BED BUGS ARE ALL THE SAME, NOT SO WITH BED BUG HEATERS
Recently, a caller reached out to my company, clearly frustrated, and asked, “Why are there so many different bed bug heater products for different situations? I just want to get rid of these bugs!”
I agreed that there is a lot of confusing information out there and assured her that we would work together to find the right equipment for her needs. After we hung up, I started thinking about how she might have formed that opinion. I had always thought that using electric heat to kill bed bugs was a pretty simple idea.
For those of us who remember the TV show “The Odd Couple,” there’s a famous episode where Felix Unger, one of the main characters, shares a thought about the word “assume.” It reminded me of the assumptions I had made about my own company and its products—things I thought were true for years turned out to be the opposite. A few quick Google searches helped me understand why.
Since opening our doors for business in 2012, we’ve been providing professional-grade electric heaters designed to eliminate bed bugs, and most of our business has come from word of mouth. In the beginning, we had a pretty basic website that offered only minimal information for people to contact us. Looking back, it seems we were a bit naïve, treating our website as just a simple online ad.
This experience made me realize how important it is to provide clear information and to understand what customers really need.
Bed bugs lay their eggs in the most protected locations they can find. Heat will penetrate these hideouts and kill the eggs whereas chemical pesticides cannot.
BED BUGS HAVE DEVELOPED RESISTANCE TO TOXIC PESTICIDES, WHICH HAVE BECOME INEFFECTIVE IN KILLING ADULT BED BUGS AND UNABLE TO KILL BED BUG EGGS
The video below is narrated by Ed von Bleichert, Facilities Manager at the University of Colorado, Boulder CO where he describes how bed bugs have become resistant to pesticides and are not useful in killing bed bug eggs which can lay dormant for months before hatching and why heat is the best solution for eliminating bed bugs and bed bug eggs.
HOW TURNKEY IS YOUR TURNKEY BED BUG HEATING PACKAGE?
The term “turnkey package” can be confusing for many customers, especially in the context of bed bug heat equipment. Some providers claim to offer turnkey solutions but still require customers to buy extra accessories to make the equipment work, leaving people feeling misled or as if they were bait-and-switched.
At PestPro Thermal Systems, we take the term “turnkey” seriously. Our packages truly include everything necessary for an effective bed bug heat treatment. You can expect that all essential equipment will be provided, so there won’t be any surprises when your order arrives. You won’t find yourself needing to reach out to the provider later for missing items.
IS A PLASTIC BED BUG HEATER GOING TO BE AS DURABLE AS ONE MADE OF 18 GAUGE COLD- ROLLED STEEL?
The terms “commercial,” “industrial,” and “professional” bed bug heaters are frequently misused by sellers aiming to entice customers into making a purchase. It’s essential to recognize that the majority of these products are constructed from plastic, which raises the question: when did plastic become acceptable for any industrial, commercial, or professional-grade application?
In stark contrast, PestPro Thermal System’s heaters are built with 18-gauge cold-rolled steel (CRS), expertly welded for maximum durability in demanding environments. Our heaters are powder-coated inside and out, ensuring a long-lasting, weatherproof finish. Steel does not expand or contract during heating cycles, and there are no rivets to come loose, so you can depend on our equipment to complete your scheduled jobs without interruptions. We believe you should never have to deal with the hassle of paying for return shipping or waiting for repairs. That’s why we’ve designed our bed bug heaters for easy repairs using readily available replacement parts. Offshore Exploration customers can opt for an epoxy layer for added protection against corrosive salt water air.
It’s also critical to note that many competing bed bug heaters rely on heating coils that resemble larger versions of those found in hair dryers and toasters. This is an unacceptable compromise for what should be a professional-grade component. You deserve better quality.
Let’s be clear about the superior technology behind PestPro Thermal System electric bed bug heaters: the heat strips feature a Type 304 stainless steel sheath that offers exceptional strength and withstands high temperatures of up to 1200°F (650°C) while resisting chemical corrosion. A helical resistance wire coil made from nickel-chrome wire is meticulously strung through a ceramic insulator to ensure uniform heat distribution. We use a custom blend of high-purity magnesium oxide in various grain sizes to maximize thermal conductivity and dielectric strength, filling all space around the ceramic insulator. Our channel strip heaters are available with or without mounting tabs; when they are without, the ends are securely silver-soldered shut to block moisture and contaminants. The nickel-plated steel fins (with stainless steel available as an option) are designed for efficient forced air heating in ducts as well as natural convection air heating in cabinet-style ovens. Make no mistake: our products represent the quality and reliability that the industry demands.
WE DO ONE THING AND WE DO IT BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE - BUILD COMMERCIAL BED BUG HEATERS FOR PROFESSIONALS
There are several companies that sell electric bed bug heaters as part of broader product lines, which often includes propane bed bug heaters, dehumidifiers, and various unrelated items. In contrast, PestPro Thermal Systems focuses solely on one product: industrial-grade, electric bed bug heaters made from 18-gauge cold-rolled steel.
Before joining PestPro Thermal Systems, I spent 27 years in the enterprise software industry, where I observed that as the range of products and features increased, it became increasingly difficult to provide effective support for all the variations. For us, it is essential to provide and support one product exceptionally well, and we take great pride in doing so. I encourage you to read some of our customer reviews, which genuinely reflect the level of Tier 1 US-based telephone support we strive to offer.
We Believe In Our Customers 'Right to Repair' Their Own Bed Bug Heaters
“This is a groundswell of people across the country saying NO. Enough is enough. We are sick of throwing away things that are almost functional. Let’s take the leap. Let’s fix them and let’s push back on this throwaway culture.”
-Kyle Wiens, Founder iFixit.com
The other thing that “grinds our gears” is the culture of making it impossible for customers to fix their own equipment. We intentionally engineered our equipment from the start so that we would never have to touch it again. Maintenance is almost non existent and repairs are simple and intuitive using only open-source components available from suppliers like Amazon, Grainger or McMaster-Carr. This video outlines our stance as a company on planned obsolescence and the companies that profit from this short-term and short-sighted approach to business.
UPDATE 01JUN2021 Wall Street Journal update on the Right to Repair movement. PestPro Thermal embodies the values of this movement, enabling customers to maintain and repair their products independently, rather than being held hostage to manufacturers for this service.
OUR PERSPECTIVE ON DIRECT FIRED BED BUG HEATER UNITS (Propane, Diesel, etc.)
As a company, we are unequivocally committed to using electric bed bug heaters as the safest and most effective method for eliminating bed bugs. It’s important to clarify that our choice is not driven by cost; we intentionally do not offer direct-fired heaters due to significant safety concerns. After extensive research and thorough discussions with our ownership, legal advisors, and insurance providers, we unanimously concluded that the risks associated with handling and transporting combustible fuels like propane and diesel, as well as the use of direct-fired heaters, pose unacceptable dangers to both our company and our valued customers.
If you decide to use direct-fired heaters, we urge you to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant at all times. These heaters can reach dangerously high temperatures if not meticulously controlled by a highly trained and skilled technician. This is why we prioritize stringent training and thorough onboarding procedures for new hires. Doing so is essential to prevent structural damage, protect personal belongings, and ensure the safety of everyone involved. Your safety and peace of mind are our top priorities.
BED BUG HEATERS SHOULD BE EASY TO USE AND VERY PORTABLE
There are many electric bed bug heaters on the market that claim to accommodate a mix of 240V and 110V circuits. However, this approach often leads users into a tangled web of up to eight power cords for each heater. Without proper knowledge of the amperage for each outlet, users frequently encounter the frustrating issue of tripping circuit breakers. At PestPro Thermal Systems, we’ve seen numerous customers take this route only to realize it’s not only cumbersome but can also be nearly impossible to manage—ultimately prompting them to invest in our straightforward and effective solutions.
Our industrial electric bed bug heaters are engineered from the ground up to be genuinely universal in terms of power usage, making them the ideal choice for any residential setting. We focused on creating equipment that is not only simple and intuitive but also dependable and easy to transport. Our design centers around a single high-voltage power source, complemented by a set of four versatile pigtail adapter cords. This allows you to effortlessly connect to a 3- or 4-prong stove outlet, a 3- or 4-prong dryer outlet, or even a generator. Many of our general contractor and former electrician customers even take the initiative to create a custom fifth pigtail for direct connection to a circuit breaker, ensuring maximum efficiency and convenience. Choose our heaters for a hassle-free, effective solution to your bed bug challenges.
SAFETY IS JOB #1 AT PESTPRO THERMAL SYSTEMS
Before Gary joined our team as Operations Manager, he honed his skills as an avionics electrician for a medical helicopter company. In the aviation industry, safety standards are not just a guideline—they are ingrained in the culture like nowhere else.
We bring that same commitment to safety and precision to our work. Each bed bug heater is meticulously handcrafted, ensuring that no assembly line shortcuts are taken. Safety is always our top priority.
Take a look at the custom-built power cord testing strip that Gary utilizes to guarantee that each cord, connector, and connection meets our high safety standards before it leaves our shipping dock.
The red and green lights on the left side of the strip indicate everything you need to know. A green light signifies that all components are securely plugged in, and we perform this test twice for added assurance. You can have full confidence that your cords are safe and ready to go.
This rigorous testing approach sets us apart from the industry norm, where most cords are merely molded and mass-produced without any thorough testing. We believe that your safety deserves the highest level of scrutiny, and we deliver that unwavering commitment.
By equipping our heater with four 5″ swiveling caster wheels, we empower our customers to effortlessly transport it over long distances along sidewalks or hallways and seamlessly navigate tight corners, particularly within treatment areas. In contrast, many budget-priced bed bug heaters require manual carrying, which poses a significant risk of injury to your staff and potential workers’ compensation claims for your organization. Choosing our heater not only enhances safety and efficiency but also reduces liability, making it a smarter investment for your team.
The final point I want to make is this: killing bed bugs with heat is easy and safe if you follow the instructions for use. I have had many customers never take advantage of the free remote Zoom training included with purchase. Most report back to me that with a bit of practice they were able to use the equipment quickly and effectively using the training video provided on our web site in combination with the Quick Start Guide. We know there is money to be made in training and selling repairs and replacement parts but that is not our company’s focus. We want to make sure you can quickly and easily kill bed bugs with equipment that is simple and safe to use as well as built to last many lifetimes.
Our heaters are so durable one customer, Dan Segal of Eastfork Pottery, said he thought our bed bug heaters would last twice as long if used for their intended purpose, to kill bed bugs:
“When we were designing a small room dryer for our pottery manufacturing facility (eastfork.com), we were looking for a simple, affordable and reliable heat source to dry our pottery ware before it goes in to the kilns. After some Googling, we stumbled upon PestPro Thermal Systems, and found exactly what we were looking for. We purchased the 208v 10Kw unit, installed it, turned it on, and have run it essentially 24/7 for the past 7 years straight with very little maintenance needed (only shutting down every 2 weeks for cleaning and inspection). And that is saying a lot, as the dusty manufacturing conditions our PestPro heater is exposed to would definitely qualify as a torture. It is a true testament to the durability of their products. Given the conditions we are running our unit in, we have needed to repair some parts here and there, and when we did, Pest Pro’s service was extremely fast, friendly and efficient, getting us the parts we needed to get our unit back up and running quickly and easily. My belief is that, given the extremes we push this unit to daily, this unit would last two lifetimes if used primarily for the purpose it was designed.”
For additional information and details on bed bug heating equipment visit this post: The Ultimate Guide to Bed Bug Heaters: Buying a Bed Bug Heater vs Renting
Call or text 970-443-8119 for meaningful answers to your intelligent questions about our bed bug heat treatment equipment.
We appreciate and thank you for your time.
