Thursday, October 31, 2013
Phoenix Bed Bug Exterminator
We offer Free In Home Estimates!
We specialize in bed bug thermal remediation techniques. Heat is the most effective way to kill bed bugs in one treatment. We raise the internal temperature of the area being treated to approx 140-160 degrees and maintain those temperatures for approx 4 hours. This process kills all life stages including the eggs. Our full structure treatments include a K-9 follow up inspection by a third party company to verify the treatment was successful and also include a 30 day service warranty. We also have a bed bug equipment rental services available. Please Contact us at 480-304-5649 to learn more about our services.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Phoenix Bed Bug Heat Treatments
We offer Free In Home Inspections!
We specialize in bed bug thermal remediation techniques. Heat is the most effective way to kill bed bugs in one treatment. We raise the internal temperature of the area being treated to approx 140-160 degrees and maintain those temperatures for approx 4 hours. This process kills all life stages including the eggs. Our full structure treatments include a K-9 follow up inspection by a third party company to verify the treatment was successful and also include a 30 day service warranty. We also have a bed bug equipment rental services available. Please Contact us at 480-304-5649 to learn more about our services.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Bed bug lawsuits
Its not a surprise, with bed bugs becoming more wide spread and a common occurrence, that Lawsuits are on the rise.
Below are some examples of just a few lawsuits in 2013:
CONCORD (CBS SF) — More than a dozen residents of a Concord apartment
complex are suing their landlord over an array of issues, including a bed bug infestation.
Below are some examples of just a few lawsuits in 2013:
| Hotel settles bedbug lawsuit with tenants |
| October 18, 2013, 05:00 AM By Michelle Durand Daily Journal |
The terms of the settlement with the Industrial Hotel are confidential but the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County, which partnered with attorneys from the Menlo Park firm of Alston and Bird, said it is satisfied the tenants will “have a safe and habitable place to live going forward.”A South San Francisco residential hotel settled a lawsuit filed on behalf of a mentally disabled tenant over a 18-month bedbug infestation the landlord allegedly failed to eradicate. The bedbug infestation was among a number of substandard housing conditions like mold and water leaks that made some of the units uninhabitable, according to David Carducci, director of litigation for the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County. Carducci said the plaintiff, Federico Assogna, had been “very vocal” about the conditions and complained to the owners and managers on behalf of himself and other tenants. The repeated bites every night are terrible for anyone but people with mental health issues find it even harder because it exacerbates anxiety, depression and sleep loss, Carducci said. His client once jumped out of bed because of a bite, lost his balance and struck his ribs on the frame which resulted in his hospitalization with a breathing device, Carducci said. The hotel owner did hire a pest control company early on but the provider was inexperienced with bedbugs and the situation was not fixed, he said. “He went on the cheap for a year and a half and let the tenants suffer,” he said. After receiving an eviction notice which the hotel claimed was to claim back four units for another service provider, Assogna turned to the Legal Aid Society which filed the suit in May 2012 in San Francisco Superior Court cited both the infestation and retaliation based on the attempted ousting after his complaints. A second case was filed by an Oakland attorney on behalf of nine other residents. M. Stacey Hawver, executive director of the Legal Aid Society, praised the resolution. “Individuals with mental health disabilities often have difficulty exercising their legal rights, and today, the tenants in the Industrial Hotel had a strong voice and were heard,” Hawver said in a prepared statement. |
Maryland Bedbug Lawsuit: Faika Shaaban Awarded $800,000 In Suit Against Landlord
The Huffington Post | By Ron Dicker Posted: 06/03/2013 1:20 pm EDT | Updated: 06/03/2013 1:30 pm EDT
An Annapolis, Md., woman was awarded a record $800,000 in a bedbug lawsuit against her landlord, the Baltimore Sun reported.
Faika Shaaban, 69, will receive $650,000 of the amount in punitive damages, spotlighting the growing sympathy that juries have with plaintiffs in infestation cases, the Sun said.
Lawyers told the Sun it was the biggest verdict they'd heard of among similar civil actions. Shaaban's attorney, Daniel W. Whitney, said the Anne Arundel County jury that heard Shaaban's case sent a message to landlords who ignore the problem.
"It only gets worse and it causes a lot of suffering," he told The Huffington Post on Monday.
Whitney said the large payout might also "make people more aware that they have legal rights."
The jury took just 45 minutes to reach a decision and its award was twice what Shaaban sought, according to the Capital Gazette, which reported the skin-crawling details of the case earlier.
The court heard that Shaaban moved into the home owned by the defendant, Cornelius J. Barrett and West Street Partnership, in September 2011, and was soon covered in "scabs and lesions from head to toe" according to the Gazette. Whitney asserted that Barrett knew all along the house was infested with the blood-sucking insects and had been ordered by the city to eradicate the problem. A county housing worker inspected Shaaban's bites the following April and told her they were from bedbugs. Shaaban then reported Barrett, who took several retaliatory measures, including eviction.
Bed Bug Problem Prompts Lawsuit Against Concord Apartment Landlord
October 24, 2013 6:23 AM
A ‘bed bug nymph, Cimex lectularius (CDCP)
CONCORD (CBS SF) — More than a dozen residents of a Concord apartment
complex are suing their landlord over an array of issues, including a bed bug infestation.
KPIX 5 reporter Juliette Goodrich saw the infestation first hand, in an apartment where bed bug waste covered the ceiling, and live bed bugs could be plucked from drapes.
While some residents covered their mattresses in plastic, Jim LaRosa had to throw his in the trash.
“I bought a new bed, and it was infested again,” said LaRosa, who had lived in the complex for 16 years.
LaRosa and other residents, including children were covered in bites from the pests, which feed on blood, and usually bite at night.
The lawsuit claims the apartment is infested with bed bugs, and the tenants are living in substandard housing conditions. But, the apartment manager says they have repeatedly sprayed and painted the units, only for the bugs to keep coming back, and not just to those apartments.
“All of the apartments have bed bugs, it’s not just here, it’s all of them,” apartment manager Leo Oceano said.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages to eradicate the bed bug problem for good.
HOTEL SUES GUEST FOR 95K OVER BAD REVIEW, BEDBUGS
The night of April 26th, Laurent Azoulay stayed with his son and entire sports team at the Hotel Quebec, one in a popular chain on the avenues des Hôtels. In the middle of the night, Laurent woke with a startle as he felt bed bugs biting his leg. He had the presence of mind to trap a few of the perpetrators in a glass for proof before migrating down to the front desk.
As the particular hotel was full for the night, the managers offered him $40 for the inconvenience and to move him to an available room in a nearby hotel, also in the Jaro chain, promising that tomorrow a clean room would be available at the Hotel Quebec. Mr. Azoulay refused to relocate, and the next afternoon settled up and quit the chain entirely – though not before telling guests he passed about the bugs, convincing them they should pack up as well. Notably, he told the director of the hotel that she should “get on her knees and beg him not to tell this story to anyone.”
But he did tell the story: the next day, he wrote a scathing review on the hugely popular website, Trip Advisor, which features prominently the presence of bed bugs. And he was right that Jaro Hotels should have begged: travelers hearing about the potential infestation don’t want to risk their personal belongings and health; the review is an objective deterrent. Since Mr. Azoulay’s stay and subsequent critique, Jaro Hotels has been inundated with calls assessing the issue and reports a real dip in business. The hotel does not dispute the presence of bed bugs that night but vehemently asserts Mr. Azoulay’s room was the only one affected in the hotel and chain at large. No other incidents of the kind have been reported at least in recent history, and the hotel has vowed to do everything it can to avoid a recurrence of the issue.
Despite entreaties, the review remains; Mr. Azoulay refuses to take it down, and now, for the reputation damage and lost profits it has caused, the hotel’s GM Jacques Robitaille has filed a lawsuit against Mr. Azoulay for $95,000. Sigh. A lot of lessons here.
The episode presents another classic example of why the customer is always right, especially in the digital age. It is not worth getting your business locked into a blow-out; you maximize the issue and attract further publicity, the “Streisand Effect” at work. No matter what happened behind the scenes, in the spotlight of the media, first they were the hotel with bed bugs and now they’re the hotel suing their guests. Now it’s been decided the matter is worth 95K, the possibility of going back in time and settling probably looks pretty attractive to both parties; perhaps now the hotel would consider more than $40 to compensate for the inconvenience. While in some cases any buzz is good buzz, here not so much, and in hospitality, we imagine it’s difficult to bounce back from this kind of stigma.
Interestingly, this case raises legitimate questions about establishment/reviewer relationships as we find equilibrium in this new democratic, user-oriented system. On the one hand, what right do customers have to post reviews that negatively affect the business of the establishment? One has learned to be wary of the narrative that casts negative reviewers as Robin Hoods, getting the truth out as the corporation tries to smooth over glitches with a paid-for profile. As we saw earlier this week with Andy Johnston, Area Sales Manager for Groupon, this kind of negative attention around reviews has the power to make or break you and customers are not afraid to use it. We want to believe that critics use their reviewing power for good but that’s hardly the case, especially when the majority of unsolicited reviews are written by unhappy customers. When your business is threatened, shouldn’t you be able to protect yourself? Is filing a lawsuit for lost business your best option, a way to adopt even more strongly the position that you are an upstanding business?
On the other hand, what right does the corporation have to silence legitimate criticism on threat of a law suit? This guy from Montreal trapped the very bed bugs in a glass; he caught them in the act and no one’s denying it. When he was woken in the night by a bug bite, doesn’t he have the right to share his opinion with fellow customers as they evaluate how to spend their money? What are reviews supposed to be if not real accounts of customer experiences?
If the incident this April is anomalous, then we can feel sorry for the hotel; if standards are lax, however, we applaud their comeuppance. Either way, the press and lawsuit seem like a lot of hubbub over one night’s stay, and let this be a lesson to your business to settle with disgruntled customers before they alert the media.
We offer Free In Home Estimates!
We specialize in bed bug thermal remediation techniques. Heat is the most effective way to kill bed bugs in one treatment. We raise the internal temperature of the area being treated to approx 140-160 degrees and maintain those temperatures for approx 4 hours. This process kills all life stages including the eggs. Our full structure treatments include a K-9 follow up inspection by a third party company to verify the treatment was successful and also include a 30 day service warranty. We also have a bed bug equipment rental services available. Please Contact us at 480-304-5649 to learn more about our services.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Bed Bugs are Book Worms
In recent news bed bugs have closed down the entire 3rd floor of the University of Utah's library.
Bed Bugs Close Third Floor Of University Of Utah Library
Bed Bugs Close Third Floor Of University Of Utah Library
(KUTV) The third floor of the University of Utah library is closed until further notice, as pest control deals with a bed bug infestation.
"We don't know where they came from or how they got into the building, but it's not atypical," said interim communications director for the university, Valoree Dowell. "The third floor is closed in an abundance of caution just because we want to make sure that they're going to get rid of all of them."
A student on Tuesday spotted the blood-sucking insects and reported the sighting to security.
On Thursday, a gate kept students from walking up the stairs to the third floor of the J. Willard Marriott building, and the elevator no longer stopped at that level.
"Well, I think that's why I have a rash probably on the bottom of my back for like the last week," said creeped-out sophomore Josh Klingensmith, who suddenly began to realize why he was itchy. "Like, little bug bites and stuff."
Neil Swan read a sign about the bed bugs posted on a wall, before taking a seat on the second floor to study for midterms and hang out with a friend.
"Usually, I spend a couple hours up there each day," Swan said. "You kind of don't want to hear there's bed bugs in the chair you're sitting in."
Student Malynne Cottam has been seeing the floor slowly closed off more over the past two days. But she isn't too concerned about the pests.
"I lived on campus, and we had them in one of the houses I lived in," Cottam said. "It's annoying, but I guess they know what they're doing and can take care of it."
Bed bug bites can cause rashes and, rarely, allergic reactions. The presence of the insects doesn't necessarily indicate the place is unclean. They are often found in highly populated places where people sit or sleep. The university library averages 1.8 million entrances a year.
"Pests like bed bugs are not uncommon in places where humans congregate. So it's not uncommon to find them in public facilities," Dowell said.
Many students are not surprised, considering the atmosphere of the library.
"It's pretty laid back. People, you know, they take off their shoes. They kick back and relax," Swan said. "People do sleep a lot."
Dowell said pest control will determine what method of removing the bugs is best, but a common process is to use heat, getting the furniture up to 140 degrees to kill the pests.
"It's very, very isolated," Dowell said of the infestation in one or two areas of the third floor. "It isn't a public health risk; it's a nuisance."
University officials are not sure when pest control will be finished. They hope to reopen the floor in a couple days.
"There are ample places in the library for [students and guests] to gather still," Dowell said. "And if there are any materials on that floor that they need, they can get them through the reserve desk."
By Christine McCarthy
Original Story:
"We don't know where they came from or how they got into the building, but it's not atypical," said interim communications director for the university, Valoree Dowell. "The third floor is closed in an abundance of caution just because we want to make sure that they're going to get rid of all of them."
A student on Tuesday spotted the blood-sucking insects and reported the sighting to security.
On Thursday, a gate kept students from walking up the stairs to the third floor of the J. Willard Marriott building, and the elevator no longer stopped at that level.
"Well, I think that's why I have a rash probably on the bottom of my back for like the last week," said creeped-out sophomore Josh Klingensmith, who suddenly began to realize why he was itchy. "Like, little bug bites and stuff."
Neil Swan read a sign about the bed bugs posted on a wall, before taking a seat on the second floor to study for midterms and hang out with a friend.
"Usually, I spend a couple hours up there each day," Swan said. "You kind of don't want to hear there's bed bugs in the chair you're sitting in."
Student Malynne Cottam has been seeing the floor slowly closed off more over the past two days. But she isn't too concerned about the pests.
"I lived on campus, and we had them in one of the houses I lived in," Cottam said. "It's annoying, but I guess they know what they're doing and can take care of it."
Bed bug bites can cause rashes and, rarely, allergic reactions. The presence of the insects doesn't necessarily indicate the place is unclean. They are often found in highly populated places where people sit or sleep. The university library averages 1.8 million entrances a year.
"Pests like bed bugs are not uncommon in places where humans congregate. So it's not uncommon to find them in public facilities," Dowell said.
Many students are not surprised, considering the atmosphere of the library.
"It's pretty laid back. People, you know, they take off their shoes. They kick back and relax," Swan said. "People do sleep a lot."
Dowell said pest control will determine what method of removing the bugs is best, but a common process is to use heat, getting the furniture up to 140 degrees to kill the pests.
"It's very, very isolated," Dowell said of the infestation in one or two areas of the third floor. "It isn't a public health risk; it's a nuisance."
University officials are not sure when pest control will be finished. They hope to reopen the floor in a couple days.
"There are ample places in the library for [students and guests] to gather still," Dowell said. "And if there are any materials on that floor that they need, they can get them through the reserve desk."
By Christine McCarthy
Original Story:
http://www.kutv.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_7702.shtml
Friday, October 18, 2013
Feeling the Bed Bugs Bite!
In a recent article titled,"Bed Bugs' Bites Being Felt More Often,"written by Eric Pera of the Ledger, explains a woman's recent encounter with bed bugs.
"Debra Patterson is not entirely free of the tiny, biting bed bugs that recently ravaged her Lakeland home, forcing her to toss bedding and much of her furnishings and contributing to a loss of sleep.
Even now, weeks after repetitive chemical treatments rendered her two-bedroom apartment bug free, Patterson, 55, imagines the blood-feeding night critters on her skin and scurrying in the dark.
“I've been in Florida my entire life and I've never experienced something like that,” she said. “And if you're really paranoid of bugs like I am, it will really do something to you.”
Similar to a tick in size and shape, Cimex lectularius is making a comeback after a nearly 50-year absence, though some experts say numbers are leveling off after peeking over the past 10 years.
While especially prevalent in the Midwest and in colder climates, the bugs that even give pest control workers the willies appear to be taking Central Florida by storm, and not just in hotels and motels.
Bed bugs are a problem in all segments of society, from college dormitories to homeless shelters.
Talbot House Ministries in Lakeland has been bedeviled by the insects for months. After repeated attempts to eradicate the pests with insecticide, the shelter turned to a pest control company that used steam heat to penetrate baseboards, cracks and crevices."
Turning to a pest control company is often what is needed to rid your home of these hard to kill pests. However, the company that was chosen used Fumigation as a method to treat her home. An expensive, non-discrete method that requires the home owner to throw away their household items.
Before treating her home for the insects, the exterminator made it painfully clear to Patterson that tossing infected furnishings – a mattress and box spring, sofa, love seat, cushioned dining room chairs, a wardrobe – would protect her from re-infestation.
Having recently losing a job she had held for 13 years, and suffering from the crippling symptoms of fibromyalgia, a disorder causing pain throughout the body, along with chronic fatigue, Patterson said she was distraught over the episode of dealing with bed bugs.
She pitched her furnishings. Took every cloth item in her household to a laundromat. Borrowed a cot to sleep on. And sits on a folding camp chair to watch TV.
“It's awful, I felt like I was about to lose my mind,” she said. “I didn't even want to come home.”
At EcoForce Heat Systems we offer Heat Remediation strategies that are discrete, cost effective and that DO NOT require the customer to throw their belongings away. Heat is the best way to eliminate bed bugs. Heat Treatments introduce hot air into the home through ducts, bed bugs have a very low heat tolerance and cannot survive in temperatures between 120-140 degrees.
We offer heat treatments as low as $250 for an equipment rental, whole home treatments, K9 inspections through a 3rd party company, and we guarantee our work. Our technicians are professional, highly trained and skilled in bed bug remediation-because that's all we do. Our company focuses 100% of our efforts on BED BUGS.
Call us today at 480-304-5649 or toll free at 855-4-ECOFORCE
To read the full article:
http://www.theledger.com/article/20131014/news/131019583?p=3&tc=pg
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