Parasites like bed bugs can make your life miserable. There is nothing more irritating than the infections caused by these tiny creatures. Just imagine how chaotic your home could turn once you get a bed bug invasion. Once you get even the slightest inkling about a bed bug attack, do not hesitate. Immediately think about the remedies to evacuate them. The main issue with these bugs is that they can hide in even the smallest crack on the wall or even in an electric socket opening. We may think that we have got rid of them, however, they reappear with greater strength and number within a few days.
How does heat treatment work?
One of the best and most proven methods to evacuate bed bugs is to introduce heat treatment. This is an age-old method used by older generations and continues to be one of the most popular methods even today. As the name suggests, the weapon used here is high temperatures of around 140 F. Do you know why the temperature is set to 140F? The logic behind this is simple. These creatures cannot survive temperatures of more than 120F. Bed bugs in all stages of life, be it the eggs, nymphs or adult bugs, die instantly when exposed to such high temperatures.
You have to heat the entire home for four to six hours. The process can be repeated for a few consecutive days also. Heat each room separately and make sure that all the holes, crevices and cracks are exposed to this high temperature. Find out and determine all the openings in the house, however small they seem. It is in these little openings that the bed bugs run to escape. When exposed to 140F for six hours, there is no means of survival left for the bugs. It is more or less like a heat sauna for the bugs. There is no room for escape and the heat will find them wherever they hide.
Do you need to leave the house during heat treatment?
While there are no directly harmful effects, it would be better to take your family away for a while. It will be very uncomfortable to stay in such high temperatures inside the house. Kids and pets should be surely moved to a safer place while the treatment is going on. Another reason why no one should be present is, if you are inside the house, you may become the last route of escape for the bugs. They will easily climb up and hide among your clothes. So when you go out, you will have company. The bed bugs will follow you everywhere and return home when it is all cool and safe. It seems all cute and cozy, however, this turns out to be a great headache later on. Your efforts and money get wasted as the bugs will occupy the whole house within no time again.
Safety measures to think about during heat treatment
As precautionary measures, you can move your family and pets to another place for a few days till all the bugs have been eliminated. While heat treatments do not cause harm to your family members, it is always safer to conduct the process in an empty house. Take care to keep inflammable items away. No explosives, firecrackers, fuel sources like petrol or diesel should be stored within the premises. You may ask why all these measures are necessary. Well, its always better to be safe than sorry. You Need not fear that anything will go wrong, however, it is always wise to adopt and follow safety measures for any procedure.
Heat treatments are more or less a death trap for bed bugs. If still in doubt, this blog post describes how and why this treatment works best. With all the other methods, they will find some space to hide. A spray or powder works well when the bugs are on the spot, however, such materials cannot reach the deeper hiding places such as electric sockets, cracks in the ceiling, etc. Heat, on the other hand, doesn’t let any bug escape. No matter where they hide, the entire space keeps getting hotter. The bed bugs are left with only two choices. Either they have to find a way to escape outdoors or they accept defeat and die.
Before you start the heat treatment, make sure that the doors and windows have been sealed properly. You should check gaps in the ceiling or cracks indoors. Anything that could let the heat escape the room defeats your purpose. The entire house should be kept at 140 F for a minimum of 2 hours. This temperature should be maintained throughout and every little space in the house should feel the heat.
DIY or Professional help?
Should you do the treatment by yourself or should you call for assistance? Although this is a process that some people do it themselves, it is always advisable to get professional help. Experts who deal in pest control can carry out the treatmentmore effectively. They will also conduct follow up inspections to make sure that the bed bugs are completely removed. Another advantage is that these professionals will know how safe it is to raise the temperature. Different items or appliances in your home react to thigh temperature differently. Only a professional who is used to conducting heat treatments will know how much heat should be released. They will have proper and sophisticated equipment which makes the entire process much simpler. Also, you can be assured that your house is in safe hands who know their job well.
Once the treatment has been carried out successfully, your job is not done. You have to make a routine to keep the bugs from further invasion. Using airtight storage options, storing clothes effectively, Vacuuming the house, sealing cracks, checking wallpaper for gaps, clearing the garbage, etc should be carried out regularly. This will keep the bed bug invasion under strict supervision. And you will get control of your home once again. Stay alert and act fast to keep your home bug free!