When you get a bed bug infestation, your first instinct is probably to panic. They’re disgusting little pests that literally feed on your blood.
Plus, bed bugs are notoriously difficult to kill–adults can go anywhere from 20 to 400 days without feeding, depending on the temperature and humidity. They’re cold-blooded, so in cold temperatures, their metabolism slows down and they can survive longer without food.
So, how do you get rid of bed bugs? Your best option is killing bed bugs with heat.
Here’s what you need to know about bed bug heat treatment and why you should consider this treatment option as your first line of defense against an infestation.
What is Heat Treatment for Bed Bugs?
First, though, you should understand what heat treatment for bed bugs is. Heat treatments involve a process of heating up your home to a temperature of 130 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, the treatment will kill bed bugs in all stages of life, including eggs, nymphs (immature bed bugs) and adult bed bugs.
Heat treatments at this temperature range usually kill bed bugs within the first hour and a half. However, exterminators typically keep the heat treatment going for several hours to make sure that any lingering pests are dead.
Why is Heat Treatment So Effective?
It sounds simple, doesn’t it? So why are heat treatments so effective in killing bed bugs? Well, for one thing, bed bugs are increasingly resistant to many pesticides.
Think about it–we’ve been using the same pesticides to kill bed bugs for years. Over time, the bed bugs that don’t die from pesticides reproduce to make more bed bugs that are resistant to pesticides. And suddenly, you’re facing a group of bed bugs that is resistant to chemical treatment.
That doesn’t mean that chemicals are useless. They’re actually quite helpful as a supplement to keep the bugs contained. But as a standalone treatment, you won’t know whether you have resistant bed bugs until you try to kill them with pesticides–and the bed bugs refuse to die.
But heat is a different matter altogether.
When you trap a bed bug with a heat treatment, what you’re really doing is trapping the bed bug in an environment that’s too hot for it to survive.
Since the entire room (or your entire house) is too hot, there’s nowhere for the bed bug to escape before the heat kills it. And since the exterminator keeps the heat up for several hours, the bed bug can’t simply wait out the heat, either.
The bed bugs are just trapped in a room set at their thermal death point, for hours at a time.
Why Use Heat Treatment?
- Done in a Matter of Hours
- Heat treatments take less time than many other treatments.
- You can cover every corner of your home more effectively.
- The technician will take several hours to treat your possessions or rooms in your home at a high temperature that will ensure any lingering bed bugs are wiped out.
Do You Need Bed Bug Heat Treatment?
If you need a bed bug heat treatment, your best bet is to call in the pros. Please contact us to schedule your inspection.
