Bed Bugs in Denver
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Denver's housing includes brick bungalows, duplexes, converted houses, large apartment complexes and newer high-rise towers. A mix of renters and owners, plus plenty of people moving into the city, means bed bugs can show up in any building type.
Your first week
- Identify the bug. A sealed bag with a specimen, plus photos of droppings along mattress seams, gives a professional something to confirm.
- Report it to whoever manages your building, in writing, and keep a copy. In a small building the owner may be close by; in a larger one, go through the management office.
- Contain your own belongings. Wash and dry bedding on high heat, and keep clean items in sealed bags away from the infested room.
- Tell the units next to yours if you have good relations with them, or ask the landlord to. Early notice limits the spread.
Bungalows, duplexes and apartment complexes
In a single-family bungalow, the problem usually stays within one household, so treatment is simpler and spread is mostly through belongings. In duplexes and apartment complexes, bugs can travel through shared walls, ceilings and hallways, and treatment is most effective when neighboring units are inspected at the same time as yours.
If you rent, tell management in writing and keep a copy. The owner or manager is the party who can authorize a treatment that covers more than one unit.
Dry air and treatment timing
Colorado's dry air does not reliably kill bed bugs, and a cold snap does not either, so do not rely on leaving windows open or heat off. Heat treatment works any time of year; if you do it in winter, plan where your family and pets will stay for the day, and tell your exterminator about heat-sensitive items such as instruments or electronics.
What to ask a local exterminator
- Are you licensed to do structural pest control in Colorado?
- Is your treatment a one-visit heat treatment or a multi-visit program, and what does each cost?
- What is the written guarantee, and what do I need to do to keep it valid?
- What preparation do you need from me, and can I get it in writing?
Official resources
For help with a rental, start with your city or county's housing or code enforcement office, and check your state's pest control licensing agency to confirm an exterminator's license. A local legal aid group can tell you what your lease and local rules say about pest problems. This site is not legal advice.
Related guides
- How to tell if you have bed bugs
- What bed bug bites look like
- How to prepare for treatment
- How heat treatment works
- How much treatment costs
- DIY versus a professional
- Where bed bugs come from
- Checking a hotel room
- Bed bug guides for other cities
Request a match with pest control companies serving Denver and compare quotes before you commit.