Why Heat?
- Heat treatment can be used to treat and control bed bugs in:
- A whole structure.
- An apartment unit, a room, or a portion of a room.
- A compartment containing furniture and possessions.
- Heat treatments typically provide more flexibility for use in cluttered environments than traditional pesticide applications.
- Research and understand applicable fire codes, and local ordinances regarding the use of portable heaters, fire suppression systems and other heat treatment related concerns.
- Only equipment designed and tested for use as an insect control device should be used for whole room bed bug treatments.
- Heat equipment should be carefully inspected before use to ensure that it is in proper working order and no foreseeable fire hazards exist.
Thermal–Heat Treatment Methods
Heat kills bed bugs at a core temperature of 120º for 20 minutes!
Types of heat treatments are:
- Structure Heat Treatment
- Localized Heat Treatment
- Steam heat Treatment
- Containerized or Truck Heat Treatment
Post-Treatment Evaluation
Success in bed bug service is generally declared when no new evidence of bed bugs can be found and verified.
Because of the cryptic nature of bed bugs, it is difficult to be 100% sure that all bed bugs and eggs have been eliminated.
Tech should base their schedule of follow-up inspections on the treatment process they use. Follow-up services may include:
- Interviewing occupants and staff to see if there has been any recent activity (bites, new bed bug fecal stains on sheets, visual sightings, etc.).
- Inspection of treated rooms and adjacent areas