The treatment of 37 units for bed bugs in Dulle Hamilton Towers began Monday in hopes of eradicating the problem that authorities say has been an issue for at least a year and a half.
Atkins Pest Control began using heat units to treat rooms that were marked as having an infestation of bed bugs. Crews will remain on site at the complex until all affected units in both towers have been treated, officials said.
Jim Jenkins, deputy director, said all 200 units in both towers were inspected before the holidays. He said 37 were noted to have bed bugs.
Those 37 units will be treated using the heating method, he said. During the treatment, the residents of the room will have to leave the apartment unit for several hours, but they will then be allowed to return.
Units above, below and to the sides of the heat-treated room will be sprayed with a chemical, a process that takes several applications and is costly as well, Jenkins said.