When it comes to our quality of life, maintaining the cleanliness and near-pristine condition of our homes remains vital. Few things impact our psyche and peace of mind quite like coming home to a property that is in the right condition. If you come in from a hard day at work to a dusty and dirty house, think about how that makes you feel. Now, imagine coming home after an exhausting twelve-hour shift, lying down, and going to sleep — only to wake up with bitemarks on your arms, legs, and neck. Yuck!
According to PestWorld, approximately one in five Americans has been affected by bed bugs at least once. Unlike other pest problems, bed bugs also tend to remain in one place. They survive by using our blood as a form of sustenance, so they just hang around until something is done to force them to move on.
As you may have already discovered, many so-called “proven” bed bug treatments are ineffective in stemming the flow. When you research professional bed bug extermination companies in your area, you can find various treatment options available. The two most common treatment types involved spray treatments using chemicals and heat treatment using high-end equipment. What is the most effective way to eliminate your infestation and achieve long-term peace of mind?
Chemical Treatments For Bed Bugs
Seen as the “old-fashioned” way to eliminate bed bugs, chemical treatments involve the use of insecticides that are applied directly to the areas where bed bugs are most prevalent. However, while they can be impactful for smaller bed bug infestations, the best professional bed bug extermination companies do not solely rely on the use of chemical treatments. Why?
Put simply, they require heavier application, while delivering lower-quality results, than the aforementioned heat treatment. Chemicals cannot reach the nooks and crannies where most bed bugs hide. They only cover the outer areas of a room, making it easy for bed bugs to escape the chemicals and ward themselves off. Additionally, chemicals cannot penetrate through eggshells, meaning that the bed bugs that have yet to hatch – and there will be many – will re-emerge soon. Also, reports suggest that bed bugs are becoming increasingly resistant to insecticides. This is why quality bed bug control companies combine heat treatment with modest chemical treatment to address any bugs that somehow survive the heat.
Chemical bed bug treatments often require multiple applications to achieve an impact comparable to that of heat treatment. With the inability to kill off the yet-to-hatch bed bugs, however, the most effective way to eliminate a substantial bed bug infestation is proper administration of bed bug heat treatment.
Heat Treatment For Bed Bugs
Chemical treatments have their place within the industry, but they tend to be most effective when the bed bugs are confined to a single area, such as a specific mattress or bed. Once bed bugs appear to be within the walls and spread from room to room, chemical treatments become less effective. Given the rapid breeding pace of bed bugs, chemical treatment typically only slows down their numbers rather than eliminating the entire colony that has invaded your home.
Heat treatment, though, is far more powerful. Heat treatment eliminates the need for chemicals, thereby minimizing its environmental impact. As long as precautions are taken during setup, there is no need for anything on your property to be removed or destroyed in the aftermath. While some items in your home may need to be temporarily removed due to the impact of a high-heat environment, this is much easier to prepare for than replacing your entire furniture collection.
The main benefit of heat treatment is that it can be made property-wide. Professional heat treatment equipment, such as Heat Assault, directly targets the area where bed bugs reside. That means even those who have yet to hatch and those who are hiding away in the nooks and crevices of your property. Bed bugs hate chemicals but love heat, so these treatments actually bring the bed bugs right to their doom. By killing any bed bug – whether nymph, adult, or those yet to hatch – you achieve long-term removal of the problem. Rather than having to repeat treatments, heat treatment is a one-and-done solution. Without the need for repeat treatments and the risks of collateral damage, heat is the most effective option.
If you have bed bugs in your home, DIY treatments are generally a waste of money. Chemical treatments remain useful in isolation but should generally be avoided as a solution to larger-scale infestations. For a treatment that eliminates the problem and provides you with lasting peace of mind, it is much wiser to opt for heat treatment.
