Do you think you might have bed bugs? Are you finding bites on your skin that occurred overnight? Do the bites appear in a line or look like a pattern of zig-zags on your skin? Have you done an inspection and found oval-shaped, 4.5-mm long insects with a rusty-brown coloration? If so, you have a bed bug infestation. But you're not alone. The number of bed bug infestations in Terre Haute continues to rise and these blood-eating pests are becoming all too common in our area. Fortunately, there is a way to get rid of bed bugs quickly using heat and little or no use of pest control products. Let's take a look at why bed bugs can't beat the heat.
When temperatures are in the 80s and 90s, bed bugs are very happy. They reproduce more quickly and they move around more actively within an area of infestation. But, if it gets too hot, bed bugs die.
How Hot Is Too Hot For Bed Bugs?
When bed bugs are exposed to temperatures above 120°F for more than 20 minutes, they die. Bed bug eggs take a little more effort. It is suggested to heat them at this temperature for more than 90 minutes. But heating your Terre Haute home to this temperature is difficult. 120 °F is HOT.
How Hot Is 120 °F?
A standard hairdryer is between 100 °F and 140 °F. That means the heat required to kill bed bugs is the middle or high setting on most hair dryers. This level of heat must be radiated through your entire home so that every hiding place is heated up and all bed bugs are eliminated. Attempting to do this with the wrong equipment can be dangerous.
Professional Bed Bugs Control
If you hire a professional to deal with your bed bug infestation, you should know that a trusted professional will not come into your home with space heaters and hair dryers. Professionals use temperature-regulated heating units, heat sensors, and steamers for bed bug heat treatment to ensure the protection of your property. At Action Pest Control, we use these and more. Our licensed and highly trained pest control professionals have many tools available including fumigation and conventional bed bug products and strategies. We are equipped to handle any size bed bug infestation with appropriate treatment methods.
Are you dealing with bed bugs in Terre Haute? Maybe it's time to turn up the heat. Reach out to Action Pest Control and find out if heat is right for you.