BedBugWizard

Bed Bugs in Philadelphia

Last reviewed:

Philadelphia is a city of row homes. Whole blocks are built as continuous strings of narrow houses that share party walls, and many have been split into apartments over the years. That building style is the single most important thing to understand about bed bugs here: your neighbors on both sides are physically attached to your walls.

Why row homes spread bed bugs differently

Bed bugs do not need a door to move between homes. In a row, they can crawl through gaps where party walls meet floors and ceilings, along pipes and electrical lines, and through cracks around baseboards. Older homes with plaster-and-lath walls and basements that run the length of the block offer plenty of hidden paths. A bug problem in one house can therefore show up next door weeks later, even if both households keep spotless homes.

The practical lesson is that treating only your own house may not be enough. A thorough treatment includes inspecting both adjoining homes, and in a subdivided row home it includes the other apartments in the same building. If you own the home, talk to your neighbors early and kindly; if you rent, the owner is the one who can arrange access.

If you find bed bugs

  • Capture a specimen and take photographs. Note the date you first noticed signs.
  • Tell your landlord in writing. Keep a copy and any replies. If you rent a room or apartment in a converted row home, tell the owner even if you live in the unit alone.
  • Do not move furniture to a basement, porch or another room to "isolate" it. That tends to create a second infestation.
  • Wash and heat-dry bedding and clothes, store clean items in sealed bags, and use zippered encasements on the mattress and box spring.

Treatment considerations

Row homes are often multi-story and narrow, with steep stairs and tight bedrooms. That affects the crew's setup for heat treatment, where equipment and power need to reach every floor, and it makes preparation important since cluttered rooms and basements are hard to treat. Ask whether the basement and any shared party-wall areas will be treated, since bugs can retreat there.

What to ask a local exterminator

  • Will you inspect both adjoining houses, and how do you deal with neighbors who refuse access?
  • How will you treat party walls, baseboards and the basement?
  • Does the price include re-treatment if bugs return, and for how long?
  • Can you give me a written description of everything you plan to do?

Official resources

Tenants in Philadelphia can report housing conditions through the Department of Licenses and Inspections, which handles property and housing code issues. Tenant legal aid organizations can explain how Pennsylvania and city rules apply to your lease. This site cannot provide legal advice.

Related guides

Request a match with pest control companies serving Philadelphia and compare quotes before you commit.