’t like to travel by themselves. Sure, they love to hitch a ride with people as they go from one spot to the other, but these bugs like to stay put once they’ve found a home.
Thus, if your neighbors are across the street or the next house down, then you probably don’t have to worry (but don’t invite them to your next sleepover, just to be safe).
However, if your neighbors are across the hall or in the apartment next to you, then you may have some problems.
The other thing to pay attention to is the severity of the infestation. If your neighbor takes care of the bed bugs immediately, then you should be fine. However, if the place is crawling with them, you’ll want to take action.
Step Two: Inspect Your Home
If you suspect that bed bugs are starting an invasion of your bedroom, you should start checking to see if you’re right. Look for bed bugs all over the room – not just the mattress. Under the baseboard, the headboard, and other areas can be home to these critters, so go over your bedroom with a fine-toothed comb.
If you don’t see anything, then you can probably breathe a sigh of relief. However, as long as your neighbors are infested, you want to keep up with the inspections. It’s a lot easier to remove bed bugs sooner rather than later.
Step Three: Keep Your Home Bed Bug Free
Some tips on how to prevent bed bugs from getting inside.
Keep your bedding away from the walls or cracks near the baseboards Avoid wooden bed frames – bed bugs love wood Seal any cracks or openings in your bedroom, particularly where pipes and electrical wires come out
When in Doubt, Call Yuma Pest
If despite your best efforts, bed bugs do take root in your home, then all is not lost. You can contact Yuma Pest for an inspection to see how serious the problem is and what you can do to kill it. Unfortunately, if you’re in an apartment building, you’ll have to go through your landlord, but kindly remind him that bed bugs can travel throughout the building as soon as one spot is infested.
Don’t let bed bugs ruin your night – let Yuma Pest eradicate them for you.