Just a few years ago, bed bug infestations in American homes were unheard of. Nowadays, unfortunately, that’s not the case. You probably know someone who’s picked the wrong hotel or motel to stay in and brought home a case of bed bugs in the luggage or on clothing. No doubt you’ve also heard of the extreme measures that must be taken to deal with the infestation.
What Are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are small, parasitic insects. They’re brown, and at no more than a quarter inch in length, can be hard to see. The nymphs, which are the juvenile form of bed bugs, are smaller and lighter.
The insects live by sucking blood from warm-blooded creatures. Once they’re introduced into a home or a hotel room, they can be hard to find and hard to eradicate. The best remedy is to hire a professional exterminator, who will know where to look for the insects and their eggs, and who can administer treatments accordingly.
Bed Bugs and HVAC
When an infestation takes place, bed bugs will typically be found in mattresses, drapery, carpets, furniture, upholstery, and even smoke monitors and hollow doors. But what about your HVAC system, including the vents and ductwork? After all, bed bugs like to hide out in dark places in the day, and come out at night to find their targets — meaning warm-blooded you and your family.
While it’s possible bed bugs might get inside your HVAC, the vents or ductwork, they usually tend to lurk closer to their target hosts. They could certainly exist in those environments, and indeed bed bugs can travel in ductwork, but the systems associated with the HVAC are generally not hotspots for bed bug activity.
And, just so you know, if you did get bed bugs in the ducts or vents, turning on the heater or air conditioner won’t help contain them. Call the exterminator. Pesticides shouldn’t be applied when the HVAC is in operation.
Call Ace Hardware Home Services of Dayton to schedule an HVAC repair, maintenance or installation.
