Dealing with bed bugs

[SexualHealing]

I just wanted to know if anyone has dealt with bed bugs. Specifically, as a renter in the Vancouver area.

I believe I have bed bugs based on bites I have noticed (a couple of times a month) along with the blood/fecal stains that they leave on the mattress. I don’t believe there is a rampant infestation, but they still exist in the area.

I’ve washed my beddings more regularly, vacuum my sleep area more often, and inspect under my beddings and mattress for signs of them. I was actually able to find one and capture it this morning. I’m not sure how the problem originated as I’m a fairly hygienic person, but from what I’ve learned this problem can affect all types of people regardless of class, income and race.

My next step would be to contact my landlord to get their assistance in dealing with it. I’ve read that professional help is the preferred way to go rather than the do it yourself method. I’m guessing they would probably bring in an inspector to look into the problem and then see how they would go about treating it.

My question is for others who have had to deal with this issue. Have the landlords/property managers been co-operative and understanding? Or have you felt any resentment or push back from them in terms of them increasing your rent sooner than otherwise, or trying to pass the cost of the problem down to you?

This isn’t the easiest or most fun problem to deal with and it has felt a bit stressful at times. I’m almost embarrassed to discuss it with people I know. Thanks for any helpful input.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I know you are in Vancouver (not MB) but here is a link that may provide you with some useful information.
Good Luck.
https://www.gov.mb.ca/bedbugs/index.html

 

[johnnydepth]

Contact your landlord quickly before the problem worsens. As for who is responsible for the costs, it depends. Despite what the Manitoba Government link states they are actually incorrect according to the tenancy branch (at least here in Manitoba). They look at the type of residence being rented, the length of time you have been a tenant, and any other reports of infestation. So for example if this is an apartment complex that you have recently moved into it is quite possible this is a preexisting condition solely on the landlord. If this is a single family home and you have been renting for at least a few months a nice landlord would help you out but realistically you are the one that brought them in the home. it's not always clear cut who is responsible. If you feel the landlord should be paying and doesn't want to contact your local rental board and find out whose responsibility it is to cover costs.

 

[badbadboy]

Even 5 * hotels can get them. Usually they attach themselves to travellers luggage. This is a long involved process to eradicate the problem. Like people say above, get on this asap.

Look up your address in the registry. The whole building may be or soon will have an infestation.

http://bedbugregistry.com/metro/vancouver/

 

[Nokia101]

I remember a few months ago British airways had a plane come that was infested with them. You can pick them up many places. If you live in a condo it could be coming from a neighbor. Best to contact owner and stratra and get professional help.

 

[luvsdaty]

Heat kills them. You don't need a super hot drier. A regular drier will do. The problem is the landlords to deal with.
I might add, even if you call a pest control company, one of the first questions they'll ask you is if you rent or own. If you rent, they'll simply tell you there's nothing they can do until you notify the landlord.

 

[UhOh]

The problem is actually for the person who is getting bit by bed bugs

 

[SexualHealing]

Thanks for the input and advice guys.

I dealt with this a couple of years ago. First, this has nothing to do with your personal cleanliness or hygiene. You can end up with bedbugs very easily and they are very hard to get rid of. Second you will need professional help to eradicate the issue. Any professional pest control company can help you. Thirdly, this is not your problem but that of your landlord and I would contact him/her right away. Be prepared to wash all of your clothes and dry them in a super hot dryer. You may also have to ditch your mattress as wel (sorry). My issue was in Revelstoke and the landlord was super helpful. It's an annoying problem but easily fixable. Good luck.

Glad to hear that you found it to be an easily fixable problem. Do you mind going into detail as to the sort of treatment that was done at your place? Just curious and want to see how it compares to what will be done at my place.

 

[ElsiDawson]

My mum had bedbugs at her place and couldn't figure out how (no recent travel, no second hand furniture, no visitors to that house). She called pest control to get it dealt with and they ask if she reads a lot. My mum and my sister visit the library so often that they leave notes for each other on the reservation shelves. Apparently the VPL has all kinds of critters living in the spines of their books. Mum asked VPL, they said they were aware of the problem and they have a book dryer/microwave thing to kill everything off but there's only so much they can do.

Little fun fact to keep you up at night.

 

[nightswhisper]

My mum had bedbugs at her place and couldn't figure out how (no recent travel, no second hand furniture, no visitors to that house). She called pest control to get it dealt with and they ask if she reads a lot. My mum and my sister visit the library so often that they leave notes for each other on the reservation shelves. Apparently the VPL has all kinds of critters living in the spines of their books. Mum asked VPL, they said they were aware of the problem and they have a book dryer/microwave thing to kill everything off but there's only so much they can do.

Little fun fact to keep you up at night.

I could have gone ten lifetimes without knowing this.

 

[jgg]

My mum had bedbugs at her place and couldn't figure out how (no recent travel, no second hand furniture, no visitors to that house). She called pest control to get it dealt with and they ask if she reads a lot. My mum and my sister visit the library so often that they leave notes for each other on the reservation shelves. Apparently the VPL has all kinds of critters living in the spines of their books. Mum asked VPL, they said they were aware of the problem and they have a book dryer/microwave thing to kill everything off but there's only so much they can do.

Little fun fact to keep you up at night.

I could have gone ten lifetimes without knowing this.

Kindle, Kobo, Audible etc.

 

[maxic]

These BB survive without feeding for up to 6 months , hmm not very good lol , ok no used furniture or nothing used period hehe , ok travel have everything in plastic bags and in the bath tub in your hotel room at least some prevention the best you can , yea they can be nasty but hate heat that is sauna level heat...

 

[E.H.]

Pack your belongings into a truck,park the truck at a ski hill for a few days,the freezing should kill bedbugs.

E.H.

 

[nowayjose]

Happened to me when I was renting a few years back. I had my furniture hauled to the dump and then moved. Washed, dried (on high heat), and quarantined every piece of cloth that came with me. Never had a problem since. Before I moved, the landlord had pest control come and spray poison nasty enough that I had to sleep elsewhere the first night and my dog had to be out for 24 hours. Not sure how effective because I moved ASAP.

Good luck to you. It's such a gross feeling once you know they are there and biting you.

 

[SexualHealing]

Happened to me when I was renting a few years back. I had my furniture hauled to the dump and then moved. Washed, dried (on high heat), and quarantined every piece of cloth that came with me. Never had a problem since. Before I moved, the landlord had pest control come and spray poison nasty enough that I had to sleep elsewhere the first night and my dog had to be out for 24 hours. Not sure how effective because I moved ASAP.

Good luck to you. It's such a gross feeling once you know they are there and biting you.

Thanks man. Ya I am still dealing with it at the moment. The frustrating part is not knowing where they are. I don't know if they are in the mattress, walls, clothes etc. Since I've caught one, I have an idea of their size and they should be visible if I come across one.

 

[luvsdaty]

Nope doesn't work. Heat is basically the only thing that kills them. I had them in my apartment and the landlord brought in an exterminator with a fancy portable machine that heated the room up. He had a wand and they did the upholstery,pictures,books, clothes etc. They told me to launder my bedding and clothes back pack. It worked.
Exterminator said they survive in freezing temps for a long time especially if they have somewhere to hide.

 

[Regan Azazel]

Diatomaceous earth works well against insects. Sprinkle the affected area and leave it for 2-3 days. Vacuum/clean as usual and re-apply when necessary. It is non-toxic, (you can eat it!) but can be irritating to the skin and lungs. Use gloves when spreading it and don't breath it in. I use it around my house and pet bedding to keep the fleas away.

 

[jgg]

Cold will kill bedbugs. A freezer at -18°C for four days will work for the things that don't or can't take heat. It is forecast to be -30°C for the next three nights here, put the furniture on the lawn.

Just half kidding, but it could be done.

 

[E.H.]

Maybe the bedbugs are like pine beetles,needing a deep & prolonged freeze,to be killed-off.
Sushi grade salmon & cold smoked salmon,require a deep & prolonged freeze,to kill micro worms.

Vancouver islands',Mount Washington,parking lot might not be cold enough to kill bedbugs.
Northern BCs',Shames Mountain,parking lot,my toes were frost-bitten before my ski boots were on.
My friends eyelids nearly froze shut,too.
Those amazing crows & ravens have natures' anti-freeze, to function in the very deep cold,but very few others.

An industrial fish processing plant,will have a -30c to-40c warehouse freezer,which could save expensive furniture,while killing bedbugs.

Engelbert Humperdink

 

[UhOh]

You figure a fish processing plant is going to make room for his furniture?