NYC Bed Bug Treatment | Heat & IPM | Big Apple Pest Control

Bed bugs are one of the most stubborn pests in New York City, and they spread fast through the shared walls, hallways and laundry rooms of apartment buildings and brownstones. A single fertilised female can start a new infestation, which is why DIY sprays almost always fail — they scatter bugs into wall voids and adjacent units instead of killing the population.

Our bed bug programme starts with a full inspection (visual and, where needed, canine detection) to map every harbourage point: mattress seams, box springs, headboards, baseboards, outlets and furniture joints. We then treat with a combination of residual products and, for heavy infestations, whole-room heat that raises the space above the lethal threshold for eggs and adults alike.

Because New York law requires landlords to disclose a building's bed bug history, getting documented, professional treatment matters for tenants and owners. We provide clear documentation of the work performed and a return inspection to confirm the infestation is gone.

Bed bugs in a NYC apartment: what the law requires and what treatment actually takes

Local Law 69 of 2017 requires all multiple dwelling property owners to attempt to obtain the bed bug infestation history from the tenant or unit owner, including whether eradication measures were employed. Owners file annually between December 1 and December 31, for the previous year running November 1 through October 31, and HPD makes the submitted information publicly available through HPDONLINE. Documented professional treatment is what an owner reports, which is why a clear service record matters to landlords and tenants alike. (NYC HPD — Bed Bugs)

A property owner must either provide the bedbug annual report filing receipt to each tenant — upon commencement of a new lease and with each lease renewal — or post the filing receipt in a prominent location in the building. The owner must also either distribute to each tenant or post the DOHMH "Stop Bedbugs Safely" guide. Separately, New York State law requires property owners to disclose bedbug infestation history dating back one year to new tenants through the Bedbug Disclosure Form. (NYC HPD — Bed Bugs)

NYC Health states that tenants in New York City have the right to a bedbug-free environment and that bedbugs are specifically named in the list of insects building owners are legally required to eradicate. New York City lists bedbugs as a Class B violation, meaning they are considered hazardous and the landlord has 30 days to correct the problem, must get rid of the infestation, and must keep the affected units from becoming infested again. Property owners must also provide tenants with a written bedbug history notice disclosing any bedbug infestations in the building in the past year. (NYC Health (DOHMH) — Bedbugs: Information for Tenants and Building Owners)

NYC Health tells building owners that when an apartment is found to have bedbugs they should notify and inspect all units across, above and below the infested one, hire a pest management professional, give tenants advance notice of planned pesticide use, and be wary of companies that make unrealistic claims about controlling an infestation with just one visit — seeking instead a company that provides a warranty and a follow-up visit. (NYC Health (DOHMH) — Bedbugs: Information for Tenants and Building Owners)

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) spread by hitchhiking and readily travel 5 to 20 feet from a harborage to a host. The US EPA warns that misidentifying an infestation lets them hitchhike a ride to someone else's home to start a new infestation — which in a NYC building means a single treated unit rarely ends the problem when bugs move along shared walls and risers. (US EPA — How to Find Bed Bugs)

The US EPA notes that controlling bed bugs takes time and patience because they reproduce quickly and their eggs are resistant to many methods of pest control, both chemical and non-chemical. So very few NYC infestations clear in a single visit, and an IPM approach with resident participation and ongoing monitoring is what actually finishes the job. (US EPA — Controlling Bed Bugs Using IPM)

Heat vs conventional insecticide for a NYC apartment bed-bug job

Factor	Whole-room heat treatment	Conventional / chemical treatment
Effect on eggs and all stages	Lethal to bed bugs and eggs — they die within 90 minutes at 118°F (48°C) and immediately at 122°F (50°C) (UMN Extension)	Eggs resist many chemical and non-chemical methods, so survivors hatch after treatment (EPA)
Typical visits to resolve	Can kill all stages in a single heated session if target temperatures are held room-wide	Very few infestations are eliminated by one treatment; multiple visits are usual (EPA)
How it works	Room air typically held at 135–145°F (57–63°C) until the whole space reaches lethal temperature (UMN Extension)	Relies on residual and contact insecticides reaching every harborage
NYC multi-unit reality	Treats one unit thoroughly, but bugs can still arrive from adjacent apartments through wall and pipe gaps (UMN Extension)	Same risk — IPM, monitoring and inspecting adjacent units stay essential (EPA / UMN)
What both require	Resident prep and post-treatment monitoring for survivors	Resident prep, IPM and diligent monitoring; success depends on resident participation (EPA)

Where to go next

Bed bug heat treatment — how whole-room heat works, what temperatures matter, and when it beats chemical treatment.
Our bed bug treatment service — signs, process, and what a visit involves.
Cost calculator — estimate a NYC bed bug job from our own published pricing guides.

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Bed bug guides

Common questions

Does one bed bug treatment get rid of them?

Usually not. The US EPA notes bed bugs reproduce quickly and their eggs resist many chemical and non-chemical control methods, so very few infestations are eliminated by a single treatment. An IPM approach with resident participation and ongoing monitoring is what finishes the job.

Does heat treatment kill bed bug eggs?

Yes. Bed bugs and their eggs die within 90 minutes at 118°F (48°C) and immediately at 122°F (50°C), per University of Minnesota Extension. That is the main practical difference from conventional insecticide, where surviving eggs can hatch after treatment.

Does my NYC landlord have to tell me about bed bugs?

Yes. NYC Health states that property owners must provide tenants with a written bedbug history notice disclosing any bedbug infestations in the building in the past year. It also states that tenants in New York City have the right to a bedbug-free environment, and that bedbugs are named in the list of insects building owners are legally required to eradicate.

How long does my landlord have to deal with bed bugs?

New York City lists bedbugs as a Class B violation, meaning they are considered hazardous and the landlord has 30 days to correct the problem. Per NYC Health, the landlord must get rid of the infestation and keep the affected units from becoming infested again.

What is the NYC bed bug annual report?

Local Law 69 of 2017 requires all multiple dwelling property owners to attempt to obtain the bed bug infestation history from the tenant or unit owner, including whether eradication measures were employed. Owners file annually between 1 and 31 December, for the previous year running 1 November through 31 October, and HPD makes the submitted information publicly available through HPDONLINE. Filing is free.

Does my landlord have to give me the bed bug filing receipt?

The owner must either provide the filing receipt to each tenant — on a new lease and with each renewal — or post it in a prominent location in the building. The owner must also either distribute or post the NYC Health "Stop Bedbugs Safely" guide. So if you were never handed a receipt, check the lobby before assuming non-compliance.

Can bed bugs spread between apartments in my building?

Yes. Bed bugs spread by hitchhiking and readily travel 5 to 20 feet from a harborage to a host, per the US EPA. In a NYC building that means a single treated unit rarely ends the problem when bugs move along shared walls and risers, so inspecting adjacent units matters.

NYC bed bug specialists