On Killing Bedbugs: Cold Versus Heat Treatment

Bedbugs are small parasitic pests that are notoriously hard to get rid of. It is probably one of the most annoying insects and can be compared to cockroaches for their ability to bother people. But come to think of it, bedbugs do not fly and crawl slowly but they can give anyone nastier bites than cockroaches.

In the recent years, bedbug infestation has been on the rise and people have come up with lots of ways to try and get rid of this nasty bug. The sad thing is most of these bedbug removal methods are ineffective and some even downright dangerous for your health -- these include putting infested items in the refrigerators as well as using traps, DDT, and bug bombs.  
So what works against them? Let’s talk about two types of safe and effective treatments. 

Cold Treatments
Cold bedbug treatments do work since bedbugs can’t withstand extreme cold but the temperature must be lower than 16 degree Celsius. That temperature must also remain constant for at least 80 hours. But less than that and the bugs would think that you just sent them away to a wintry vacation spot for a bit of rest and relaxation. 
Other people have tried freezing their homes by simply turning off the heater during a particularly cold winter but experts warn that this comes with the risk of bringing major structural damage to your dwelling. Also, unless you live in a region where the temperature during the day is as freezing cold as it is in the night, it is unlikely that this method would be effective at all. 

Heat Treatments
Just like with extreme cold, bedbugs can’t tolerate extreme heat either. Lethal temperatures for bedbugs range from 47.22 to 50 degrees Celsius. Bedbugs and their eggs die within 90 minutes of heat exposure, which works so much faster than the cold treatment.  

Some people use steaming which can kill adult bugs, larvae, and their eggs.  Others put small items through a dryer cycle to destroy the bugs.  These two methods can be utilized on different items without causing damage. However, they can only be used on select pieces in your home, leaving other possible infested areas untreated. 

For a thorough cleaning, you can rely on pest control professionals to administer whole home heat treatment.  This process involves heat traveling from room to room in your home, invading all cracks and crevices where these pests may hide and build nests, such as your mattress, baseboard, couch, and carpet.  This technique is highly efficient, killing all life stages of bed bugs.

Got a bedbug problem? Worry no more. Let Jersey City Exterminators help you today. Give us a call and let our experts eliminate your bedbug problem once and for all. vc