Illinois Congressman Robert Dold knows a thing or two about bed bugs.
"They're not like a typical pest control problem," Dold said during a phone interview with NBCChicago.com.
As the owner for Rose Pest control solutions, he's had to deal with his share of vermin through the years, and later this year he will speak at the North American Bed Bug Summit in Chicago Illinois
“His background as a small-business owner is running Rose Pest Solutions in Illinois," Dold spokeswoman Stephanie Zimmerman said. "Given his expertise in this area, he will be addressing the convention.”
The convention hits town Sept. 25 through 27.
But some Chicago residents need relief faster than that.
The Roger's Park neighborhood in Chicago is battling the critters with everything they've got, according to commenters on Everyblock.com.
Just wanted to let everyone know that a very good friend of mine was recently forced to move from his apartment at 6901 N. Ridge (NW corner of Ridge & Farwell, "bird cage apartments") due to bug infestation. After hundreds of dollars spent on exterminators and countless efforts to work with the landlord to solve the problem and still no progress, he finally had enough. I stayed there for a couple weekends and ended up with more then two dozen bites all over me.
If you live in the area, make sure to take precautions to avoid bugs. If you're looking to move into the 6901 N. Ridge building, DON'T!!!!!!!
Local
Robert Mancuso says the location has been logged on Bedbugregistry.com, and that the infestation is not the fault of the landlord who rents the building. The building has been treated by exterminators multiple times, proving the resilience of the pests.
NBC Chicago tried to reach the landlord with no luck.
Dold wasn't surprised to hear about the problem.
"The reason we're seeing a resurgence in bed bugs is because of an increase in foreign travel," he said, noting that the trouble occurs most often in urban areas like Rogers Park. "Area's with multi-tenant housing are at risk because if one tenant has them and doesn't solve the problem they will spread."
Dold says there are solutions. A newer method is to use heat treatments.
"If you can raise the temperature of the room to between 125 and 135 degrees and sustain if for a period of 4 hours or more you can drive them out," Dold said while noting there is a cost involved in the treatment.
The residents of the Rogers Park building might want to put some heat on their landlords.
Read more comments on this and other stories at Everyblock.com.
