Heat Treatment for Bed Bugs

Bed Bugs are an incredibly common problem these days throughout the world, and United States.  Bed bugs don’t discriminate, and everyone is susceptible.  Heat Treatment for bed bugs, whether done by yourself or by a professional, is the single most effective strategy for getting rid of bed bugs in your home.   What?   You don’t believe you have bed bugs?   You may be wrong …

Bed Bugs are a Huge Problem

We’ve all heard the phrase,  “Sleep tight, Don’t let the bed bugs bite” when you go off to bed, but maybe you’ve never really run across them before … until now.  Some of you might even be saying, “Wait?  Bed bugs are real?”   Yes they are.

Maybe you’ve found yourself not sleeping well at night, waking up with a red and itchy rash on your legs, arms, and back.   There are weird dark and red streaks on your bed sheets, and possibly a funny smell.  You’re now very concerned that you’ve “let the bed bugs bite”.

Bed bugs have made a strong come back over the years and many people are dealing with them in their homes, work places, hotels and even in theaters. Bed bugs are extremely hard to get rid of because over the years they have become resilient to pesticides and other treatment methods.

After trying just about everything that everyone has recommended from websites to friends or family, you’re afraid of them spreading further.  You’re also becoming frustrated with all the different methods that don’t seem to be working on these little parasites.  

What else can you do??  Moving out may not even work.  

Heat Treatment for Bed Bugs – The most effective strategy

One of the best ways to rid your home of bed bugs is using heat treatment for bed bugs.  Bedbugs cannot withstand temperatures in excess of 117-120 degrees.   Heat this high will kill bed bugs within minutes by drying out their bodies.  

Heat treatment also has the advantage of penetrating small cracks and crevices, and an ability to reach places that other methods fail to reach.  This makes heat treatment for bed bugs HIGHLY effective.  Fortunately, the clothes dryer in your home is a very effective tool for killing bed bugs.

Use your Clothes Dryer to kill bed bugs

First, you’ll want to strip your bedding from the bed.  This includes pillows, cushions and any items you can place in your clothes dryer.   The heat from your clothes dryer will kill bed bugs.  Again, bed bugs cannot tolerate high temperatures.  

Run your clothes dryer up to 45 minutes on its highest heat setting.  You can also use a hot box as long as you use it with caution, how you heat it is important because if done incorrectly it could start a fire.

Using the Sun

For anything that cannot go into your clothes dryer, you can place the items in black plastic bags and use the sun’s heat to kill bed bugs.

First, get rid of all clutter by throwing out anything that you don’t need.   Then, place any books or other objects such as records, files or photos in a black plastic bag or tupperware container that can be placed somewhere warm and dry. These things will have to be stored for up to 18 months to get rid of the bed bugs.  Storage will kill the bed bugs by starving them.

If you live in a hot climate, you can also place the items, while in black plastic bags, out in the sun.   The temperature on the inside of the bag, if it exceeds 117 degrees, will kill the bed bugs within a few hours.

Bed Bug Heat Treatment of the rest of your home

How in the world do you get your infested house temperature up to 117-120?  Without the proper, and very expensive gear, and the knowledge to do it right, heating the rest of your home in excess of 117 degrees is nearly impossible.   The remainder of your heat treatment strategy will require a professional, unless you use a steamer, which can be VERY effective.

Many bed bug professionals are experienced and certified in bed bug heat treatment, and will not only be your safest alternative, but your most effective as well.

Heat Treatment for Bed Bugs by Professionals

Experienced Bed Bug Professionals not only have the proper knowledge and experience to heat treat your home, they have the proper (and very expensive) equipment to treat it as well.  See our guide for tips on hiring professionals.

Heat Treatment for bed bugs done by a professional generally involves the following:

• A consultation
• An estimate of the cost.
• Clean-up and declutter
• Sealing up your home
• Removal of flammable and dangerous items, and items that may melt or not withstand the extreme heat.

Bed Bug Professionals will often do all of the prep work for you, but you can often do much of this on your own, and save some money.

You will need to make sure to fill ALL cracks in your home by filling them with caulk or foam.  Remember to get around doors and window as well. You don’t want to spend all this time and effort to only find out that it didn’t work because the heat wasn’t held in the room properly.

Also, all outlet covers should be removed so the heat can move more freely through the house, and into the walls.  Be sure to  remove anything that can easily melt, alcohol, anything explosive or flammable, art supplies, medicines, batteries, fire alarms, etc. PRIOR to your bed bug heat treatment professional showing up.

Here’s a video of bed bugs running around trying to avoid the heat during a heat treatment.  Scary stuff!

How does bed bug heat treatment work?

Bed Bug Heat Treatment professionals will show up at your home with a truck or van, that contains a large heater, often fueled by propane.   The truck also contains very large blowers that through a large air tube, will direct super hot air into a window of your home.

The blowers will force the hot air into your home for hours, heating up the inside to well over 117 degrees, and killing any an all bed bugs exposed to the hot temperatures.  

Professionals will monitor the temperatures in the various areas of your home to be sure the temperature exceed 117.  They will also monitor your home to be sure no damage occurs, and in particular fire, the biggest risk of bed bug heat treatment.

We DO NOT recommend trying to heat treat your home using portable heaters, due to the risk of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning.  Many people have died trying to do this.

Trust us, when using heat treatment, the cost of a professional is well worth the money, and will not only provide you with a safe treatment strategy, but the most effective as well.

>> Use our FREE Bed Professional Quote system to get bed bug heat treatment quotes for professional in your area.