Gardening

Top Heat Treatment Methods for Bed Bug Elimination

Any insect that feeds on blood is very scary, and the bed bug is certainly a bloodsucker. Another disturbing ability of this minute creature is that it can bite you and suck your blood without you even noticing it. So, it feeds on you until it’s full, and you sleep through the entire process. A day or two will go by before you notice the red bumps on your skin, which are often found in rows. The bite marks are itchy because the bloodsucking insect injects chemicals into your skin that will numb the site and stop your blood for coagulating. The bed bug is truly a vile creature that also causes rashes, skin infections, as well as allergies. Hence, you should always be on the lookout for these bugs, and treat your space right away once you discover that you have a bed bug problem.

bed-bug-diagram

There is no easy way to kill bed bugs in just one attempt. Major treatments might need to be followed with spot treatments. Moreover, the residents of the once-infested house must continue to be vigilant and employ other preventive measures to discourage these pests from coming back.

Using Heat

One way to kill bed bugs is through heat. There are so many ways that this can be done, and below are a few examples.

1. Utilizing a Dryer

Your drier is a tool that you can use to kill bed bugs. Simply wash infected items, like linen, bedding or clothes, and dry these. Be sure to crank your dryer to the highest setting possible. The heat must reach 45?C and exposure time must be about 15 minutes. If you are trying to get rid of bed bug eggs, take note that these are harder to kill because they are protected by the shells. So, the exposure time must be about 50 to 60 minutes.

2. Using the Radiant Heat Method

Radiant heat is the heat generated by a certain object, and this heat then radiates towards other items or surfaces instead of heating the surrounding air. A good example of radiant heat is the heat from the sun that makes the Earth warm. In pest control, experts must increase temperatures to up to 140?F and exposure time is about 2 to 8 hours. The main advantage here is that using radiant heat is a non-toxic way to eradicate bed bugs. However, there are also several disadvantages, including increased risk of fire accidents. Usually, before pest control professionals can employ this method, they have to ask permission from the local fire department first. Furthermore, the room to be treated must be emptied of electronic gadgets, medicines, plants, and other items that might get damaged when exposed to very hot temperatures. Finally, using radiant heat might not be a 100% assurance that all bugs will be gone after treatment as this will be dependent on whether or not the heat produced was able to reach deep into furniture or cracks where bed bugs often hide.

3. Using Steam

A lot of pest control companies also use large machines that produce steam. They use these kinds of equipment to treat entire rooms or even houses. There are two main advantages to using steam. First is that it’s quick. An entire home can be treated in a day. Second, it’s non-toxic as well. There will be no chemical residues left on surfaces. However, there is a risk of workers sustaining burn injuries. In addition to that, very hot steam can also damage possessions and surfaces.

The article is by Claire Norton, who specializes in pest management concerns. She hopes that her articles will convince home and business owners to learn more about their pest control options.

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