Bed Bug Inspection in Columbus, OH

What happens during a bed bug inspection?

We start at the place you sleep and work outward in a set order. Mattress and box spring seams come first, then the bed frame, headboard and nightstand. After that we go through couches, recliners, baseboards, outlet covers and the closet nearest the bed.

Then we check the rooms next to the bedroom. Bed bugs rarely stay in one place once a population builds, and a clean-looking living room can hold the other half of the problem. We ask where you sit, where you sleep, where you travel and what furniture came in recently.

Do bed bug dogs find what a visual inspection misses?

A 2014 study in the Journal of Economic Entomology tested commercial dog teams in naturally infested apartments and found their accuracy varied from one inspection day to the next. The authors called for more research. Our view is simple: a dog alert is a lead, and a bug, cast skin or fecal spot you can see is the proof.

That is also why we show you what we find. Evidence you can look at is easier to act on, and easier to hand to a landlord, than a verdict you have to take on trust.

What signs do you look for in a bed bug signs inspection?

A live bug is the clearest proof, but it is not the only one. Most inspections turn up a mix of clues, and the pattern tells us how long the problem has existed and how far it has traveled.

• Live bugs or nymphs, which are young bed bugs, the size of a pinhead to a poppy seed
• Cast skins, which bed bugs shed as they grow, collected in folds and corners
• Dark fecal spots on fabric, wood and paper that smear when wiped
• Eggs stuck in seams and under furniture edges
• Tiny blood spots on sheets or pillowcases
• A sweet, musty smell in rooms with larger populations

Bites do not count as proof. Mosquitoes, fleas and other insects leave similar marks, and some people show no reaction to bed bug bites at all. Our post on bed bug bites and the signs that matter explains the difference.

Do I have bed bugs, or something else?

People call us after finding a tiny bug on a sheet, a welt on an arm or a spot on a pillowcase. Sometimes the culprit is a carpet beetle, a flea or an itch with no insect behind it. A trained look separates those faster than guessing from photos.

If you can, save a specimen in a sealed bag or taped to an index card, and do not wash the sheets before we arrive. Skip the foggers and sprays. They scatter bugs and cloud the picture, as why bed bugs keep coming back explains.

Can you inspect an apartment before I move in?

Yes, a pre-move-in bed bug inspection is worth booking when a rental is older, the previous tenant left furniture or the building has a history. We check baseboards, outlets, closets and whatever furnishings are staying.

A clean inspection tells you there was no evidence on the day we looked. It cannot promise that nothing will arrive later. What it does give you is a dated record, which helps if a problem shows up soon after you move.

Apartment bed bug inspection for landlords and managers

Columbus Public Health reads the health code as putting pest duty on the owner of a multi-unit dwelling. For a landlord or property manager, that makes early documentation useful: a report on the first unit, plus checks of the units on both sides and above and below.

We inspect between tenants, after a complaint and as part of a routine schedule. Hotels and short-term rentals often book inspections after a guest report. Owners who want ongoing protection should read about preventative bed bug treatment, and anyone with a confirmed multi-unit case should go to apartment bed bug treatment.

What happens if we find bed bugs?

1. We show you what we foundYou see the evidence and the rooms involved, so the recommendation does not rest on trust alone.
2. We check the rooms and units around itBed bugs travel through walls, pipes and shared hallways, so in a multi-unit building we ask about the units on either side, above and below.
3. We explain the method optionsDepending on the building, that may mean residual treatment, Aprehend or heat. Ask us which are available for your job.
4. You get the documentationWe provide documentation after the inspection, which a landlord or property manager may need.
5. We give you the prep listIf you go ahead, you receive the bed bug preparation steps before the treatment date.
6. We set the next lookIf we find little or nothing, we explain what to watch for and when a second look makes sense. A clean result on one day does not close the question.

What if the inspection finds nothing?

Ohio State University Extension notes that bed bugs can survive several months without feeding. A room that looks clear can still hold a few hiding in a seam, particularly after a vacancy. Interceptor cups under the legs of the bed and upholstered chairs catch bugs as they climb, and they work as a cheap monitor between visits.

What does an inspection cost, and who pays?

Pricing depends on the size of the home, the number of units and what is needed. We explain the price before work starts. Ask when you call and we will explain how the visit is priced.

In a rental, who pays depends on the lease and on the Columbus Health Code duty described above. Tenants should tell the landlord in writing and keep a copy before booking anything on their own.

Bed bug inspections in Columbus: what the health code expects of owners

Columbus Health Code §221.03 expects dwellings to be kept rodent-free and insect-free, and Columbus Public Health puts pest elimination on the owner of any dwelling with two or more units. A dated inspection report is how an owner or tenant shows when a problem was found and which units were checked. Ask any inspector for the date, the rooms examined, the evidence seen and where it was seen.

The Franklin County Municipal Court's Environmental Division also publishes a bed bug guide for tenants and landlords. If an inspection leads to treatment, Ohio requires any company that applies pesticides for hire to hold an ODA Pesticide Business License, and ODA's public search lets you check before you agree.