What temperature kills bed bugs. We usually picture tiny bugs that we may crush with our feet and carry on with our lives when we think about bed bugs. Bed bugs are, nevertheless, difficult to eliminate since they are so tiny and inflict little damage. Why do you ask?
Since they spend the majority of their time in the shelter resting, mating, and reproduction, it is very difficult to locate them.
When people discover that they have a bed bug problem in their home, many panic, assuming that bed bugs are difficult to kill. However, if you know how to do it, they can be eradicated quickly.
Extreme temperatures, both high and low, are one of the most common, if not the most common way. Professional exterminators use this method to kill bed bugs.
We’ll discuss the connection between bed bugs and various temperatures, as well as provide you with a temperature chart that will show you what temperatures are ideal/bad for them, in this article.
We believe it will be an fascinating read for people who battle bed bug problems at home. We recommend that you take some time to study this article because you never know when you’ll need it. Without delay, let’s get down to business about the topic.
Can Heat or Cold Kill Bed Bugs?
While bed bugs are temperature sensitive, there are a slew of myths concerning what temperature will kill them.
Even though turning down heaters in the winter or exposing infested items to the elements on a beautiful summer day may help, it is not enough. In reality, they will only be eliminated by temperatures that are beyond what is naturally possible.
Bed Bug Control that is Temperature-Related One way to exterminate bed bugs is by using sub-zero temperatures. imprisoned an contaminated item in a zip-lock plastic bag and frozen it at 0 degrees F for approximately four days.
What temperature kills bed bugs
Freezing Bed Bugs
Are bed bugs killed by cold? You may be contemplating the following questions, and the truth is that cold kills bed bugs, but at what temperature? Using cold temperatures to kill bed bugs is another method to de-infest your belongings.
It takes longer to freeze bed bugs, but it also works to kill adults, nymphs, and eggs if they are frozen correctly. Place items in a freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit with a bag.
The bed bugs can’t survive at 0°F for two hours, but it takes up to 8 hours to get a 5.5 lb load of clothes to that temperature, according to Naylor and Boase.
Of course, items that you can put in a freezer for the recommended period of time are the only ones that may be used to kill bed bugs using harsh cold temperatures.
Shoes and clothing that will not be difficult to manufacture at the required temperature. Leave the items in the freezer for at least 10-12 hours, if not longer, to ensure that all of the bed bugs die.
Hiring experts with specialized equipment to heat the home to the required temperatures for complete house contamination is an option, although this may be costly and other choices may be available.
Bed bug treatment using heat or cold, as well as usinghome pest control products, may help solve the problem if the infestation has been contained.
What should I not freeze?
When attempting to freeze or not freeze certain items, care is required. Don’t freeze:
-Electronics with LCD panels
-Historic relics or historic tomes of great worth
-Items that cannot be replaced
-Items that may be damaged if condensation occurs
High-moisture or liquids-filled items
-Contact a pest management expert to learn more about treating these problems.
What can be frozen?
Most dry household items, such as:
You can’t (or don’t want to) wash or launder silk items.
-Modern books
-Shoes
-Jewelry
-Pictures
-Toys
-Electronics without an LCD screen.
Can Bed Bugs Live in Cold Temperatures?
Bed bugs may survive in either frigid or scorching temperatures, as described above. Their abilities to feed and mate will not be hampered as long as the temperature isn’t too low.
They would find a way to enter someone’s home and regain strength when they warm up even if they somehow finished outside of your home in the snow.
Bed bugs, like all living beings, prefer comfortable (not hot, warm!) temperatures to function normally. Even so, they will still drink blood and mate if it is cold in your house.
Heat Treating Bed Bugs
Researchers at the University of Sheffield, RA Naylor and CJ Boase, published an article on their research on this subject, which has a lot of different viewpoints and claims.
When temperatures of 140 degrees Fahrenheit were applied to all stages of bed bugs, they discovered that all stages were killed, but that high temperatures are not required.
The kill point can be lowered to around 122 degrees by cooking items for a longer period of time. As long as you have the proper equipment, you may kill bed bugs using heat.
If the items can be laundered, this is the easiest way to accomplish it. Guidelines were provided by Naylor and Boase.
Clothing and bed linens should be washed for at least 30 minutes in hot water (140 degrees Fahrenheit). They may alternatively be dried for 30 minutes in a dryer at temperatures of 104-122 degrees Fahrenheit.
Because it takes a long time for a big pile of clothes to reach the ideal temperature in the center, length of time is critical.
They discovered that dry cleaning can also kill all stages of bed bugs. There are solar options if the contaminated items cannot be laundered.
Many people believe that exposing items to the sun for a few hours is sufficient, however this is not the case. It generally requires more heat than the body can generate.
Sealing objects in the sun, on the other hand, can generate temperatures high enough to kill the insects. You may install a wireless thermometer in the center of the mass to ensure that the inside reaches the proper temperature.
It is recommended to leave it for an hour once the lethal temperature of 122 degrees has been reached to ensure complete elimination.
A high heat steamer that is approved to kill bed bugs and has an output temperature of between 200-210 degrees is another way to kill bed bugs.
Furniture, mattresses, box springs, and other non-woven items are ideal candidates for these treatments.
Can a heat treatment be completed in just a few hours?
Yes, but only in a limited way. We recommend you extend the length of time, despite the fact that after heating a room to 113F-118F all bed bugs should have perished.
Why bother with it when heat is so effective? Getting rid of bed bugs is difficult, and just one can start an infestation if they’re left behind. To ensure that the proper amount of heat has been provided to all regions, we recommend that you “overdo it.
Remember that heat treating bed bugs is similar to a convection oven in that heat must be “blown” around and give time to penetrate fully into walls and under carpets in order for all areas of the bed bug to be treated.
It’s also important to recall that dwellings aren’t always air-tight, so the treatment won’t work in the same way an oven would. Heating will escape through windows and other parts of the house, resulting in a loss of heat.
Of course, it is preferable to complete a bed bug heat extermination treatment (using 110 electric bed bug heaters) for at least 24 hours in order to maximize the success rate of your bed bug heat treatment.
Can I just throw my stuff outside or open the windows in my house because it’s winter and it’s chilly?
Unfortunately, no. It’s unlikely that bed bugs will be killed by the temperature in the foreseeable future.
Bed bugs have a higher chance of survival during the day when sunlight, humidity, and temperature change.
DO NOT open the windows and turn off the heat in an attempt to freeze your apartment or house. Structure damage is a significant possibility, and you will not eradicate the bed bugs if this happens.
Can Bed Bugs Survive After Heat Treatment?
Those who want an environmentally friendly method that leaves no residue may benefit from heat treatment. At all life stages, from eggs to adults, it kills these insects.
In addition, it only takes one treatment, which may be completed in a single day and, in many cases, requires no additional pest control company visits.
Since they may eradicate 95% of bed bugs with just one treatment, heat treatments are extremely successful. The bugs will find it difficult to survive after this treatment due to the intense heat they are subjected to.
Bed bugs can relocate fast, especially when they sense danger. They’ll often flee to hide behind walls or a piece of furniture. The bad news is that heat can penetrate into all of these areas.
These insects will be unable to survive when the temperature in your entire home is raised to 120°F, no matter where they are hiding.
In addition, even those who are resistant to pesticides are killed by the treatment. Make sure to note that none of the beg bugs are heat-resistant, therefore they will all perish when they overheat.
However, it’s worth noting that these insects can get out of the heat! They might bite you at a later time. That’s why it’s critical for an expert pest control firm to conduct a thorough heat treatment, killing all bedbugs for good.
Will Heat Treatment For Bed Bugs Damage Your Home And Belongings?
Bed bug heat treatment is very successful. Yet, if you do it incorrectly, it might harm your house! How to do it safely is explained in detail. You can’t expect to entirely eliminate the whole bed bug infestation by simply turning up your home heater or thermostat.
Professional equipment and very high temperatures are frequently required for heat treatment to be effective and last long-term.
Melting, breaking, cracking, drying, shrinking, and chemical changes may all be examples of heat stress damage.
High temperatures may also damage framed pictures on the wall and melt plastic TV stands, which may lead to your TV shattering.
Heat can also damage wallpaper, laminates, and linoleum tiles.
When using heat treatment for bed bugs, on the other hand, you may do a few things to avoid or limit damage. Make sure you do the following before your heat treatment:
– Remove any kinds of valuable items, such as photos, paintings, oil paintings, live plants, and fish tanks.
Also, laminated furniture and all laminates should be removed since they are flammable and might melt when exposed to heat. Make-up, perfumes, booze, posters, and candles should all be removed from the home.
– Place your warm-water washed garments in your luggage.
– Unplug all your electronics and shield them.
– Make sure aerosols, fire extinguishers, and pressurized cans are removed from the room.
If you have an air bed, drain and deflate the air from it before using it.
– Take down your window blinds.
– Place medications, drinks, and perishables in the fridge that may melt.
Bed bugs are fast and difficult to treat, and they may stay in your house for many months waiting for an chance to feed.
Our experienced and knowledgeable bed bug inspectors can find bed bugs right at the source at Peachtree Pest Control. We guarantee full elimination, so don’t wait to contact us!
Summary
In summary, when trying to eliminate bed bugs using heat or cold treatment, you should seek a temperature range of 122°F to 140°F and aim for low temperatures (less than 0°F).
Bed bugs will die faster as the temperature rises or lowers. We recommend that if the infestation has progressed, you call the professionals because many of us do not have the required equipment to complete the temperature requirements.