According  to  a  survey  released  by  the  National  Pest  Management  Association  (NPMA),  one  in  five  Americans  has  either  dealt  with  a  bed  bug  infestation  or  knows  someone  who  has. 

You should be able to sleep a little easier knowing that we follow best practices to prevent bed bugs at all of our apartments in Philadelphia, but we need the cooperation of everyone to keep these pests away! 

According to the EPA, you can prevent bedbugs by following just a few simple precautions:

– Check secondhand furniture, beds, and couches for any signs of bed bug infestation before bringing them home.

– Use a protective cover that encases mattresses and box springs to eliminate many hiding spots. The light color of the encasement makes bed bugs easier to see. Be sure to purchase a high quality encasement that will resist tearing and check the encasement regularly for holes.

– Reduce clutter in your home to reduce hiding places for bed bugs.

– Vacuum frequently to remove any successful hitchhikers.

– Be vigilant when using shared laundry facilities. Transport items to be washed in plastic bags (if you have an active infestation, use a new bag for the journey home). Remove from dryer directly into bag and fold at home. (A dryer on high heat can kill bed bugs.)

– If you are living in a Philadelphia apartment building, try to isolate your unit by: (1) installing door sweeps on the bottom of doors to discourage movement into hallways; and (2) sealing cracks and crevices around baseboards, light sockets, etc., to discourage movement through wall voids.

Americans  who  have  encountered  bed  bugs  tend  to  be  younger,  live  in  urban  areas  and  rent  their  homes:  The  incidence  of  bed  bugs  is  three  times  higher  in  urban  areas  than  in  rural  areas  due  to  factors  such  as  larger  population  size,  apartment  living  and  increased  mobility,  which  are  conducive  to  the  rapid  spread  and  breeding  of  bed  bugs. 

Bed  bugs  are  found  in  all  50  states:  Specifically,  the  pests  were  encountered  by  17  percent  of  respondents  in  the  Northeast;  20  percent  in  the  Midwest;  20  percent  in  the  South;  and  19  percent  in  the  West. 

Most  Americans  are  concerned  about  bed  bugs  and  believe  that  infestations  in  the  United  States  are  increasing:  Nearly  80  percent  are  most  concerned  about  encountering  bed  bugs  at  hotels;  52  percent  on  public  transportation;  49  percent  in  movie  theaters;  44  percent  in  retail  stores;  40  percent  in  medical  facilities;  36  percent  in  their  own  homes;  and  32  percent  equally  pointed  to  places  of  employment  and  friends’  homes.  The  fear  of  getting  bitten  topped  the  list  of  concerns. 

As  the  public’s  awareness  of  the  bed  bug  resurgence  grows,  many  Americans  are  modifying  their  behaviors  to  minimize  their  risk  of  an  infestation:    Of  the  precautions  being  taken,  27  percent  have  inspected  or  washed  clothing  upon  returning  from  a  trip,  25  percent  have  checked  a  hotel  room  for  bed  bugs,  17  percent  have  inspected  or  vacuumed  a  suitcase  upon  returning  from  a  trip  and  12  percent  have  altered  or  canceled  travel  plans  because  of  concern  about  bed  bugs.    The  survey  goes  on  to  show  that  16  percent  inspected  second-hand  furniture  they  have  brought  into  their  homes,  15  percent  have  checked  dressing  rooms  when  trying  on  clothing  and  29  percent  have  washed  new  clothing  immediately  upon  bringing  it  home  from  a  store. Of  the  13  percent  of  respondents  who  said  they  knew  someone  who  had  a  bed  bug  infestation  in  their  home,  40  percent  said  they  avoided  entering  the  infested  home  and  33  percent  discouraged  those  who  had  the  infestation  from  entering  their  own  home.   

Despite  the  availability  of  information,  most  Americans  still  have  misconceptions  about  bed  bugs:    Nearly  half  of  respondents  incorrectly  believe  that  bed  bugs  transmit  disease.  However,  research  conducted  to  date  has  shown  that  bed  bugs  do  not  transmit  disease  to  their  human  victims,  although  some  people  may  experience  itchy,  red  welts.  Still,  29  percent  inaccurately  believe  bed  bugs  are  more  common  among  lower  income  households  and  37  percent  believe  bed  bugs  are  attracted  to  dirty  homes.  However,  bed  bugs  do  not  discriminate  in  regard  to  household  income  and  are  found  in  both  sanitary  and  unsanitary  conditions.