Using heat to kill bed bugs is a popular method that offers many benefits. Successful treatment involves a rapid but even temperature rise in the higher temperature range of the warm-up process. Rapid late-stage uniform heating can be achieved with components such as warm starting temperature, a tight envelope, airflow, as well as dependable high-quality heating elements and controls. PestPro Thermal offers heating technology for both residential and commercial spaces to effectively eradicate bed bugs.
Why Use Heat
Thermal treatments are a reliable alternative to toxic pesticides, although they can be used alongside chemicals. Bed bugs begin to die when the ambient temperature reaches 113 F. Commonly, the target is 120 F to cause bed bugs to die within minutes. Exterminatorsuse heat due to the following reasons:
- Heat does not leave residues.
- Bed bugs develop resistance to chemicals such as pyrethroids and DDT.
- Pesticides are toxic.
- Heat spreads evenly and permeates to reach every corner.
- Heat kills all varieties of bed bugs, bacteria, and viruses.
How Heat Treatment Works
The treatment starts with a warm and even preheated start-temperature. This warmth must be held long enough to permeate the structure and the objects within it. Bed bugs don’t feel comfortable with this preheat temperature. With this pre-warming setting, the technician can reach a well-distributed target temperature more quickly.
To make sure the heat does not leak out, it is important to seal up cracks around doors and windows. This allows for a stronger closed-loop heating and seals off potential bed bug escape routes. The goal of the treatment is to deliver a uniform temperature rise around the space, eradicating cold spots. Objects must be moved away from walls. The technician gets more surface area in contact with the air. They use air movers to circulate hot air. Any clutter must be tossed during the heating process or placed in the dryer on high. Dependable high-temperature bed bug heating elements that have a modern control system help quickly and accurately reach a uniform temperature and keep it steady for the remainder of the treatment process.
Treatment times are influenced by many variables including the number of square feet being heated, the objects in the room, building materials, the space’s starting temperature, and the degree of infestation. Also, equipment setup will matter. Several mid-power units working together work can better do the job than a single high-power unit. And because different locations can have varying equipment and service needs, pest control operations provide packages geared towards their different kinds of customers.