Category Archives: Bed Bugs Alabama

Dwellings become infested in a variety of ways - for example, people can acquire bedbugs at hotels and bring them back to their homes in their luggage, or inadvertently bring them home in infested furniture. As most landlords and property managers in the multi-family housing industry realize, bedbugs can travel between units in multi-unit dwellings after being originally brought into the building by one of the above routes. Furthermore, because there are documented reports that bedbugs are able to lie dormant for up to five hundred days, it can be very difficult to trace the source of the infestation to a single responsible party.

There are two potential avenues of liability facing a landlord with a bedbug infestation: statutory and contractual claims, and tort claims. For breach of contract and statutory violation claims, the elements are similar: a recognized obligation and the failure to complete that obligation. As landlords and property owners, you are familiar with tenants breaching their lease agreements by failing to pay rent or complying with statutory duties (such as Ala. Code 35-9A-303s requirements for landlord-access).

The methods of analysis for claims against a landlord are fundamentally the same. For bedbugs, like all pests, there are three key statutes to consider:

The presence of bedbugs has been held, by courts in other jurisdictions, to render the premises uninhabitable and therefore could constitute a violation of Ala. Code 204(a)(2), the penalties for which is actual damages. It is arguable that Ala. Code 407 could also be applied to a situation in which a landlord fails to act when confronted with evidence of a bedbug infestation.

In addition to claims of breach of contract and of statutory duty, there exists an additional, oftentimes more attractive, path to damages - the tort claim. Torts like negligence, fraud, and intentional infliction of emotional distress have been reduced to buzz words in modern parlance, but they have specific elements that must be proven in order to be successful.

Negligence, is the bread and butter of tort claims and requires a plaintiff to prove: 1) a duty of care owed by defendant to plaintiff; 2) a breach of that duty; 3) causation (i.e., that the acts or omissions by the defendant were the cause of the plaintiffs injury); and 4) damages. For example, a tenant wanting to demonstrate that her landlord was negligent in allowing her personal property to be infested by bedbugs would have to demonstrate that: 1) the landlord/defendant owed the tenant/plaintiff a duty of care to provide a habitable premise; 2) the landlord/defendant failed to make reasonable efforts to provide the tenant/plaintiff a habitable premise by refusing to pay for remediation efforts; 3) that landlord/defendants failure to pay for remediation efforts resulted in the destruction of tenant/plaintiffs property; and 4) that the property had value.

Misrepresentation and fraud are two aspects of the same offense: presenting circumstances in an untrue light to induce a party to agree to a transaction. Negligent misrepresentation relies upon providing that the alleged tortfeasor withheld or neglected to pass along information (such as the presence of bedbugs) to the customer that would have allowed the customer to make an informed decision (and, presumably, not enter into the lease for that apartment in the first place). Fraud by concealment is a tort claim where the party offering the contract not only failed to disclose certain information but also actively concealed it - potentially to the extent of outright lying about the issue. These intentional torts open up the possibility of punitive damages that go beyond making the plaintiff whole (the job of compensatory damages) and instead focus on punishing the defendant for his or her conduct.

In considering the question of tort claims from the perspective of a landlord, an infestation in a single apartment is probably only an issue for negligence-related claims and an allegation of breach of contract. When a landlord refuses to take action to remedy the problem or willfully ignores it, or allows a problem to become endemic throughout a community, the measure of damages grows.

In closing, I would remind you that dealing effectively with bedbug cases is essentially a customer service issue. Tenants who believe that their landlord or property manager has been responsive to their concerns and helped to the best of their ability is far less likely to seek redress through the courts than tenants who believe their landlord has failed to take their concerns seriously or who has outright lied about the source of the infestation.

Bedbug remediation is going to be expensive and is going to require treatment of more than just the infested unit. Most of this treatment will not be covered by conventional insurance policies. When confronted with an infestation, contact your pest elimination vendor immediately and then instruct the resident on what he/she needs to do to prepare for treatment. Aggressively monitor the problem and compel compliance by your residents if necessary, with fourteen day notices of rental agreement noncompliance. Failing to act aggressively and consistently can result in an infestation becoming an epidemic and one tenants complaint becoming a multi-plaintiff lawsuit. Avoid belittling the tenant or directly accusing the tenant of being the source of the infestation, and be sure to paper the record with every conversation relating to the infestation. Seek legal advice immediately and remember that there is no stigma attached to a bedbug infestation - bedbugs are the ultimate communists - they do not respect any form of status and can infest any dwelling, from the ritziest of multifamily communities to the sleaziest of flophouses.

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The Alabama Landlord: Bed Bugs

How to identify bed bugs

Learn what bed bugs look like, and how to detect if you have a bed bug Infestation.

Find out how bed bugs infiltrate your home and where they are attracted to.

Learn about bed bug bites. their feces and how they can impact your health.

Learn how Orkin handles bed bugs, homeopathic cures and the cost of bed bug extermination services.

Bed bugs can be brought in from the outside at any time, so we cant guarantee that your homewill never have bed bugs again. No credible provider can make that promise. We can guarantee that our customized solution will be effective for at least 30 days. If bed bugs return to your home within 30 days of the completion of our service, we will re-treat at no additional charge.

Bed bugs are flat, reddish-brown, oval insects up to 4 to 5 mm long or the size of an apple seed. Swollen and reddish after a blood meal. For more information, see what do bed bugs look like?

Bed bugs only feed on blood. Under cool conditions, bed bugs have been able to survive up to a year without a meal. They prefer to be more active at night when the host is asleep.

Bed bugs are found in cracks and crevices, including mattress seams, sheets, furniture, behind baseboards, electrical outlet plates and picture frames. Often found in hotels, where they can travel from room to room and in visitors luggage or other personal belongings such as purses and briefcases.

Seeing the bugs: Adult bed bugs are about the shape and size of an apple seed.

Case skins: As the juvenile bugs grow, they shed their skins, discovery of which can indicate their presence.

Defecation: After feeding, bed bugs return to their harborage to hide where they defecate black to brown stains on porous surfaces or black to brown mounds on nonporous surfaces.

Bites also may indicate bed bug activity, but further signs will need to be found, since other sources can cause red welts on the skin.

You can pick up bed bugs almost anywhere offices, stores, hotels and gyms for starters. Theyre great at hiding and have been known to hitchhike in luggage, personal belongings or even you. Once indoors, they can be very difficult to control without the help of an experienced pest specialist. You can reduce your chances of a costly bed bug infestation by catching them early.

Females can deposit one to five eggs a day, and may lay 200 to 500 eggs in a bed bugs lifetime. Under normal room temperatures and with an adequate food supply, they can live for more than 300 days.

It is possible that bed bugs can carry diseases, however, they are not known to transmit diseases to people. To learn more, see bed bugs and disease.

Bed bugs feed exclusively on blood, and people have various responses to bed bug Bites. To identify, learn about symptoms etc, see bed bug bites.

Bed bugs can multiply quickly, so early detection is critical to help prevent an even larger infestation. Our integrated A.I.M. protection process works to assess your home, implement solutions, and monitor any bed bug problems you may face.

How our A.I.M. process works

If you have seen evidence of bed bugs or want to help protect your home against this multiplying intruder, your Orkin Man will come and inspect your home.

Bed bugs are sneaky and hard to find, but your Orkin Man is trained to pinpoint evidence if they are around. On the first visit, he will examine your entire home including the bed, furniture, rugs, and linens. He will conduct an inspection of target areas, and if required, use tools to check cracks and crevices.

Your Orkin Man will usually start in the bedroom and work his way through your home, concentrating on the furniture and the areas immediately surrounding the furniture. He will look for signs of bed bugs including:

Upon completion of the inspection and an assessment of the situation, your Orkin Man will recommend the best course of action. If the inspection confirms an infestation, your Orkin Man will recommend a treatment plan based on the severity of the infestation and your preferences. He will use the best tools and science to address the causes and treat your bed bug problem in the best way for your family, pets, and the environment. This implementation method targets bed bugs as well as the bed bug larvae preventing them from maturing into breeding, biting, and potentially disease-carrying adults.

Bed bugs can be difficult to eradicate; so your Orkin technician will perform a follow-up visit to help ensure the effectiveness of the professional treatment that was performed. Additionally, your Orkin technician will document the visit and recommend next steps to ensure the best maintenance approach for your home.

Bed bugs (often misspelled as bedbugs) are small, nocturnal, wingless insects that belong to the family of Cimicidae. They feed on human blood and other warm-blooded hosts. They are oval in shape and grow up to 4 to 5 mm long when fully grown. Their skin color is rust brown to a deeper red brown. Bed bugs are also known as mahogany flats, red coats and chinches. The adult bed bug does not have wings and has a flattened body.

Bed Bugs Petri Dish

Bed bugs are both dorsoventrally flattened and thin, which creates a great advantage for them. They can hide in unusual places such as behind baseboards, floor cracks, and under carpets or behind loose wallpaper, which can make them difficult to detect. Not only can they be hard to detect, but bed bugs also tend to stay close together and have a distinctively sweet, yet unpleasant smell. Fecal smears on mattresses and nearby furnishings are also signs of a bed bug infestation. Their bites can leave itchy welts on the skin and can cause allergic reactions, such as severe itching, though not everyone reacts to their bite. Bed bugs have existed since the ancient times and are found throughout the world. There are different species of bed bugs, but the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) is particularly adaptable to human environments. Other species are known to prefer birds and bats but also will feed on humans if necessary. Since they can survive in birds nests, they can be seen in houses and buildings that have several bird nests, particularly on rooftops. . Bed bugs have a great worldwide distribution, due to human travelers who transport them in luggage, clothing, bedding and furniture. Though they may reside in unusual places, they are also likely to be found in small cracks near a bed or in comforters and bed sheets.

Its possible to pick up bed bugs almost any placetheyve infested offices, stores, hotels, gyms and countless other places. They can hide in your luggage, personal belongings, or even on you, and hitchhike a ride back to your home, condo, townhouse or apartment. Once indoors, they can be extremely difficult to control without the help of an experienced pest specialist. A bed bug infestation has nothing to do with cleanliness you can pick them up in the finest hotels, and they can hitchhike into the cleanest homes at any time. But, you can help reduce your chances of a costly bed bug infestation by catching them early. Information on bed bugs in Canada.

Traveling

When traveling, think of the acronym S.L.E.E.P. to remember the following action steps to help avoid bringing bed bugs home with you.

In the House

When at home, follow these handy tips to help keep bed bugs at bay.

Think You Might Have a Bed Bug Infestation?

Notify your local pest management provider immediately, or tell your property manager if you are renting so they can begin to create a customized treatment for your bed bugs. Bed bugs can multiply quickly, so early detection is critical to help prevent an even larger infestation.

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Bed Bugs : How to Get Rid of Bedbugs - Orkin

Are you waking up with itchy, red welts all over your body? Or perhaps you notice small blood stains on your sheets? These are the most common signs of bed bugs, and if you notice even the smallest sign of an infestation, its important to call a professional immediately. Bed bugs can quickly travel from room-to-room, so its important to treat your home as soon as possible to avoid costly damage!

When you have bed bugs, its not just the ones you can see that cause problems. Eggs can live past surface treatments--meaning an infestation can return if not treated properly. To ensure complete elimination, we utilize both chemical and heat treatments to effectively eliminate bed bugs and eggs without damaging your house and belongings.

To eliminate bed bugs without damaging your furniture or belongings, Bama Exterminating utilizes state-of-the-art heat treatments that get rid of ALL bed bugs in just one treatment. How does it work?

The best part about heat treatments? They are completely safe for your home and your family, and are backed by a 90-day guarantee! We also offer traditional chemical treatments depending on your infestation, home, and budget.

Here at Bama Exterminating, we extensively train each and every one of our bed bug technicians so that you receive the best service possible. We utilize the most innovative and effective bed bug removal techniques to deliver the best results for your home. When you trust in Bama Exterminating with your bed bug problem, you can rest assured that well get the job done right the first time.

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Bed Bug Treatment in Alabama | Bama Exterminating

Even if you weren't born here, you arguably might be a New Yorker if you are adept at platforming, are on a first-name basis with your corner bodega staff and can survive the inevitable bedbug infestation.

Few things are as invasive, disgusting and heebie-jeebie inducing as dealing with bedbugs. But thanks to companies like Bell Environmental and M&M Pest Control, theres at least a cute and effective silver bullet to fight the problem, as both employ bedbug-sniffing dogs.

And no, its not a marketing ploy. A University of Florida study found that dogs are 98 percent accurate in detecting the parasitic insects, which is good news, as bedbug season is in full swing.

Certified canine inspection is a lot more accurate than if someone comes in and looks, said Stephanie Kollgaard, senior customer service rep at M&M Pest Control in Long Island City. Thats because the canines can detect the scent of the viable bedbug eggs and the actual bedbugs in areas where a person might not think to look or might easily miss, like inside electrical outlets.

M&M employs five canines, all beagle mixes like 9-year-old Dexter, who has worked exclusively with handler Herbie Yan for the past seven years. Both went through extensive certificate training through the J&K Canine Academy in Florida, and they continue to do so on an informal daily and formal twice-monthly basis.

I love working with canines, I grew up with dogs. Dexter is very affectionate hes a very easy dog to work with, said Yan, who takes Dexter home with him every night.

When Dexter detects bedbugs, hell scratch, then sit and wait for Yan to do a visual confirmation. For his good sniffing, Dexter will be rewarded with a treat. His favorite? Anything thats food, Yan said with a laugh.

No conversation about bedbug-sniffing dogs would be complete without Roscoe, who is known throughout the New York metro region thanks to his Wheres Roscoe? TV commercials for Bell Environmental.

The Fairfield, New Jersey-based company has employed canines since around 2009, director Jennifer Erdogan said. Roscoe was its first sniffer dog, and the 9-year-old rescue is one the companys four beagles. They also employ a beagle-hound mix and a Jack Russell. The six dogs sometimes go home with their handler but mostly reside in the companys kennel.

The dogs are certified annually through the World Detector Dog Organization and have twice-yearly training sessions with the Alabama-based Forensic and Scientific Training Investigations Center.

Motivation is key when it comes to picking a dog to train for bedbug sniffing, Erdogan said, but any long-snouted dog would be an effective detection dog. Sorry, smushy-nosed pugs and Frenchies, this jobs not for you.

While dogs can get bit by bedbugs, humans are their preferred host, Erdogan explained, especially since dogs usually wear repellant products like Frontline. Bedbugs dont have the mouthparts to embed themselves like ticks do, and they dont have claw-like structures on their legs to hold onto hair, so they dont like all that hair.

Are you the alpha dog among Bell Environmental's canines?

I think Ive mellowed, but I was the first

Do you have a best work buddy on the team?

I get along with the girls pretty well!

Whats your favorite part of the job?

Im in it for the reward.

Whats your favorite treat?

We have these really cool sausage treats.

How do you spend your days off?

I hang out, play in our dog run and sit in the sun.

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Meet New York City's bedbug-sniffing dogs - Metro US

Had a busy week? Finally home after a trip down to the beach for summer vacation? No worries, were here to catch you up on some of the hottest, most talked about stories of the week on-air and online. Heres what happened, in case you missed it.

HOA battle for the ages

Madison resident Douglas Pegues has been in his Shamrock Drive home for 11 years. Tuesday he began living in a hotel; trying to find a resolution in an HOA dispute that has cost him his house.

A retired Boeing engineer, Pegues has been in a series of court cases with the Shamrock Homeowners Association since 2012. He contends the homeowners association covenant requiring dues of $50 a month, is only valid if the association establishes common property for the neighborhood. He argues a pool and office havent been built, so theres no need to pay.

After losing in court, then an appeal, Pegues said he was shocked to discover his house was being sold.

Court records show there was an auction in April and the associations attorney, Jonathan Watson, bid just $500 to snap the property up.

So whats next for Pegues? Click here to read more.

Face-to-face with a burglar

A Colbert County homeowner is sharing his story, after coming face-to-face with a stranger inside his own home.

Joseph Lyles told WHNT News 19 the man was armed and trying to burglarize his home on Alabama Shores Drive. He said the burglar cut a screen and climbed in. Moments later, the two were face-to-face.

I was just awoken and could see a person standing in my doorway, Lyles recalled. [I said] Who are you? Ive got a gun! The robber reportedly replied back, Well Ive got one too.

When I heard him say that, Lyles said, I just started shooting.

Lyles fired eight shots. Colbert County Sheriff Frank Williamson said three of those shots struck the suspected burglar.

Who says you cant fight city hall?

A Maine man who was angry he didnt qualify for assistance gained national attention recently, after slamming a cup of livebed bugs on the counter of a local municipal office. The Kennebec Journal reportshe released around 100 of the tiny pests.

Social media updates from local reporters chronicled the aftermath.

The bug dropper had reportedly visited the code enforcement office before, to complain about bed bugs at his former apartment. No word yet on if charges will be filed.

Want your kid to be a basketball star? Make sure they drink cows milk

Children who drink dairy alternatives like soy, almond or rice milks are slightly shorter than their peers who drink cows milk, according to a new study.

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that each daily cup of non-cows milk consumed was associated with 0.4 centimeters (0.15 inches) lower height than average for a childs age.

We found that children who are consuming non-cows milk like rice, almond and soy milk tended to be a little bit shorter than children who consumed cows milk, said Dr. Jonathon Maguire.

Memories, recreated

Jason Gayler of Alvord, Texas, was going through old photosand spotted one of him walking his daughter, Brittany, to school. It was her first day of kindergarten and she was just five years old.

Now, 13 years later, Jason and Brittany have recreated that moment, walking to school together on her last day as a senior at Alvord High School. A side-by-side photo of the two is now going viral. Its not hard to see why, when you consider some special memories only come around twice.

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#ICYMI: HOA battle forces man from home, and an epic freak out over bed bugs - whnt.com