It is essential to treat a bed bug issue with the help of a professional pest control company that has the experience and expertise to do so. Standard bed bug extermination methods include whole room heat treatments and insecticide treatments. A professional pest control company gives you instructions on best preparing your home for treatment. It will also conduct a thorough inspection to determine the best course of action.

What Are Bed Bugs And How Do They Spread?

Bed bugs are tiny, fast-moving pests that feed on human and animal blood. Although they cannot fly or jump, their speed allows them to quickly move from one surface to another.

Bed bugs can travel anywhere by crawling onto a new host from a movie theater seat, airplane, or rideshare. They can crawl 3-4 feet a minute, making it easy for them to crawl from someone’s bag or jacket to a bed or couch in a short period. Bed bugs like to nest in warm places near humans, making mattresses an ideal place for them to hide.

Impact of Bed Bugs On Business

Bed bugs are terrible for business, given the hysteria that is often associated with discovering them and the potential long-term financial losses a company might incur due to having to deal with an infestation.

Unhappy customers tend to turn to social media to vent their frustrations, which can have even more detrimental effects on their revenue and reputation. Any business needing bed bug control needs to be open and forthright about the situation. By being proactive and transparent, the reputation will only suffer a ding in the short term.

bed bugs in the home

Bed Bug’s Impact On A Family/Home

A bed bug infestation can spread across an entire household, plaguing the family members or individuals with uncomfortable, itchy red bites. Although bed bugs are not dangerous, people can experience a mild to a severe allergic reaction to bed bug bites. The emotional distress associated with bed bug bites is palpable and understandable. Pest control professionals are there to help you with preventative maintenance and treatment to make your life easier.

 Treatment For Bed Bugs

There are several ways to treat bed bug infestations, and the two most popular methods are heat treatment and insecticide. They are popular because of their effectiveness. Let’s take a look at how beneficial they are.

 Heat Treatment 

Heat treatments are an effective and chemical-free method to eliminate bed bugs in an infested room. High heat kills bed bugs at all life stages. Using portable heat machines, pest control companies can provide a whole house heat treatment to eradicate any bed bugs present in one go.

Our team uses a specialized gear to warm the room from 135°F to 145°F. Thermometers are positioned around the room and observed to ensure the air is hot enough to kill the bugs. They will also keep the temperature from damaging belongings and the home’s structure.

Another heat treatment for bed bug removal involves the direct application of steam. Technicians will apply mist at temperatures ranging from 160°F to 180°F on mattresses, carpets, and box springs, moving slowly to ensure the heat is applied long enough to kill bed bugs.

Insecticide Treatment 

Bed bug exterminators will thoroughly inspect an area for signs of activity before spraying crevices, cracks, and surfaces in your home with insecticides. Insecticides do not kill bed bug eggs, making it necessary to have two to three treatments in total as more bed bugs can hatch between treatments.

Getting Rid of Bed Bugs Through Natural Pesticides

More and more exterminators are reviewing bed bug treatments to ensure they are non-toxic for the environment and the home or business. Sustainability is important to us and many others. That is why professionals will look for natural pesticides when treating a bed bug infestation.

Diatomaceous Earth 

Composed of rocks commonly found in oceans and lakes, diatomaceous earth is a practical, non-toxic solution to getting rid of bed bugs. The sharp edges of the tiny rock particles wear away at a bed bug’s exoskeleton, creating abrasions that destroy the protective shell. Once the exoskeleton is destroyed, the bugs dry out and die.

Natural/Botanical Pesticides 

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies the use of pesticides, among other substances that are or are not fit for public use. The 25B registration applies to natural or botanical pesticides sold for public use.

The 25B registration implies that these pesticides are less toxic than others and pose less health risk to children or pets. For those seeking a less poisonous pesticide treatment method for their mattress or furniture, a natural pesticide is an easily accessible and cost-effective route to take. Although 25B registered insecticides may not claim to eliminate “all” insects, they are still an effective and affordable bed bug control option.

Naturally Control Bed Bugs With Dry Ice

Cryonite Treatment 

Cryonite is a  non-toxic freeze treatment that gets rid of bed bugs. A Cryonite machine converts liquid carbon dioxide into particles of dry ice.

The dry ice comes out of the machine’s nozzle at -110°F, killing bugs on contact. It also kills bugs in all stages of their development, eliminating any concern regarding eggs or larvae surviving and re-infesting an area.

How Long Does It Take For The Treatment To Work?

We don’t want to see you closed any longer than necessary for business. We know how important it is to bounce back. For the home, no one wants to be out of their home for too long either. Let’s compare how long treatments can take to work.

Heat Treatment 

Bed bug heat treatment takes about 90 minutes at 118F. Temperature and heat exposure length is necessary to ensure that the job has been done correctly. Mature bed bugs will die from 20 minutes of heat treatment at 118F, but bed bug eggs need to be treated for a full 90 minutes to ensure they don’t survive.

 Insecticide Treatment 

An insecticide treatment can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on how ample the space is. After the first treatment, a follow-up visit is recommended to assess any new hatchlings. Remember, insecticide routinely does not affect the eggs.

preventing bed bugs

Safety Measures For Preventing Bed Bugs In The Future 

Whether you have had an infestation before or never had one at all, there are things you can do to protect your home from a bed bug infestation.

Store Your Clothing in Vacuum-Sealed Bag

You store clothing in vacuum-sealed bags while traveling and in storage is best.  When you return home from a trip, it is best to put all of your clothes into the dryer at high heat immediately. This ensures that bed bugs don’t make it into your home.

Get Professional Bed Bug Treatment 

If you suspect a bed-bug problem in your home or business, hiring a professional is best. Not only can we provide bed bug treatment in your business or home, but we can also set up routine check-ups. We aren’t just limited to bed bugs; we can check your home for any potential pest control that will be necessary later.

Identify Early Signs of Bed Bugs 

Some early signs of bed bugs include red itchy bites on your skin that look like small welts. Look for minor reddish-brown stains on your bedsheets; these come from bed bug feeding activity during the night.

Vacuum Your Floor 

Vacuuming can also control or eliminate a bed bug problem before turning into a full-blown infestation. Bed bugs live in carpets and favor hard-to-reach places such as cracks and crevices, so it is essential to vacuum underneath the bed, along baseboards, mattresses, and box springs. After cleaning, seal the vacuum bag and dispose of it outside your home.

Cover Your Mattress 

Using a mattress encasement to protect your mattress is an excellent preventative measure to take against bed bug infestations and make your mattress bedbug-proof. Tear-resistant mattress covers made from cloth that zip around the entire mattress are ideal. The bodies shouldn’t have any folds around the zipper, as that would be a perfect spot for bed bugs to hide.

Always Check Used Items 

It is essential to always check used items from places such as thrift stores or estate auctions for bed bugs, as there is no way of knowing what they may have come in contact with. Even electronic items such as computers or cell phones should be thoroughly checked for bed bugs, as they have vents and ports in which bed bugs can easily hide.

Seal Your Home From Bed Bugs 

It is imperative to seal your home from bed bugs. Place covers in the power outlets, have cracks along sideboards sealed, patch up any damages on the exterior of your home, and check to make sure that window screens don’t have holes or tears.

Learn How to Identify Bed Bugs 

Bed bugs are small, oval-shaped insects that turn reddish-brown after feeding humans or animals. While other bugs look similar to bed bugs, bed bugs do not have wings and cannot jump in addition to changing color.