Extreme bed bug infestation in Ocean Gate

Do you ever wonder what’s goes on in your neighbor’s apartment? 

Sometimes, it's not a pretty picture.  Just because we would report a possible bed bug infestation to the property manager at the first sign of trouble, doesn't mean our neighbors would be as vigilant. Unfortunately, not all tenants are responsible and let management know if there is a problem with bed bugs, or the other common apartment-dwelling pest, cockroaches. 

Given the rise in bed bug infestations in our area, Cowleys recommends semi-annual bedbug inspections for all multifamily dwellings. Not every tenant will immediately come forward with their bed bug or other pest issues. Many are embarrassed. Others try to take care of the problem themselves, often making matters worse. Unfortunately, in multi-family dwellings, the sins of one tenant are passed onto innocent tenants who live in the surrounding units. if not corrected, an entire building can become infested, and there there is nothing that will ruin the reputation of an apartment complex faster than a reputation for being bug-infested. 

By performing the routine pest inspections, we can get a handle on a bed bug problem in its early stages while it is still localized to just one unit before it spreads throughout the building and becomes a serious problem. 

Here, I found an apartment unit with a bed bug infestation.  The tenant was either unaware of the infestation or did not want to report it. Because of the inspection, we caught the problem before it could spread any farther throughout the complex.

I alerted the management company of my findings. This was a severe infestation and I wanted to make sure the problem stayed in this unit. I set up an intensive treatment plan that included extensive, thorough vacuuming, steaming, moving furniture, and a treatment application. Most of the furniture in the apartment needs to be discarded due to the severe infestation. 

For tenants, this job held a valuable lesson. It’s in your best interest to quickly report an infestation The sooner it is reported, the higher the likelihood that you will be able to save your furniture and other possessions. Once your furnishings are heavily infested with bed bugs, the only safe recourse is to throw them out. It’s expensive and standard renter’s insurance won’t cover your loss.