WHO inspects for bed bugs? (Cimex lectularius)
Dogs!
I am not calling home inspectors... or pest inspectors "Dogs." I read about canines doing bed bug inspections first in New York Times article. I read about bed bugs being a growth industry before... but I had never read about canine Bed Bugs inspectors. It can take humans a long time to find bed bugs. Dogs are quicker. New York City has a big bed bug problem.... a New York Times article about bed bugs.
A New Breed of Guard Dog Attacks Bedbugs The New York Times article is written by Penelope Green
The Central Ohio Bed Bug Task Force site now says there are four bed bug sniffing dogs in Ohio. I only see three canine bed bug inspectors listed on the Central Ohio Bed Bug Task Force site. None of the bed bug sniffing dog's phone numbers is a 614 or 740 area code. None looks to be in Central Ohio?
Gotta wonder if my sweet mutt would like to start a new business late in life? It's a growth industry...
Central Ohio WHO inspects for bed bugs? - real estate agents?
You would almost think looking at the Central Ohio Bed Bug Task Force's words that we as real estate agents inspect for bed bugs. Their site says to "realtors":
"the responsibility of discovering bed bug infestations is in your court"
Really?
I don't inspect for wood destroying insects, raccoons in the chimney, bats in belfrys. As the listing or selling agent I don't discover radon either... discovering defects is up to inspectors. Am I going to strip the sellers bed and inspect the crevices for bed bugs? No.
As a buyer your purchase contract with the seller will allow you to do inspections and tests on the property.Do you want a dog to inspect or a human? Is there a reason to inspect? Touchy subject...
Central Ohio WHO inspects for bed bugs? - pest inspectors human or canine...
HISCO - Does not inspect for bed bugs, I wish they would for a fee. I would feel more comfortable with HISCO inspecting because HISCO does not treat for bugs.
Ohio Exterminating* does Bed Bug Inspections for FREE, according to their site. I am sure other Central Ohio exteminators inspect for bed bugs as well.
Would Pest Inspectors inspect for free for the sale of a home? I doubt it... Does a human spend hours searching for bed bugs, for free? I doubt it.
Would they... could a pest inspector / exterminator say to a home buyer... "This home is Bed Bug Free?" What if the seller goes to NYC and stays in a hotel there after the home inspection but before closing? What if a Bed Bug hitches a ride back to Columbus in a suitcase? Or even a local bedbug is introduced to the Central Ohio home after the inspection but prior to closing?
Central Ohio WHO treats for bed bugs? Exterminators
Do pest inspectors need to spend hours inspecting for bed bugs? Probably not if the home's occupant thinks they have bed bugs. If they've been bitten? I bet it does not take hours to convince the occupants of a home or apartment who have been bitten to fumigate for Cimex lectularius.
The Central Ohio Bed Bug Task Force recommends getting three estimates for treatment.
Michael Bergin a Northern Virginia real estate agent was my muse for this series... Michael wrote: " Yuck! Bed Bugs are Back! " the link to the NYT article above in his post is where I first found out about dog inspectors. Thanks Michael.
More about the topic on DiscoverColumbusOH.com - Columbus real estate:
Central Ohio Bed Bug Task Force ...Realtor Recommdendations The .pdf document directed at Realtors also has the info about canine bed bug home inspectors you can get to that link above or from the first post in this series.
*An owner of Ohio Exterminating is on the Central Ohio Task Force as the representative from the Ohio Pest Management Association.
Comments(1)