We’ve all heard the horror stories. We all know that bed bugs have returned to our country, and bed bug infestations are quickly becoming the most frustrating pest problem in the United States. You may have even heard that heat is the best way to treat for these bugs. But it isn’t as simple as turning up the heat in your house. Applying a heat treatment to kill these blood-eating pests requires specialized equipment and specialized knowledge. Here’s why.

Specialized Equipment

If you’re thinking about cranking up the thermostat, using the oven in the kitchen, and setting down some heaters throughout your home, you should seriously reconsider. There is a reason there are so many new stories about houses and apartment buildings burning to the ground because of bed bug heat treatments. The temperature required to kill bed bugs in all stages of development is a consistent 120°F for 90 minutes. Getting an entire home up to this temperature is no easy task. At Russell’s Pest Control, we have to use state-of-the-art self-regulating heating units that shut down if the temperature rises above 135°F. Our team must also place down multiple real-time wireless sensors to remotely monitor the temperatures in every treatment space. The use of this advanced and specialized gear ensures the safety of the structure we are treating, while also ensuring complete eradication of all infesting bed bugs.

Specialized Knowledge

Effectively treating for bed bugs also requires a specialized knowledge. Even with proper heating equipment and temperature monitors, bed bugs can still evade treatment.

• Bed bugs can live in wall voids. If a constant and consistent temperature is not created inside a structure, bed bugs can remain after treatment. It is important to know where to place heaters, monitors, and fans to ensure complete coverage.

• Bed bugs are a hitchhiking bug. It is important to understand that these bugs can evade treatment by being carried out by residents. They can hide inside clothing, bags, and even electronics.

• Without specialized knowledge, some belongings can be damaged. Our technicians know to remove all pets, houseplants, foods that can melt, cosmetics, prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs, wax items, stringed instruments, and irreplaceable family heirlooms.

• Without specialized knowledge, dangerous items may be left in a home like fire extinguishers, hairspray cans, oxygen bottles, solvents, lighters, alcohol, etc.

• Our technicians know how to secure paper, pictures, paintings, glass items, and other objects that can be disturbed by the large fans that are used to circulate the heat throughout the structure.

If you’ve found bed bugs, a heat treatment is the most Eco-friendly and effective way to eradicate them. Let the specialists here at Russell’s Pest Control help you take care of those bugs in a way that will guarantee complete eradication of all infesting bugs, and do it in a way that is safe for your family, your home, and your belongings. Give us a call today, and we’ll start taking care of those bed bugs right away.