Advice for Treating BedBugs Arizona Problems

" Treating a Bedbugs Arizona problem has the same challenges as those faced in other areas of the country. Fortunately, in Arizona laws have been passed that specifically address landlord and tenant responsibilities in fighting a bed bug infestation. In Arizona, landlords cannot lease an apartment that they know has bed bugs. Tenants are required to notify landlords when a bed bug problem exists and they cannot bring items that are infested with bed bugs into an apartment. As along as the tenant acted in good faith, landlords are obligated to pay for treatment (review law below). Find below a list of local resources and advice for fighting any Arizona bed bugs infestation."

Arizona has not been immune from bed bugs infestations, with many reports from the Phoenix area in particular. If you find you have bed bugs, do not throw out your furniture, mattress or any other items as in most cases this is not necessary. Instead either notify your managing agent if you are a tenant requesting treatment or if you are a homeowner call a professional exterminator (see below for suggestions) or purchase a do it yourself kit (see below for required bed bug products).

Bedbugs Arizona Reports in the Phoenix Area total over 200
Source: BedBugRegistry

The good news for most of Arizona, is that extreme heat, approximately 114 F will kill bed bugs. So if you are traveling, leave your suitcases in a car parked in the direct sun, as this should minimize the risk of bringing bed bugs into your home.

Landlord and Tenant Arizona Bed Bug Laws

Arizona has some of the best laws for protecting tenants who are suffering from a bed bug infestation. Tenants are obligated to report an infestation in writing the moment they become aware that there is a problem.

Landlords have the following obligations under Arizona bed bug law:

Landlords cannot lease apartments that they know have bed bugs.
Within 7 days after being notified of a bed bug infestation, landlords must arrange for an inspection and after the inspection they must arrange for treatment.
Landlords must pay for treatment, unless the tenant did not immediately report the problem in writing or if the tenant knowingly brought infested furniture or other items into the apartment.
If the landlord fails to eliminate the problem, then you can pay for treatment and bill the landlord. As a suggestion, be sure you have a lawyer or local government official who can help you through the process such as someone from the Attorney Generals office (see directly below).

Do not assume that your landlord is paying for the treatment as there are several provisions that make it the tenants responsibility. In general, landlords need to act within 7 days and pay for treatment. Be sure to confirm this with your landlord. You can read the Arizona Bed Bug Law here.

If your landlord has not eliminated the problem, or is not following the statute, then first, contact your local Arizona Attorney General's office which you can find here.

If the Attorney General cannot help mediate the dispute between you and the landlord/managing agency, then hire a lawyer or contact a free Arizona legal aide society in your area to see if they will help you enforce the law.

When Traveling or Purchasing a Home - Check for Bedbugs First

When planning to sleep in any new bed, check it for bed bugs. Most bed bugs (80%) are hiding on, in and around the bed. Small red or brown spots, or finding the bed bugs themselves is a sure sign. Check before brining any luggage into the room.

picture bed bugs mattress
What to Look for When Traveling:
Picture Bed Bugs Fecal Stains on Mattress

Avoid purchasing used furniture, particularly if you live in a major city, since this is the surest way of spreading bed bugs from home to home. Bedbugs only move 20 feet at most from where they are transported, so if you have a bed bug problem, it either spread from an adjoining apartment, or you carried them into your living area yourself. It has nothing to do with cleanliness.

Bedbugs Arizona: Deciding to Hire an Exterminator or to Try a Do It Yourself Approach

The first decision is to either take a do it yourself approach or call in a professional when combating bedbugs.

Hiring a Bedbugs Arizona Exterminator:

We always suggest using a professional as bed bugs are one of the most difficult insects to treat. Hiring an exterminator can be expensive with inspections costing from $50 to $500 (a bed bug sniffing dog is used on the high end), and approximately $900 a room for treatment. Methods such as heat remediation, where an entire home is heated to kill bed bugs can cost as much as $5000. If you live in an apartment, it is always best to write in a dated letter to the landlord or managing agent to request a bed bug inspection and treatment.

Given the high cost of using an exterminator, be sure to get multiple price quotes since each exterminator will have different methods and experience. Always request a guarantee since 2 to 3 treatments are often needed. We suggest starting with quotes from the exterminator network Service Magic since they will provide up to 3 free quotes (phone 1.877.233.1145) and screen members to make sure they are locally licensed and insured.

Do It Yourself Bed Bug Treatment

Do it yourself treatment is a viable option in a single family home, particularly if you caught the problem early. If you are going to kill the bed bugs yourself, you must buy a kit, since this is the most economical approach to purchasing the multiple products needed.

A typical kit will include (all bed bug sprays mentioned below have been tested and can kill insecticide resistant bed bugs):

Bed Bug Mattress Safe knock down Spray such as Sterifab to kill bed bugs and eggs on contact.
A residual or longer lasting spray such as Phantom which will create a "killing field" for killing bed bugs that you missed or late hatching bed bugs. Bedlam is a good alternative.
Natural Fossil Dust (also called bed bug dust or diatomaceous earth)

Some kits also contain optional products such as:

Hand Steamer
Book on Bed Bugs
Zippered Mattress and Box Spring Cover
Itch cream for bed bug bites

Popular kits which contain all natural products are available from Dermisil or consider this insecticide based bed bug kit.

For complete instructions, see our guide for getting rid of bed bugs.

Control BedBugs in Arizona Local News

Hotel bed bug battle: Guest say they are blamed for it?
- 15.com

Bed Bugs Invade, Overwhelm Phoenix Home
- KPHO

New Weapon Used to Battle Bed Bugs
- KPHO

Bed bugs keeping Arizona exterminators busy
- abc15.com

BedBugs Arizona Government Resources

Arizona Department of Health Services - Presentation on Bedbugs

Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences,
The University of Arizona - How to Bug Proof Your Home

BedBugs Arizona Registry

To see if an Arizona hotel or address has had a bed bug problem, check the Bed Bug Registry.

Bedbugs Arizona Pest Control Companies

Scottsdale Area: Call Atomic Pest Control for Bedbugs Arizona help and for other pest control services such as bees, weeds, termites, insects. rodents, cockroaches, bugs and other pets.

Removing bedbugs Arizona problems from your home or apartment can cost $1000 or more. We suggest getting 3 free quotes from companies in Arizona using the Service Magic network. There is also a form on this site which will provide referrals on bed bug pest control experts from the Arizona Yellow Pages.