Welcome to PestPro Thermal Systems Call: (970) 443-8119
Welcome to PestPro Thermal Systems Call: (970) 443-8119
Welcome to PestPro Thermal Systems Call: (970) 443-8119
Welcome to PestPro Thermal Systems Call: (970) 443-8119
People who have experienced bed bugs know how difficult they are to control and eliminate! Most people trying to get rid of bed bugs on their own (DIY) using insecticides quickly learn that…
Why Heat Works and How Toxic Insecticides Can Make the Problem Worse
People who have experienced bed bugs know how difficult they are to control and eliminate! Most people trying to get rid of bed bugs on their own (DIY) using insecticides learn that:
What they may NOT realize, however, is that the insecticides they are using typically make the bed bug infestation more difficult to control and are likely causing them to spread- making eradication costs more expensive! Below are some reasons that explain why.
2. Bed bugs hide in unreachable locations – bed bugs typically hide in small, protected areas that may be impossible to reach or spray with chemicals. They can hide in the smallest of cracks in mattresses, headboards, walls, baseboards, electrical outlets, light switch boxes, furniture, and even within box springs and electronic devices (TV’s, VCR’s, Alarm Clocks, etc.). Treating these hiding bed bugs with insecticides may be impossible, not to mention spraying chemicals on these items may be unsafe, illegal and simply unwise. Why does the USAF prohibit insecticides from being sprayed in their pilot barracks? Because they have proven, with science, that insecticides can harm these expensively trained pilots and want to protect them from any potential neurological damage that might adversely affect their ability to safely fly the most sophisticated, expensive aircraft on planet earth.
3. Insecticides cause bed bugs to scatter and spread – unless the chemicals are sprayed directly on the bed bugs, they will seldom kill them. Even when sprayed directly, the “resistant” bed bugs will not die and may cause bigger problems as described above. Bedbugs are known to be sensitive to the “residuals” of insecticides and will avoid them. Therefore, by spraying insecticides around the perimeter of an infected area, it will not usually kill them but instead make them scatter and hide deeper in cracks and crevices until the residues wear off! Since bed bugs can live up to 5 months without feeding, they will survive long enough to simply return when it is safe to do so. Worse yet, those bed bugs will likely begin searching for new places to feed and will spread to the bedroom across the hallway or even go next door! As you can see, by spraying insecticides, a localized infestation in a bedroom may be spread across a wider area causing bigger problems in the future (small, localized infestations are MUCH easier and less expensive to treat).
4. Insecticides do not kill bed bug eggs and require MULTIPLE treatments – Since an infested area is sure to have bed bug eggs, which will hatch if not eradicated, insecticide “treatment” is always going to require multiple applications over many weeks! Bed bug eggs typically hatch every 5 to 16 days (depending on conditions) and those baby “nymphs” will avoid the chemical residuals just like the adults do. Therefore, the newly hatched nymphs will seek shelter and be unreachable by the time the next chemical treatment is performed. The multiple treatments needed to “break the cycle” is usually ineffective and can become quite expensive and inconvenient, dragging out for weeks or even months.
5. Some items may need to be discarded – many people have been directed to throw away beds, furniture, and other infested items due to the ineffectiveness of using chemicals. These losses add to the costs of insecticide treatments that you can see are not likely to be effective anyways. Using heat means you will not need to throw anything away which will save you hundreds or thousands of dollars.
6. Lots of resident “pre-treatment” required and invasive process – Insecticide treatments often require a lot of preparation time by the residents and is a highly invasive process. In order to “make contact with” as many bed bugs as possible, the exterminator will need access to nearly every inch of your bed, dressers, nightstands, and other items to allow spraying access to every possible hiding place. This may require removing many items from their stored locations. It has been proven over time that most populations of folks suffering bed bug infestations will not be able to do what it takes to properly prepare an apartment or home for an insecticide bed bug treatment. Is 75 year old Mr. Jones going to be able to do anything on that preparation checklist? Of course not.
7. Insecticides are Poisonous – The need for repeated chemical treatments required can cause a cumulative effect of residual pesticides to build up. Although these chemicals may be deemed “safe” by regulatory agencies, like your state’s Department of Agriculture, are you really comfortable with insecticides designated for ‘Restricted Use’ by the FDA sprayed in your bedroom (where you spend 1/3 of your life breathing deeply) and other parts of your home? Do you think the FDA has tested the safety and efficacy of these “Approved” chemicals on pets? They have not.
We are honored to have over 1,500+ electric bed bug heaters operating in the USA, Canada, and around the world, including remote locations like Fiji, the Northwest Territories, and above the Arctic Circle.
Call or Text Today if you have any questions (970) 443-8119