Just the thought of finding bed bugs in your home is scary. And with good reason. Bed bug infestations can cause a number of health issues, including allergic reactions, itching and emotional distress.
Invisible to the eye, these insects are hard to detect and even harder to remove permanently. Hiding in cracks and crevices, they are resistant to insecticides. Bed bugs are survivors but they can be defeated.
DIY Methods Will Only Prolong the Agony
You may be tempted to try to remove bed bugs on your own. Trying to kill bed bugs with heat or cold using a DIY approach will only lead to more frustration. Even though these bed bug control methods may give you a break, they’re not enough to completely remove all of the bed bugs from your home.
- Vacuuming
- Steam cleaning
- Hair dryer
- Washing bedding and clothes
- Freezing temperatures (place the affected item in a plastic bag and freeze for several days at zero degrees Fahrenheit)
Sun exposure (Don’t attempt to wrap blankets or furniture in garbage bags or other plastic and place it in the sun. It will not get hot enough to kill the bed bugs.) - Rubbing alcohol or essential oils
- Dryer sheets
- Silica gel (crushed and placed around the home, this could pose a danger to children and pets)
When it comes to bed bugs, you’ll be tempted to take it to extremes and that’s exactly what it takes. Extreme heat treatments provided by pest control professionals is the most successful method of killing bed bugs.
Turn Up the Heat
Two elements work together to bring bed bugs to their thermal death point: temperature and exposure time. When exposed to comprehensive heat of 113 degrees Fahrenheit, bed bugs will die after 90 minutes. If the temperature is increased to 118 degrees Fahrenheit, death occurs within 20 minutes.
DIY methods fail because they can’t reach the necessary temperatures to kill all of the bed bugs in your home. Professional heat treatments will kill bed bugs in all stages of the life cycle, from bed bug eggs to adult bed bugs.
Benefits of Professional Heat Treatment
Not only is professional heat treatment for bed bug infestations most effective, it’s also safer than using chemicals that can harm the people and pets living in your home. Heat treatments are eco-friendly and you don’t have to worry about harmful chemical residue or toxins in the air.
These heat treatments are also the most efficient, resulting in complete bed bug control after only one session.
How Does a Professional Heat Treatment Work?
Commercial grade heaters are placed throughout the home to ensure the regulation of the same lethal temperature throughout the space. Large commercial fans are also used to help circulate the heat.
The heat is applied in the home for several hours, continuing for an hour after reaching the thermal death point. This is to ensure that bed bugs and their eggs in every crack and crevice are killed.
Preparation for a home heat treatment is minimal. Furniture and bedding will stay in place. You will be advised which items to remove from the home prior to treatment, like plants, plastics, vinyl records, candles, make-up and more. Store medications as well as beverages and food that can melt in the refrigerator. Humans and pets will need to stay out of the home until at least four hours after the heat treatment.
Choose the Pest Control Experts You Can Trust
We have the experience and track record you can rely on to remove bed bugs from your home. To get started, call us at 215.799.2010 or schedule an appointment online.