Damage to personnel or things in the home can happen during a bed bug heat treatment. This danger is especially true for plastics, leather imitation furniture, candles and anything that will melt at a high temperature. Extreme temperatures are not suitable for pets either, so plan to have all animals out of the home for an extended period.
Full Answer
What is heat treatment for bed bugs?
Heat treatments have proven to be the most effective and quickest method of eliminating bed bugs. All life stages, adults, nymphs and eggs, die within minutes at temperature. This article has been developed to help you understand the complexity, dangers and risks involved in heat treatments.
How to prepare for treatment against bed bugs?
Preparing for Treatment Against Bed Bugs 1 Reduce Clutter 2 Make your Bed an Island 3 Clean All Items in the Living Area 4 Eliminate Bed Bug Habitats 5 Additional information
Can I remove bed bugs from clothing after heat treatment?
Bed bugs often seek shelter on and in clothing. To avoid re-introducing bed bugs, any clothing removed during heat treatment must be treated before being returned to the treated area.
How does heat kill bugs in a house?
There is no way that they can experience such high heat for such an extended period of time and live. This also works because the heat can move to every part of your home. Each room will grow hotter and hotter. The beds, sheets, mattresses, and linens will all get hot. The bugs will be found out and killed no matter where they are.
What can get damaged during heat treatment?
All flammable materials - butane lighters, lamp fuel, solvents, fuel for food warmers, ammunition, etc. 15. Laminated furniture and laminates in general can be damaged by heat. Make arrangements with your technician to have these items removed from your home during the heat treatment.
What should you remove before heat treatment?
Heat sensitive items should be clearly labeled and left inside the treatment area. Remove all pets and house plants (including fish aquariums). Remove all pressurized items – lighters, hairspray, fire extinguishers etc. Remove all flammables – fuel, alcohols, solvents, etc.
What items Cannot be heat treated for bed bugs?
Flammables/explosive items (lighters, fireworks, lamp fuel, solvents, bleach, ammonia, etc.) Do not move any items to your basement, garage, storage locker, friend's house, car or any other place from areas to be heat treated that has not been inspected by a bed bug professional.
Can Electronics survive bed bug heat treatment?
Moving them can pave the way for bed bugs to spread to other areas. DON'T move electronics. Our heat treatment will not damage electronics like laptops or televisions. Electronics are especially susceptible to infestation, so it is important these items stay in place.
Do I have to take all clothes out of house for heat treatment for bedbugs?
All boxes and other stored items must be removed from closet and placed in center of room. Excessive clutter and stored/boxed items restricts equipment placement, air movement and heat penetration and many times causes treatment failure.
How long does it take to heat treat a house for bed bugs?
between six and eight hoursA heat treatment typically takes between six and eight hours, depending on the condition of the area being treated. During the heat treatment pets and any heat sensitive items that may melt or be damaged at temperatures up to 150°F degrees should be removed from the area being treated.
Will bed bug heat treatment damage DVDs?
Make sure these items are removed from any insect heat treatment prior to turning on the heaters. Moderately sensitive items can be damaged between 120°F and 140°F. Vinyl wallpaper, mini blinds, audio and video tapes and CDs/DVDs. Slightly sensitive items can be damaged between 140°F and 160°F.
Can bed bugs come back after heat treatment?
Yes, bed bugs can come back after a year. If you used a DIY treatment that didn't eliminate all the bed bugs in the colony, then there's always the chance that they'll remain in hiding until they've reproduced.
Does bed bug heat treatment shrink clothes?
Again, heat is a good thing, so you want to tumble-dry your clothes on whatever the highest heat level they can withstand is. Don't feel too bad if you have clothes that you can't dry on super high heat without worrying about them shrinking. It's likely that the high heat from the washing setting will have been enough.
Do bed bugs live in flat screen TVs?
Bed bugs can live in TVs, although they're less likely to these days. When CRT TVs were popular, before today's slim TVs were invented, there was room for a bed bug to crawl inside. Most TVs even had air holes that they could get in through, so the TV wouldn't overheat.
Can you heat treat a laptop for bedbugs?
Thermal heat treatments eliminate bed bugs by raising an entire room, including electronics to temperatures between 113 and 140 F.
Can bed bugs live in DVD cases?
Anything with small nooks and crannies can harbor a bed bug, including keyboards, computers, books, and CD cases. If you bag up your books and personal keepsakes, treat for bed bugs, and then put your stuff back without any additional treatment, you can re-infest your living space.
How much does bed bug heat treatment cost?
Prices for bed bug heat treatments can vary, depending on factors such as the type of heat treatment used, the size of your home, and the severity...
How does heat treatment kill bed bugs?
Bed bugs die when exposed to high temperatures for an extended period. If performed properly, heat treatment for bed bugs can be a highly effective...
Will heat treatment for bed bugs damage my home?
While whole room heat treatments can take hours, the temperature isn't high enough to cause permanent damage to the structure of your house. Althou...
Can a hot box kill bed bugs?
Another treatment method used to control a bed bug problem is the use of a hot box. A hot box uses sustained heat to get rid of bed bugs on items l...
Will steam kill bed bugs?
Technically, yes. Steam is another form of heat that can help kill adult bed bugs along with their larvae and eggs. However, the types of steamers...
What should I do if I think I have bed bugs?
Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to get rid of. If you think you have bed bugs in your home, don't wait to contact a bed bug control professional...