Bed bugs have developed resistance to most pesticides, but heat treatments are still effective at killing all stages of these insects immediately. For successful results, however, the heat must reach into wall voids and cracks where these razor-thin creatures hide.
Experienced heat treaters recommend opening all closet doors, cabinet drawers and furniture during the initial heating process to allow hot air to penetrate these locations without harming delicate electronics or household items.
For professional heat treatment services, consider PestControlPlus heat treatment services. Theyoffer effective and environmentally friendly solutions tо eliminate bed bugs and other pests.
1. Clean Up
Successful full heat treatments should eliminate most bed bugs; however, some may remain. Therefore, it’s essential that after treatment, your home be thoroughly inspected for dead bed bugs, shed skins, and feces to detect.
Storage boxes, bags of clothing and other forms of clutter often prevent temperatures from reaching their thermal death point in bed bug treatments. To ensure a successful bed bug heat treatment process, ensure all rooms are free from boxes or items such as furniture that could hinder heating treatments.
2. Move Furniture
If your home is filled with storage boxes and bags, it is imperative that they are cleared out prior to beginning heat therapy treatments. Storage items may prevent walls or floors from reaching temperatures which could prove lethal – removal will help ensure safety during this process.
Bed bug harborage areas like seams, tufts and crevices must be accessible in order for heat penetration. You may notice drawers being pushed in closer together or mattresses being turned upside-down during treatment to allow more effective heat penetration. Similarly, clothes may be moved during this process in order to increase heat penetration.
3. Remove Drapes
Bed bugs are adept at hiding, making them hard to spot. But high heat temperatures are effective in killing these bed bug parasites wherever they hide – behind picture frames, clothing seams, or wall voids.
Clutter can make inspecting a home difficult, providing more hiding spots for bed bugs to hide. Consider decluttering by placing items in plastic storage bins for easier inspection.
Certain objects such as candles, aerosol cans, flammable liquids and delicate electronics may not withstand extended high-temperature treatments; remove these before beginning treatment.
4. Remove Window Furnishings
Some companies may ask you to remove clutter from the property, stand mattresses up on their ends, remove couch cushions and other furniture items that obstruct airflow during heat treatment, as this helps ensure even temperatures throughout your property. These preparations help promote air circulation for an even and successful heat treatment experience.
Opening closet and drawer doors during heating processes allows heat to reach all corners and cracks where bed bugs hide more effectively, increasing success rates of bed bug heat treatments significantly.
5. Remove Plants
Bed bugs and their eggs can hide anywhere within your home, including plants, electronics, living animals (including pets ) and sentimental items like picture frames. Items to avoid being exposed to high temperatures include plants, some electronics and sentimental pieces such as picture frames.
Boxes and bags containing items you don’t use frequently should be emptied out to increase airflow during treatment, and ensure your mattresses have bed bug-proof encasements so they do not escape when exposed to heat.
6. Remove Pets
Full heat treatments for bed bugs can be highly effective, provided all areas of a home can reach lethal temperatures. As such, home preparation is paramount.
Remove anything that could be damaged by heat treatment, such as electronics, records, leather imitation furniture, candles or wax based items from the home. Furthermore, any pets that may be at risk should also be moved out before starting therapy.
7. Remove Electronics
Bed bugs tend to hide in nooks and crevices of cluttered rooms, so clearing away clutter will allow heat treatment to reach every part of the space.
Items susceptible to being damaged by high temperatures include plastic and leather imitation furniture, candles and wax-based products, electronics such as phones or computers, living plants or animals as well as sentimental items.
Set up bed bug traps or monitors under any furniture that cannot be moved easily like sofas and recliners to determine when bed bugs have been eliminated from these pieces of furniture. Regular inspection of this monitor will let you know when bedbugs have been eliminated from such pieces of furniture.
8. Remove All Liquids
Bed bugs thrive in dark and cramped spaces like crevices behind picture frames or beneath furniture, so proper preparation allows our team to access these spots via heat treatment quickly.
Remove items that can be damaged by high temperatures, such as books, electronics, picture frames and plastic toys. Place these in plastic bags and store in a safe spot until your home has been treated.
9. Clean Up
After treatments have concluded, it’s essential to thoroughly clean up. Vacuum and wash all soft surfaces within the rooms being treated.
As well, it’s advisable to remove items that might be affected by heat such as plants (which could succumb to high temperatures), electronics, pets and any sentimental or fragile belongings that might become damaged in an intense fire situation.
Once treatment has been completed, follow your pest control professional’s suggested reentry timeframe for safe reentry into the home.
