What Distinguishes Steam from Bed Bug Heat Treatment
For homes all around the world, having bed bugs is a major source of insomnia and stress. High-temperature insecticidal heat treatments are one of the newest weapons used to combat this tenacious pest. Within minutes of contact, they can reach fatal temperatures. Bed bugs, however, are “extremely adaptive,” so the survivors could be able to withstand the heat.
Why Does Heat Treatment Work?
There are numerous significant benefits to using heat as a bed bug treatment. First, it is non-toxic to both people and their pets. Heat does not leave any possibly harmful chemical residues. Heat treatment is a method that employs high temperatures, such as 135 degrees Fahrenheit or more, to kill bed bugs. This is the temperature at which bed bugs and their eggs perish. Although heat takes longer to kill bed bugs than steam, it is more successful since heat penetrates deep into cracks and crevices, destroying all phases of a bed bug’s lifecycle, including their eggs.
How Does Steam Treatment Work?
Steam is an environmentally friendly solution that needs no chemicals and just heat and steam. Similar to heat remediation, steam kills bed bugs, but it is a more targeted approach. If the technician, you, or someone else pays insufficient attention to the complexities of the bed bug treatment, the steam might cause damage to the thing being treated. Commercial steam-heating equipment emits steam at a minimum temperature of 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Bed bugs may be killed by steam, along with their eggs and larvae. Yet, the steamers that the majority of people have access to (carpet cleaners or clothing steamers) do not reach temperatures high enough to efficiently kill bed bugs.
It becomes difficult to kill bed bugs with steam when there are deep crevices that the steam cannot reach. While it penetrates deeply into upholstered furniture and mattresses, it does not treat the whole structure. Also, it does little to prevent bed bugs from hiding in walls to evade treatment. Once inside the walls, steam will be 100% ineffective as a treatment option. A bed bug steam treatment works best in conjunction with other treatment methods.
Need Help Removing Bed Bugs?
If you think you have bed bugs or are interested in a home heat treatment, contact ECO Bed Bug! ECO will create a focused, personalized plan to get rid of all bed bugs—eggs, visible ones, and any that might be hiding—after conducting a comprehensive inspection.
