It's Fall...
The weather is nice...
The leaves are changing...
It's football season...
The Ravens are winning...
And...
The pests are out.
Here is a tale of my very pesty week:
Bed Bugs: Literally, a pain in the (fill in the blank). I thought this was just a saying, or a made up term. But they're for real, and they really do bite. Getting rid of them is a major deal. It's not something I could do on my own - I had to call an exterminator. My tenant had to discard his mattress and pillow, bag up all of his clothes and move out for two days while his apartment was bombed (just an extermination term). Cost of the chemical treatment: $400.
Cigarette Beetle: Another tenant called to tell me that there are termites swarming all over her apartment. I call my exterminator...AGAIN...and asked them to inspect the building and deal with it. (By the way, I didn't think termites swarmed in the fall and I asked my exterminator about this. Much to my surprise - they do.) A termite treatment is likely to cost $600 or more. However, I was elated to find out it wasn't termites. It was a bug I'd never heard of: the Cigarette beetle. They're nasty bugs too, smokin' Marlboro reds, and always leaving butts behind. Once again, my tenant had to move out. The apartment was bombed. Cost: $150
Unnamed Pest: My final call of the week was from a tenant who said he had rats. He had a newborn and was worried the baby might be bitten, and it was a health hazard. Once again, I sent out my exterminator and it turned out they were a very small breed of rat called........mice. One thing worth doing with mice is to seal openings in your exterior with spray foam. Pay particular attention to plumbing lines, electrical lines, exhaust ducts, garage door seals, and any other small openings. In this case, I had my 
exterminator handle the removal. Cost: $300.
Pest Free Fall: Priceless
By the way, if you need the name of a great exterminator, give me a call.
Has anyone else had a pesty fall? Tell me your bug stories.
PS - If you're interested in how last week's situation with the heat pump turned out, send me an email. I'll reply with the happy ending.
Tim McIntyre, GRI
tmcintyre@cbmove.com
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Visit my website at www.timsellshomes.com.
Ellicott City Realtor, Catonsville Realtor serving Howard County, Carroll County and Baltimore County for more than 25 years.
Well, I am happy to say that none of my tenants have called regarding pests lately. Although, we did have to treat for subterranean termites at our home in Phoenix, which also has a cricket problem!!?? I have tried to convince the tenants that crickets are good luck and they sell actual cricket boxes to keep them as pets..... Anyways, that was last month and nothing new has cropped up. Hope you fall is pest free!!
Hey Debbie, Now that's a great idea I will tell all of my tenats to box any bug they can and sell it that way the can always pay the rent. Thanks