“Sleep tight; don’t let the bed bugs bite.” might be the most absurdly contradicting advice ever given. How is one supposed to sleep tight, or soundly/well, when they are actively defending against blood-sucking 
parasites. To defend against these mini-monsters is to sit up with shoe in hand smashing anything approaching. This is not even sleeping. Sleeping tight again includes solving the bed bug situation completely. Here is how to choose a pest control company for a bed bug infestation.
Act Now
Whether you have a hundred bites, your first bite, just saw one crawling around, or don’t even know if it is bed bugs for sure or not, now is the time to act. A good bed bug control company will provide you with the answers of what is actually occurring and what options are available for proceeding.
Specialist
Bed bugs are not like any random insect crawling around the yard. They require a special understanding of their biology and the available remedies to resolve. Bed bugs are both prolific reproducers and very hearty creatures. They are resistant to many insecticides and continue to build resistance. Having someone who knows the enemy inside and out in your corner is the ticket to success.
A good tip for identifying a specialist is to ask how to tell the difference between bed bugs and bat bugs. The key is in comparing the length of the hairs compared to the width of the eye. This isn’t a hard to find fact or anything only known by specialists, but if the person you are talking to does not know the answer to this question right away, they are not the individual that knows enough to solve your current issue.
If you have any questions on bed bugs, don’t hesitate to reach out to Rove Pest Control. We keep several bed bug specialists on staff that know these insects inside and out.
Timeline
How long will the process take? Some treatment strategies are ongoing with no finish line – this is not the timeline that will bring sound sleep back quickly. Others have a finish line that is months away. Realistically, depending on the situation, the timeline should be days to weeks.
Don’t be overly concerned if there is a wait for a specialist to visit the site. The wait can oftentimes be well worth it to get someone in high demand. Busy or readily available really don’t mean a thing for the kind of treatment that will occur, so resist the urge to be overly urgent on just getting the treatment scheduled. Far too many people blow through 3 or 4 treatments that don’t change a thing out of simple haste.
Keep in mind that obstacles may arise along the way. The timeline might get stretched a bit as hurdles are overcome, but it is much more palatable to start with a 14 day goal and have the problem solved after 21 days than to start with a 6 month project haunting your sleep over that time frame.
Methods
There are many methods for treating bed bugs such as:
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- chemical application
- heat treatment
heaters circulating air in the room - freezing
- trapping
- biological controls
- mechanical control
Mattress covers can be used as a mechanical control
While I have my preferences and am confident in the results that are achieved, I will not label any one method as the clear winner in bed bug control. Just like a hammer in my hand verses a hammer in a carpenter’s hand means wildly different results, any of these methods for bed bug control is only as good as the bed bug technician.
The important thing is to ensure that multiple methods are going to be employed. Sure, there are simple situations such as eliminating bed bugs from a suitcase. As for an entire room, I want the statistical odds of multiple modes of action bringing the victory.
Guarantees and Follow Ups
Some companies offer guarantees and some do not. Considering the nature of bed bugs and their ability to hitchhike into a situation, some of the guarantees out there are pretty absurd. This is not a question of making sure the guarantee is in place, it is a matter of ensuring it makes sense.
A package that includes following up in a couple of weeks to make sure things are where they should be is one of the most important parts. It not only ensures things weren’t missed and allows the opportunity to redirect as needed, but it also provides an essential mental game element. Knowing that it is in someone else’s hands allows for that “tight sleep” to return.
Whether you are looking to start the process or even just want someone else to follow up on what has already been done. Fill out a form here for a free inspection to find out what follow-up (if any) is needed.