Being a company based out of New Westminster, British Columbia we like to keep a pulse on what is taking place in our local community. Very recently, news has hit that the local library had a case of the bed bugs. Naturally this spawned many questions and concerns from the community.  On Wednesday November 9, 2011 Wanda Chow of the NewsLeader newspaper addressed this topic and published a very well written and highly relevant article titled “Avoiding the Bedbug Bite.”

In case you did not have the opportunity to read this article we wanted to share with you some of the key points put forth. Chow reports that an astonishing $721,000 over a 12-month period has been spent by BC Housing in an effort to fight bedbugs in 43 of its 49 housing complexes in the Lower Mainland. Additionally, she raises the issue that individuals have become so averse to bedbugs that online bedbug registries have been created to document cases of bedbugs found in hotels and apartments.  An example of a bedbug registry can be found at http://bedbugregistry.com/

Now with Bedbugs making headlines and becoming an increasingly more common problem, it is important for everyone to understand what exactly they are up against. Bedbugs, or Climicidae, are small nocturnal parasitic insects which feed on human blood. However, one thing to keep in mind when it comes to bedbugs is that these creatures do not seek out poverty stricken areas, as many would assume. They will make a home in any location that allows them to hide and has a food source. One only has to look at the many locations that are in the registries to see that this statement is true.

Here are some key facts about bedbugs that we should understand:

• Bedbugs are nocturnal pests that feed on human blood
• Adult bedbugs are 4-5mm long and 1.5-3mm wide
• Female bedbugs are rounder than males, similar to an apple in shape
• Bedbugs have been known to avoid areas that have been treated with chemicals
• Bedbugs can stay alive for up to a year without feeding
• They can live in temperatures that range from 14 degrees Fahrenheit to 112 degrees Fahrenheit
• The first signs of bedbugs is their black droppings which are about the size of a grain of sand
• They are known to carry more than 20 pathogens harmful to humans but, researchers believe they are not able to transmit diseases to their hosts from feeding

Typically, lead-based paint is found in older homes. Whether or not your home contains lead depends on when your home was built and painted. According to Health Canada, homes built before 1960 likely contain lead-based paint. For homes built after 1980, they are unlikely to contain levels of lead in interior paint to be worried about but exterior paints may contain lead. By 1992, all consumer paints in Canada and the U.S. were nearly lead –free meaning that if your home was built after this time, there is no need for concern.

Mould is a particular type of fungus.

Factors that affect the growth of Fungi:

• Light
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Water Activity

Human bodies respond in three basic ways to contaminants such as mould: