Why We Don’t Use Heat to Kill Bed Bugs
(The answer may surprise you!)
We get a lot of customers and people in general asking us why we don’t offer heat treatments. Sometimes people even hang up the phone when we tell them we don’t offer heat treatment. Most customers tell us, that the internet says it’s the only way to kill bed bugs. We must tell them that it is not true, and then explain to them why that’s not true. We can save you money and a whole lot of time. If you want to know how, please keep reading and find out why heat treatment is not always the best way to end your bed bug infestation.
Reason Number One:
When referring to bed bug heat treatments it is important to be clear. We don’t offer heat treatment when it comes to bringing large gas or electric powered heaters near or in your home. Now that’s out of the way, here are the reasons why we don’t offer that kind of bed bug treatment. First, heat treatment does not work in all situations. It is not even a solid solution for all homes. Bed bugs can be found in all kinds of places, like cars, RVs and even in the back of semi-trucks. Heat treatments get complicated when you cannot get the large cumbersome equipment directly near the infestation. For example: if the bedbugs are in a small space where the heaters are too large to fit, like an old or small building. Or on the 3rd or 5th floor where the heavy equipment cannot be taken.
Reason Number Two:
Secondly, the liability of heat treatments is greater than most companies will tell you. If something goes wrong, your appliances, furniture even structure could be ruined, not to mention the risk of fire. Of course, most pest control companies will tell you how successful their heat treatments are because they want to sell you on their service. But unfortunately, they will forget to tell you the failures or the damage that a heat treatment can possibly cause. When mentioning failure, it means that the bed bugs may be gone, but your 46” TV or $1900 laptop is now ruined or even in some cases, as said before, your home is destroyed by fire. This is a problem you should not have to deal with. When bed bugs are causing you a miserable night’s sleep, you do not need the added worry of a potential house fire.
Reason Number Three:
And third of all, let us discuss the dependability of heat treatment. Here is a trade secret: every company that conducts heat treatment follows up that heat treatment with a chemical treatment after the heat treatment is done. Most companies offer a chemical treatment after the heat treatment is done, calling it a” just in case” factor. Don’t get us wrong heat will kill bed bugs but heating your home to 122 degrees will kill all kinds of bugs, and fish, and some small pets.
Keep in mind that heat cannot penetrate through structures. What this means is that the heat cannot reach inside the walls where the bedbugs may be hiding. Bed bugs don’t just hide in beds, they can hide in wall voids, behind baseboards inside dressers, floorboards, under wallpaper, in appliances, and electrical wall outlets just to name a few places. Moving a mattress around a few times while in 122° will kill the bed bugs and their eggs on the mattress, but the bedbugs and the eggs inside the walls and the other places mentioned will still be alive. Therefore, companies always apply chemical treatment after they treat heat. The expense of heat treatment to end bed bugs is expensive. It is disappointing to spend so much on heat treatment to still find that you have a bed bug infestation trapped inside your walls, or baseboards.
The Formula Works!
The chemical treatment can kill bed bugs and their eggs days or weeks later, it is strong enough to kill on the first application and only application. And it is effective and less expensive and less risky and less potentially damaging to your home.
Now, don’t get us wrong, if you have thousands of dollars to spend ending bedbugs, and have days on end to let giant heaters sit in your home, then heat treatment may be the way for you. But if you want the bed bug infestation gone, if you want the biting, the itching and the scratching to stop, then consider the faster, safer and more effective chemical method that we have shared.
Pathfinder Pest Control: Tulsa bed bugs Specialists has been studying the biology and chemistry and behavior of bed bugs for years, and we have come up with a method that is 100% effective and safe on killing bed bugs in any type of situation.
Facts -vs- Myths
Look at some common myths when it comes to bed bugs and heat treatment, we think you’ll be surprised:
Myth: Pesticides are harmful and are considered poisonous for humans as well animals.
Fact: With technology and science working hand in hand with entomologists, pesticides are getting safer and more effective.
Myth: Heat treatment is natural.
Fact: Heat treatment uses natural gas. Natural gas comes with chemical additives. We are all aware of the safety precautions that must be taken when using natural gas.
Myth: Heat treatments are safer than insecticides.
Fact: Heat treatment melts or damages your personal possessions and electronics and even catches your home on fire.
Myth: Heat treatment takes only one visit when pesticide treatments take several.
Fact: While pesticide applications can take more than one application, usually heat treatments require follow-ups.
Myth: Heat treatment is less expensive.
Fact: Heat treatment requires expensive equipment to be used over multiple days. Because of this it usually comes with a large price tag, in the thousands of dollars.
Myth: Insecticide treatment doesn’t kill all stages of bed bugs.
Fact: Over the past 25 years the bed bug epidemic has become worse. Manufacturers have done their best to make solutions and insecticides more effective on killing bed bugs of all life cycle stages.
Myth: Heat treatment is more effective.
Fact: Heat treatment and chemical treatments can give the exact same results; heat treatment can cost thousands of dollars more.
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