Is a house better than an apartment? « Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums

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Is a house better than an apartment?

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Chester2

newbite
Joined: Sep '09
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Posted 3 years ago
Thu Sep 3 2009 14:01:21
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My family and I have been considering purchasing a home anyway, bedbugs or not. But we also considered condos and coops. Do you think a house is safer and less likely to have persistent bedbug problems than an attached apartment in a building?

If so, could you point me in the direction of research in this area? links?

We recently got treated by a PCO in our apartment in a building that is attached to other buildings. The landlords only treated our apartment even though I urged him to treat the building. But if the building is attached to another building then does it even matter? At this point this is our second time getting bedbugs (the first was a little over a year ago). We DO NOT want to deal with them again, obviously. I am looking for ways to reduce our chances of getting them, and enhance my chances of dealing with them if we get them. For that reason a detached house seems like the way to go.

Your thoughts?

Thank you for reading my first post! This has been a very helpful site, both for knowledge and general feeling better about it all.
bedbuggedout

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Posted 3 years ago
Thu Sep 3 2009 17:11:32
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I am wondering the same thing, I would really like to know what people think.

I personally think that a home would better as far as treatment goes because then you aren't relying on other people in the building to comply as well as the landlord trying to save a buck just treating your apartment and not the whole building.

Our landlord did the same, and just treated ours and the lady upstairs got them, and then immediately moved out and did not act as bait to draw them over the poison after treatments, so I'm wondering if they've made their merry way back down here yet.....

ack.
buggyinsocal

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Posted 3 years ago
Thu Sep 3 2009 19:47:29
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Houses are generally larger and cost more to treat since most treatment quotes rely on square footage as part of the calculation.

On the other hand, you have a lot more control over a single-family house in that the bugs aren't likely to migrate to a neighbor who might be unwilling to allow inspection or treatment.
DeathToAllBBs

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Posted 3 years ago
Thu Sep 3 2009 21:35:33
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If you have a house, it's pricier depending on the size. There are small houses. But in a condo or apartment complex, you're dependent on too many other things like other tenants, landlords or coop association. If it's connected, there's the ability for these buggers to get in. Of course, they can also come in through stupid furniture deliveries if a company picks up old furniture or mattresses on the same truck. Or you could sit in a cinema and get one on your pants and bring it home. Not as likely, but I'm in a situation where I might have brought them home from my work and am worried about this and extremely paranoid of every little spec of dust.

A house is definitely better for treatment purposes. Might be more costly, but once it's done, it's not a matter of getting someone else to fix their part of it.
lil_bit_obsessed

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Posted 3 years ago
Sat Sep 5 2009 13:53:00
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i'm in a house now (was in an apartment two years ago when i had my bb escapade). i personally feel safer in a house, although at the end of the day i know that houses can become infested too, and sometimes from unexpected sources. however knowing that i would have control over the treatment if i ever had to deal with bbs again does make me feel better.

that having been said, i know of no studies/research to back up my assumption that being in a house is safer. it may just be an irrational assumption that i hold on to for the sake of personal reassurance. i know that in a building with proper treatment, bb infestations can be eradicated. and i also know that if your apartment neighbors are educated as to the risks of bbs, and are provided with some steps to avoid getting them (inspecting second hand items, inspecting hotel room beds, etc) that the risk *can* be considerably less. the key is education and openness.