Heat Treatment to Kill Bed Bugs: Complete Guide

Are you here out of annoyance because you have failed to kill bed bugs despite trying almost every product in the market? We can understand your frustration!

The internet is now full of bluffs and ill-information regarding the bed bug treatment methods. Hundreds of products are available in the market which claims to be the best in their way, thanks to their marketing strategy; through which they manage to convince the reader like you to use those products. You may come across Diatomaceous Earth, Bed Bug Bombs, Bed Bug Powders, Sprays, etc.

Which sometimes fail to remove bed bugs from your home. When it comes to survival sometimes bed bugs outlive cockroaches, because they can live everywhere and can survive without a single blood meal for about a month, which is horrible. Due to these reasons, they are difficult to kill. People used to apply inappropriate insecticides on the bed bugs which in turn make them somewhat resistant towards the pesticides.

Moreover, over the years this resistant capacity transferred to the eggs and nymphs of the bed bugs. Now it is impossible to kill the whole population of bed bugs. Scientists spent hours to discover the combination of chemicals to kill them, but it has been observed they can be killed effectively with heat. Bed Bugs cannot tolerate heat more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

What is Bed Bug Heat Treatment?

Heat treatment is comparatively new and one of the most efficient bed bug killing method. After the continuous failure of bed bug killing products, heat treatment has been discovered as a full proof method to get rid of bed bug infestation. In the case of a large infestation, professional exterminators always suggest the heat treatment, because it kills bed bugs without failure.

The heat treatment method has gained its popularity gradually because it is free from chemicals and non-toxic. This single treatment is enough to kill all the stages of bed bugs (eggs, nymphs, and adults) in one shot. You can easily get rid of the stubborn bloodsuckers like a pro with the heat treatment method. You can easily decontaminate the infested materials along with your household objects.

How The Heat Treatment Kill Bed Bugs? The Reason Behind Its Effectiveness?

In this section of our guide, we are going to discuss how heat treatment kills bed bugs?

As we discussed earlier that gradually bed bugs have become immune to several treatments and pesticides, there must be a way to kill those annoying insects. Studies show bed bugs are non-tolerant to heat above 120 degrees Fahrenheit which in turn makes the heat treatment process successful. The reason behind applying heat is to ensure that bed bugs die after getting the exact amount of heat for a certain period.

So, time is an important factor to get ultimate success out of the treatment. It is important to know the exact thermal death point of the target living organism to ensure their death. The heat treatment is considered as the perfect bed bug killing machine because it applies the exact amount of heat for the exact period. To ensure 100% success of the method the heat must be evenly distributed to the target area and the bed bugs should be directly exposed to the heat.

Check out the video to see real-life heat treatment.

The thermal death point of the bed bugs is 112 degrees Fahrenheit and if that amount of heat can be applied for around 90 minutes it will kill bed bugs with utmost precision. From the discussion, one thing is clear that the whole heat treatment process requires 90 to 100 minutes to finish. So, stop worrying about the horrible psychological effects of bed bug attacks and secure the good night sleep of your family members with heat treatment.

Advantages Of Heat Treatment Method

Over the years bed bugs have become more heat resistant. They can sustain over a wide range of temperature which makes it almost impossible to remove the whole bed bug population from the world. Their number is also growing along with the growing human population of the tropical areas.

Is There Any Cons Associated With The Treatment?

Want to see what happened to the bed bugs under heat treatment? Then check out the video below and get a basic idea:

Comparison between heat treatment and chemical treatment for Bed Bugs

When it comes to killing bed bugs there are certain chemicals that can effectively remove them, so chemical control is a rational option. If proper combination applied appropriately then chemical control also ensures success.

Let’s discuss it from two different perspectives:

What is the timing for both the treatment?

Heat treatment: Proper heat treatment will kill bed bugs of all stages including eggs, nymphs and adults in one shot within 90 minutes. So you don’t have to wait for weeks to get the desired result.

Insecticide Application: Applying pesticides and insecticides do not remove bed bugs in one go in most cases. Re-application and follow-up applications are an integral part of pesticide treatment, otherwise, it is difficult to remove large scale bed bug infestation.

Residual Protection for both the treatment

Heat treatment: the heat treatment does not ensure the re-infestation of bed bugs if heat applied alone.

Insecticide Application: if a residual insecticide is used it may protect the infested area from re-infestation for a certain period of time (may one month).

In terms of expense

Heat treatment: the heat treatment method of bed bug removal is one of the most expensive available in the market. So be ready to spend a lump sum if you are going to opt for the process.

Insecticide Application: this method is comparatively cheaper than heat treatment. You can choose your desired product within your budget as there are hundreds of options available in the market.

In terms of safety

Heat treatment: this method is the safest among others, it just uses heat to kill the bed bugs. If you heat the entire room you just need air to cool it down. So if you have sensitive family members you can easily go for the heat treatment.

Insecticide Application: it requires to wait for a couple of hours to re-enter the infested area after applying insecticide. If you are allergic then insecticide application is not a good option for you. You can choose any product that is available in the market but we recommend to go for heat treatment because it is one of the safest options.

After the heat treatment, what is an ideal time to re-enter to the infested area?

Heat treatment: one can re-enter to the target area right after the heat treatment. It requires a minimum time to cool down the temperature.

Insecticide Application: after completing insecticide application you need to wait for at least a couple of hours to re-enter. Those insecticides are not good for health if you are allergic and by chance inhale those you may face some difficulties.

Heat treatment is one of the most effective bed bugs killing treatment, but smaller or first-time infestation not always require heat treatment.

You can opt for heat treatment if:

• The level of bed bug infestation is enormous, and insecticide may not be enough to kill them all.
• You have failed to get success with other insecticides and still have bed bugs in your home.
• If the infested area is really big like hotels, parlor or any other public place then heat treatment can be a feasible bed bug killing options.
• If you want to get rid of the bed bug really fast no matter what then go for the heat treatment.
• You are allergic and live with children and pets, want a hassle-free, non-toxic way to get rid of the bed bugs then heat treatment is the fastest and safest option available.

Let’s look at the best part of treating bed bugs with heat:

To ensure ultimate bed bug removal from your home you can use residual pesticide after performing the heat treatment. Sometimes professional exterminators use powerful insecticides along with heat treatment to ensure ultimate success.

Various Heat Treatment Methods

Room Treatment Using Heaters

This method is an outstanding bed bug removing technique using heat. It brings a great impact on the targeted bed bug colony. It removes the whole bed bug community with its powerful heat, zero to no chances are there to escape the great heat of the treatment. The success lies within the proper application of heat treatment.

We usually recommend hiring a proper exterminator to perform the job because they know the proper timing and equipment that needs to be used under a certain condition. The ideal temperature for heat treatment is (46-48°C) and it required to distribute evenly so that every corner of the target area goes through the same process. To cool down the temperature of the target area, proper air circulation is required.

Special fans can be used to perform the job, the number of fans depends on the extent of the target area. However, under any circumstances, the heat treatment will not prevent further beg bug infestation in the same area. You can use a residual pesticide to add one more layer of protection, but even that also does not guarantee the prevention of further infestation.

Steam

Another viable bed bug killing option is the steam treatment which can easily penetrate inside the target object to kill bed bugs. There are bed bug steamers available in the market which are specially designed to get the job done with ease. The steamers can reach inside the mattress, cracks, crevices and bigger furniture like the couch, bookshelf, etc.

However, the whole steaming process can be frustrating as it takes longer than other treatment methods. The steamer required to be placed slowly at the target area and wait until it reaches the optimum temperature to kill bed bugs.

The temperature produced by the steamer must remain constant throughout the treatment process to properly kill the bed bugs. So, continuous checking is necessary. Another issue with the treatment is because of being water-based objects with different surfaces may not be treated with it.

Dryers

After discovering bed bugs within your clothes, the best thing is to wash them thoroughly at high temperatures. If some textile items cannot be washed, then using dryer can be an option to remove bed bugs from your clothes.

Fragile and delicate items can be treated with dryers, but make sure the treatment does not exceed 20 to 30 minutes at the highest temperature.

Hot Boxes

The hot boxes are used to remove bed bug infestation from smaller household items such as clothes, tapestries, bed sheets, quilts, luggage, etc. The box is portable and easy to use. One needs to load the infested items within the box and switch it on to let the items heat.

Most of the hot boxes are foldable so you can store it anywhere like within your closet etc. If you are a traveler the hot boxes are ideal for you to stay away from bed bug infestation.

Heaters To Treat Rooms

This is probably the most effective heating treatment to combat bed bug infestation. High in demand and most favorite of professional exterminators. This process is ideal to eradicate the whole bed bug colony at the first attempt. After proper application of the treatment, there is hardly any chance of the survival of the bed bugs.

The trickiest thing is you need to apply it appropriately, there is no chance of inappropriate, otherwise, the whole process will go in vain and the bed bugs may survive for re-infestation. To avoid complications, we always recommend performing heat treatment by professional exterminators with genuine equipment.

Remember, the professional heaters must heat up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or 48°C. It is considered as the ideal temperature to kill all the stages of bed bugs including eggs and nymphs. At the last step of the treatment special fans are required to circulate the heat to the narrow and tiny places where bed bugs can hide. It will ensure heat spread up to all the areas equally.

If the heat does not spread evenly to all the target areas chances of getting success will be less. If the heat fails to cover the cracks and crevices for a certain period, it is difficult to kill all the bed bugs in one shot.

No heat treatment will ensure the future infestation, if you do not take necessary precautions, the same area can be infested again. To ensure longer success a residual pesticide can be used after the heat treatment.

Entire Room Heat Treatment And Specific Heating Equipment

As we discussed in the article that heat treatment is the most recommended treatment to kill bed bugs from your home, besides there are a few heating instruments that can be used to get rid of smaller bed bug infestation. Infested mattresses, carpets, and tapestries can be treated with steam.

Other heating equipment including dryers, heater or heat boxes which can be used to treat small household items. This equipment is suitable to treat small to medium objects whereas heat treatment is designed to treat a whole room at a time. In case you do not require to treat the whole room then go for different types of equipment according to the nature of infestation and the target object.

Heat treatment for larger space like an entire room along with the building is costlier than other treatments. So, in case you want to treat only the infested items, not the entire room then there are a few things you need to keep in mind, these are:

• Treating individual items may not remove hidden bed bugs from all other places. It feels good to hope only the target object has bed bugs but in most of the cases bed bugs move to new places with cracks and crevices.
• You can choose any heat treatment method you feel appropriate but make sure the equipment produce required to heat and reach evenly to all the places.
• If the equipment fails to reach the thermal killing point of the bed bugs the whole process will be a waste of time and money. The individual need to monitor the temperature constantly.

Do-It-Yourself and executive heat treatments to remove Bed Bugs

Despite the effectiveness of heat treatment for bed bugs, there is a certain risk of exposing your room to a temperature as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If not performed properly it may catch fire which will be a real risk.

So, if you are motivated with your recent internet search and DIY videos, think twice before planning. We always recommend performing the treatment under the supervision of professional exterminators. The whole treatment requires special equipment and professional skill to perform.

The room temperature requires to maintain continuously at the thermal killing point of bed bugs, otherwise, it is not possible to kill the bed bugs under the treatment. Sometimes inappropriate bed bug heat treatment can be fatal for humans. So always perform it under professional supervision.

Things to consider before preparing for a heat treatment

Among all the heating options to kill bed bugs, the heat box is effective, reliable and easy to use. Whereas, the heat treatment required to heat up the entire room along with the infested objects. But not all objects of the room can be treated with heat treatment, especially the heat-sensitive materials require to treat separately.

Here are a few tips you should consider before performing any heat treatment method.

Relocation

Practically all the heat-sensitive items cannot be relocated from the room, but if possible, try to do so to avoid more expenditure. Photo frames, laminations, wallpapers with a waxy coating, wall hangings, etc., may be damaged during the treatment which cannot be prevented otherwise.

Declutter items

Necessary Tools To Consider For Heat Treatment

Usually, the equipment used for heat treatment is of commercial-grade. To ensure the ultimate result from the heat treatment certain tools and equipment are required. Fans require to circulate the air so that the heat can spread evenly to the target area.

Do not start the process without proper fire extinguisher because household objects are generally sensitive to high temperatures as they may catch fire during the process.

Other heat treatment tools that are required:

• Air circulators with heat-generating capacity.
• Large-sized heater unit (more than one).
• Heat measuring tools like laser thermometer.

Bed Bug Removal Process Using Heat Treatment

If you have already decided to perform the heat treatment to remove the bed bug infestation from your home, then here we have mentioned here some useful steps following which you can ensure ultimate success from the treatment.

Let’s take a look:

• Check your room carefully before starting the treatment. Every heat sensitive and inflammable material should be removed.
• All the vents and windows should be closed properly to avoid heat escape.
• Black tapes, polymer sheets can be used for the purpose.
• Bathroom doors and exhaust fan opening need to be closed properly.
• You can protect the window material by covering it with a heatproof polymer sheet.
• Try to place large furniture like almirah, sofa away from the wall for even heat distribution.
• To ensure 100% success the window open so that the heat can be evenly distributed.
• All electronic devices like television, refrigerator, air conditioner, chimney, Wifi, etc. Should be unplugged.
• Turn off the smoke detector otherwise, the whole process will fail just after starting.
• The air circulators are required to switch on before the heaters so that as soon as the heat generates it started to distribute evenly.
• Throughout the heating process let the air circulators on.
• Check whether the heater reaches the thermal death point of the bed bugs. Continue monitoring is required for that.
• Turn the heater off after the required time (90 to 100 minutes).
• The room should be allowed to cool down naturally. It will require another 30 minutes to do so, then you may enter the room and start looking if there is any sign of further infestation.

What About The Package of Bed Bug Heat Treatment?

So, in this section of our guide, we are going to discuss the cost of heat treatments to remove bed bugs.

So, we always recommend hiring a professional exterminator to perform heat treatment. Get estimates from at least two to three different companies and you will understand how much you need to pay for the heat treatment. Also, the cost highly depends on the extent of the area, your bedroom requires less amount of rather than the living room.

In the case of treating a whole floor, charges will be higher. So, if your company charges a small amount for heat treatment think twice before taking their service because proper heat treatment will cost you a lot.

Few Words Before Wrapping Up!

After discovering bed bug infestation in your home, it is normal to feel agitated, nobody like to surround by bed bugs. These bloodsuckers can interrupt your good night sleep. So, if you found bed bug infestation call a professional exterminator to check the extent. If you require heat treatment or any other treatment let the exterminator suggest that.

There are various bed bug killing products in the market which claim to perform best, don’t go with their marketing strategy. Proper knowledge and skill are required to apply any product otherwise unnecessary health hazards may result.

Avoid confusion and click here to access our professional exterminator search tool, where you will instantly get free quotes from reputed professional exterminator from your locality.

Also, check out our other helpful guides to gain more knowledge about bed bug infestation!

Don’t let the bed bugs interfere with your good night sleep. Read our valuable guides to know more and avoid further challenges associated with bed bugs.

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