Bed Bugs Be Gone: A Comprehensive Guide For Homes In The Bay Area

Bed bugs are an all too common pest problem for Bay Area residents. They are an example of a parasitic pest that thrives in places where they have access to lots of people. The big cities and even small towns that this region comprises are all at risk for bed bug problems. To complicate matters, bed bugs are capable of traveling in very stealthy, quiet ways so many people don’t even know that they’re perpetuating the spread of bed bugs in their community. In addition to bed bugs being sneaky, they can also be the source of health issues because they feed off of human blood. 

Rather than allow bed bug infestations to continue or fail to take proactive measures to prevent them, consider professional Bay Area pest control services from Bay Pest. We have been serving the greater Bay Area for more than 40 years. Countless homeowners and businesses have entrusted us with their livelihood because we have an amazing team of experienced technicians and because we genuinely care. We hope that the following guide provides you with the information that you need to better understand bed bugs and how their infestations work. If you are currently undergoing a  bed bug infestation and need help getting rid of it immediately, please call us right away.

Examining Your Home: Where To Look For Bed Bugs

Though bed bugs are small and tough to spot, it’s important to know where you should look for them in your home. Some of those spots include:

• Personal belongings: It’s very easy to bring bed bugs home with you after going shopping, picking kids up at school, or simply going to work. Because of this fact, there may be bed bugs on your personal belongings like clothes, computer bags, and anything else you’ve brought home with you. 
• Bedroom furniture: The bedroom gives bed bugs in the Bay Area unfettered access to you, so your mattress and nightstand are plausible places for them to live. 
• Living room items: Because bed bugs thrive wherever they have access to people, and many people spend plenty of time on their couches, living room items are another key site for bed bugs. This can mean ottomans, couches, lounge chairs, and area rugs. 
• Electrical outlets: When infestations inside of mattresses become too large, bed bugs will often get pushed into other areas. Electrical outlets are a place for excess bugs because they are still able to hide during the day and seek out human blood at night. 

When it comes to looking for bed bugs around your home, they can be easy to miss. This is why the most reliable form of a property inspection comes from the professionals at Bay Pest. We have more than 40 years of experience keeping local homes free from bed bugs. Our services are tailored to your needs and can include fumigation, heat treatments, or localized applications depending on what the situation calls for. To learn more about bed bug inspections, call us today.

Bed Bug Problems: They Aren't Just Going To Go Away

Bed bugs are one of the most tenacious pests that Bay Area residents may have to deal with. Some of the factors that make bed bugs difficult to eliminate include:

• Infestation location: To start, bed bugs typically invade household items where they can live close to their food source (people and sometimes pets) while also not getting discovered. What this usually leads to is bed bugs in places like bedroom furniture, mattresses, sofas, footrests, plush chairs, pet beds, and other areas. This means that actually discovering a bed bug infestation can be challenging, as can finding a clear path to its elimination. 
• Feeding schedule: Bed bugs eat primarily at night when people are asleep. They do this because it’s when the human body is at its warmest and because they can feed without getting disrupted. Because of this, people may never actually see the bed bugs that have invaded their homes. 
• Rate of reproduction: Female bed bugs have the ability to lay between one and seven eggs a day for ten days after they’ve had a blood meal. The average bed bug will lay around 100 eggs in her lifetime and offspring can start laying eggs within four to five weeks of hatching. This only starts the cycle all over again and makes generational growth throughout a given season significant. 
• Environmental factors: Bed bugs tend to go dormant or feed less often when temperatures begin to cool. What this can look like is an infestation that has disappeared, when in reality, they just aren’t as active. 

Because bed bug infestations are so challenging to eliminate and they won’t go away on their own, homeowners can benefit greatly from professional bed bug removal from Bay Pest. We specialize in localized, heat, and fumigation treatments to meet our customers' needs and eliminate bed bug. For more information on these services, call us today.

Unwanted Guests: Common Causes Of Bed Bug Infestations

The bed bugs that end up in Bay Area homes and businesses are very unwanted visitors, and with good reason. These pests infiltrate homes in order to feed and reproduce, and can cause many sleepless nights. Some of the most common causes behind infestations and problems such as these include:

• Exposure to bed bugs in public: One of the most common ways that bed bug infestations begin to spread is when people unknowingly pick them up while they’re in public. Bed bugs are frequently found on public transportation, at movie theaters, in schools or nursing homes, or even at your place of work. 
• Having a work colleague with bed bugs: As previously mentioned, one of the places you can pick up bed bugs is at work. Sometimes this happens when a coworker brings bed bugs from their home right into the work environment. And it doesn’t matter if work is in a warehouse, office, grocery store, or hotel. 
• Bringing home secretly infested items: Another common way for bed bugs to spread is through used home items. They often invade sofas, chairs, upholstery, and nightstands before these items sit in storage facilities or get put out on the street for free collection.
• Having a neighbor with bed bugs: Bed bugs are also capable of making their way through shared walls and the cracks and crevices that most homes have. Because of this, people who live in apartment buildings and are within close proximity to their neighbors might encounter their own bed bug outbreak if someone on their floor or above them is currently dealing with bed bugs. 

Because there are so many ways that bed bugs can become a problem for homeowners, the best way to address them is with professional bed bug control from Bay Pest. Call us today for more information on saying goodbye to bed bugs. 

Eliminating Bed Bugs: The Best Solution For Homeowners 

When Bay Area homeowners encounter bed bugs around their properties, there is no question that the most reliable way to get rid of bed bugs is with professional services from Bay Pest. We start with a detailed home inspection to look for subtle signs of bed bug activity. This can mean finding their feces, living bugs, or even egg sacs. We then compile our findings and determine the best course of action for the specific customer. In some instances, we use traditional product applications, while for others we might opt for heat treatments or fumigation. Product application is often best for localized infestations, while fumigation is reserved for extensive outbreaks and heat is able to reach a myriad of places where bed bugs could be hiding. All of these services are warrantied for 60 days. 

In addition to our quality services, there are also a few steps that homeowners can take to reduce their exposure to potential bed bug problems. Those steps include:

• Travel with care. When staying at a hotel, store worn clothes in sealed baggies. Upon returning home, wash clothes immediately and dry them on the highest setting. 
• Be meticulous. Because bed bugs can live anywhere they have access to people, that means that places like movie theaters, stores, schools, and medical facilities are potential breeding grounds. When spending time in public, give your personal items and clothing a good look to see if there are any signs of bed bugs. 
• Inspect used goods. One of the most typical ways that bed bug populations spread is through secondhand items such as couches, chairs, mattresses, and bedroom furniture. Before bringing any of these items home, always inspect them thoroughly first and try to ascertain whether or not they’ve been sitting in storage for a while as well. 
• Seal off entry points. Bed bugs are capable of making their way from one property to another very easily. This can be a particular issue for people who live in apartment buildings or multi-family housing. To reduce possible entry points, consider using door sweeps and weatherstripping for snugger doors and fill cracks in the foundation with materials such as silicone-based caulk. 

For more information on trusted bed bug control, call Bay Pest today.