Bed bugs are a menace in homes and businesses. They can come with used furniture, one can pick them up in hotels and buses, or they can be brought to your home by guests. Whichever the transfer mode, bed bugs can wreak havoc in your home or business premises. They suck blood and leave unsightly and itchy marks on the skin. If left untreated, a bed bug infestation can be a nightmare in your home or business. That’s why you need to handle them immediately before they multiply and become difficult to eradicate.
One of the most common treatments that exterminators use is heat. Before hiring an exterminator, it is essential to understand this treatment, how it works, whether it is useful, and if there are other more effective techniques that you can explore.
What is Heat Treatment?
Heat treatment refers to the use of equipment that raises the temperature in a room and kills bed bugs. Bed bugs and their eggs don’t survive in areas of high temperatures. When exposed to at least 50°C, bugs and their eggs will die within a few hours. During treatment, the bed bug exterminator uses the specialized equipment to raise the temperature of the room to above 50°C. They then place thermostats at various places to ensure that the temperature in every corner of the room is as desired. The treatment can last anywhere between one and six hours depending on the severity of the infestation.
Is Heat Treatment Effective?
Bed bugs cannot thrive under high temperatures; therefore, heat treatment is effective as long as it is done by professional. An expert will ensure that every area of the room attains and sustains the temperature required to kill the bugs and their eggs. Heat treatment comes with various benefits when compared to alternative options such as insecticides:
- The heat kills both the bugs and their eggs; so, you don’t have to worry about a re-infestation.
- Follow-up treatment is not necessary, especially if the first one was thoroughly done. Most insecticides don’t kill the eggs, so one has to treat again after two weeks.
- Treatment does not involve the use of chemicals. You don’t have to worry about moving out until the hazardous odor wears off as is the case with most chemical treatments.
However, on the downside, heat treatment doesn’t offer residual effects. Unlike chemicals which can prevent an infestation long after application, heat treatment has no guarantee. You can even get an infestation in a few days if you are not careful. Additionally, the equipment used is expensive, and this translates into an increased cost of treatment.
Aprehend® – A Suitable Alternative
If you find that heat is not a suitable bed bug treatment for you, there is another excellent option that you can explore. This option is a mycoinsecticide known as Aprehend®. Conventional chemical insecticides require two or three applications to eradicate an infestation. Some are even ineffective as bed bugs have already developed resistance against the chemicals. Aprehend® is a revolutionary treatment that is highly effective against bugs. The product is a fungal biopesticide that creates a chemical barrier that lasts up to three months.
Aprehend® is sprayed on surfaces in the home or business. As bed bugs crawl over the sprayed surface, they pick up the fungal spores and even pass them on to other bugs that didn’t cross the chemical barrier. As a result, Aprehend® can eradicate an infestation and protect the premises for at least three months after treatment. Unlike other insecticides, there is no known resistance of bed bugs against this treatment.
Final Thoughts
When the bed bugs bite, you need to find treatment immediately to avoid a disaster in your home or business. Finding a treatment that’s both effective and affordable can be hard. Insecticides are cheap, but they require continued use to be effective. On the other hand, heat treatment is effective, but it can cost you much. If you are having a hard time finding the right solution, consider an option like Aprehend® which is a practical solution that protects against bed bugs for at least three months. Additionally, remember to work with a professional for proper application of the product.
