Bed Bugs

[mike802]

Hi Folks:  How has everyone been doing?  I haven't been around for a while, so I thought I would stop in and say hi.  I have been thinking a lot lately about bed bugs, I hear they are making a come back and are becoming a national problem in the US.  Here in Vermont they are calling it an epidemic!  This is a problem I don't want to have in my shop, especially since my shop is located in my home.  Have any of you run into this before and if so what have you done about it?  I understand if you don't want to say anything, but just maybe you know of a friend of a friend who may have had this problem LOL.  But seriously it is being reported that one home in three is having this problem in the US right now.  The last time I signed in and talked to some of my old upholstery pals I was considering retiring from the reupholstery business and I still am, but for some reason I am still carrying on, but with this bed bug thing I just might follow through and finally throw in the towel.  I am considering doing a close inspection of any furniture before it comes into my shop, well I mean from now on I WILL be doing a close inspection before any furniture comes into my shop, but even that is no guarantee the furniture is bug free as the eggs are very small and they hid well.  I don't know guys this is really freaking me out.   

[SteveA]

Here in NY we hear about it and for myself have not seen any first hand thank goodness - ........I would add the concern has not grown here outside of the initial alert when we first heard about these bugs which back several years were mostly reported by folks staying in hotels.

Have you filmed anymore of those great videos ?  I hadn't looked at your site in a long time since you have been quiet here 

SA

[gene]

I have never dealt with bed bugs. My customers tend to be more affluent and have higher end furniture and if they have a problem with bed bugs they take care of it immediately. So bed bugs have never gotten to my shop.

A guy down the sidewalk from me has a floor carpet store. He mainly puts carpet into apartments. He said he deals with bed bugs all the time. I stay away from him. LOL

The news media runs off of negative news. "If it bleeds it leads. If it does not bleed, we will spin it so it looks like it's bleeding." There is a regular cycle in the news media of reporting bed bugs as an epidemic. A few years ago I followed up on some of these stories and the bed bug population was not getting worse, it was only being made to look worse by the news media.


With that being said, I think our country is going down the toilet in terms of quality of life. And with so many illegals coming into our country, and anti vaxers, we now have tuberculosis and many other diseases that we had once gotten rid of. Our poor educational system does not allow for adequate teaching of proper hygiene for many areas of our country. Many people live with bed bugs and head lice as a normal part of their lives. 8th and 9th and 10 generation welfare recipients are not a sign of success in my mind.

I think bed bugs are a big concern in our business, as are any bug infestation problem. But there are ways to deal with bugs effectively. You can always spray all furniture you take in with Sterifab if you see problems or even have concerns. https://www.sterifab.com/

If you read my comments I'll bet you $1.27 that you were scratching your head while reading. :-)

gene

[mike802]

"Have you filmed anymore of those great videos ?  I hadn't looked at your site in a long time since you have been quiet here"  Thanks Steve for your input on the Bed Bugs.  Yes I still post videos to my YouTube channel, I average about one a month.

Gene:  My clients also tend to be affluent, mostly second home owners often working through a decorator.  I have never taken in a piece that was infested with bugs.  I have found many disgusting things in peoples furniture, once a giant bee hive, but never bed bugs.  I am not one to fall for medias hype and I found most of my information on bed bugs through the Vermont Dep. of Agriculture, but it was the media that led me to looking into the situation.   It seems since DDT was banned bed bugs have been making a come back and now are reported to infect one house in three.  VT Dep. of Ag. believes it may actually be higher than that because many people are to embarrassed to report an infestation.  I have heard that new furniture can be delivered with bed bugs if the truck used to make the delivery is also used to remove old furniture, especially mattresses.  Bed Bugs can be picked up at movie theaters, restaurants, motels, any place people frequent.  I would think you could pick them up if you rubbed up against the wrong person.  Guests that come into your shop, or home could also bring along the uninvited little guests.  I want to be proactive and take precautions against an infestation before it happens.  I found whats called a bug tent on amazon, you put furniture, or any belongings in it and the interior is heated to 120 degrees F or better for a couple of hours.  This is supposed to kill the bugs and any eggs, cost depends on size, but one big enough to put a sofa in is around $1500.00 and it takes 4 20 amp outlets to run the thing.  I have heard that unless the spray in question is for bed bugs specifically results will be lack luster.   

[kodydog]

My biggest problem is silver fish. I spray the shop twice a year and this seems to do the trick. I hear bed bugs are much harder to kill.

I've never heard if a device that runs off of 4 20 amp outlets.

[SteveA]

Here locally in NY they run commercials featuring Roscoe the Bed Bug dog who sniffs out the insects for treatment.  They also show a sprayer that delivers frozen air that kills the bugs without smell or harming fabrics of electronics.  A lot of services up here are only 100 amps ?
SA

[kodydog]

We owned a small 2 bedroom house in St Augustine with 100 amp service. I asked an electrician if I could simply switch out the 100 amp main  breakers for 150. He said only if you want to start a fire. Um, no 

[Mojo]

Upgrading a 100 amp service to 200 amp requires a new breaker panel. It also includes the electric company coming out and upgrading the meter if needed. Most new homes are 200 amp service now days. I have upgraded several homes to 200 amp from 100 amp before and it is not a big problem. I just hated re-attaching all the wires to the new breakers. 

Mike, I could see bed bugs being a huge problem for an upholsterer. You get a sofa brought in that is infested and an outbreak occurs in your shop and then all the furniture you finish and ship out has bed bugs. That is one scary scenario. I would hate to think of the blow back from customers and liability of that happening. Imagine reading a welp review " Took my sofa in for recovering and got it back loaded with bed bugs. Now my whole house has them and I had to pay for an exterminator. " YIKES ............

I have been curious to know how your Bus project has come along.

Mojo