The holiday season is prime time for travel, and traveling means it’s also prime time for bed bugs. Why? Because bed bugs are not like your average pests. When it comes to invading homes on their own, they are as useless as they come. They don’t have wings to fly through windows, strong legs to jump long distances, or even the ability to survive in groups for long periods of time out in the wild. What they are good at is hitching rides. Of course, they don’t want you to know this. They would much prefer to remain hidden inside your luggage, or in that couch you found at the thrift store until they get to their destination. You see, the only thing bed bugs care about this holiday season is finding a new place to call home that has easily accessible food (aka human blood.) Will your Nashville home be on their radar this year? Let’s find out.
How To Know If Your Nashville, TN Home Currently Has An Infestation
If you plan on having people over, or traveling away from Nashville this holiday season, it is your responsibility to make sure your home is bed bug-free. The last thing you want is to be spreading bed bugs rather than holiday cheer. To identify a bed bug infestation in your home, here are our suggestions.
- Start with your mattress topper. Check it for blood spots. These spots are left behind by bed bugs after they are done feeding. If more and more spots keep showing up, and you know you aren’t the cause, then something is biting you while you are sleeping.
- Check your skin for bites. These bites will appear several in a row in a straight line or zig-zag pattern on your skin. It is good to note that not everyone reacts the same to bed bug bites. Studies show that 20% of people have no reaction to bed bug bites at all.
- Inspect the creases in your mattress and around your room for tiny reddish-black spots. These spots are bed bug excrement and are usually left around areas bed bugs hide during the day.
- Investigate cracks and gaps around your room for small, almost see-through eggs. These are a bit harder to spot but are the result of bed bugs reproducing, making your problem worse.
- With larger bed bug infestations, you might begin to sense a musty smell around your room. This is the result of hundreds, possibly thousands, of bed bug pheromones in the air.
One thing we should mention is that bed bugs are amongst the hardest pests to identify within homes. If you want to be 100% certain your home is bed bug-free, your best choice is to schedule a detailed home inspection by the professionals here at ThermalRid. We would be happy to make sure you are in the clear.
Steps To Avoid A Bed Bug Infestation In Your Nashville Home
If your home is bed bug-free, your next step is to ensure it remains that way. There are many ways you can do this. Here are our top suggestions.
- If you are traveling, check every room you are staying in for bed bugs. We recommend leaving your luggage in the car or on the bathroom floor while doing this to ensure that no bed bugs catch a ride while you are searching your room. If bed bugs are found, change rooms or establishments altogether.
- When traveling back from vacation, store your used clothing inside a sealed plastic bag. Once home, throw that clothing in a hot water wash immediately. This will drastically lower your chances of letting live bed bugs get into your home.
- If people are coming to visit you this holiday season, inform them about bed bugs. You could even link them to this article. The more they know about bed bugs, the less likely they will be to bring them into your home.
- If you find yourself in a public place for any amount of time, try to keep your bags off the floor. It only takes bed bugs 20 minutes for them to crawl over and hitch a ride.
- Thoroughly inspect items before bringing them into your home. The more you keep an eye out for bed bugs, the less likely they will be to catch you off guard.
What To Do If You Bring Bed Bugs Home
The truth is, bed bugs are really good at what they do, and sometimes despite your best efforts, they will find their way into your home anyway. If your home shows signs of a bed bug infestation, we are here to help. Here at ThermalRid, we have been helping homeowners be free of bed bugs for almost 10 years. With many treatment options and friendly technicians you can trust, you will never regret your decision to choose us for your bed bug needs.
If you would like more information on how we treat for bed bugs or would like to schedule a service visit for your Nashville home, give us a call today. We would be happy to help you get back to the sleep you deserve.
