Can a residential pest control service eliminate bed bugs?
Bed bugs are a nightmare pest, but even an experienced professional may not be able to fully eliminate them from your home without preventive measures. The best way to avoid a bed bug infestation is to encase your mattress, box spring, and headboard in protective covers or tuck the edges of your sheets under the mattresses. However, if you’ve already noticed signs of an infestation, you can take a few additional steps to prepare for bed bug treatment and help speed up the process.
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Check Your House for Infestation Signs.
Bedbugs are active at night and congregate in small cracks and crevices during the day. They hide in the tufts and folds of mattresses, box springs and headboards as well as in the joints of furniture like sofas, accent chairs and futons. In addition, they can be found behind wall plates and baseboards.
The secretive nature of these pests makes them difficult to find and treat. Infestations typically go unnoticed until people begin to experience the bites and welts that accompany a bed bug infestation. Bed bugs can also leave tiny blood stains on sheets and pillowcases. If you notice any of these telltale signs, you should immediately notify your pest control service to discuss a plan for eliminating the bed bugs.
What Are the Most Effective Bed Bug Treatments?
When used by an experienced pest control technician, chemical treatments for bed bugs can be highly effective. Unlike home remedies, these insecticides are designed to target and kill bed bugs and their eggs. However, if the pests develop resistance to these chemicals, you will need alternate solutions.
For the most comprehensive bed bug treatment, a pest control technician can use heat or cold to eliminate both adult bed bugs and their eggs. These specialized treatments work by slowly heating or cooling a room to lethal temperatures for the pests. These methods are more reliable than traditional insecticides and offer a much higher success rate in treating severe infestations.
A residential pest control company should provide you with a custom quote and plan to effectively treat your infestation. During this initial visit, the pest control technician will conduct an inspection of your property to identify entryways and potential problem areas. They will then recommend the best course of action to eliminate your bed bug infestation.
If you opt for a traditional insecticide treatment, a pest control expert will apply a liquid or powder to the target area. This will kill the pests on contact and leave a residual barrier that prevents them from re-infesting the area. However, if the pests develop a resistance to these chemicals, the treatment will be less effective and could require multiple follow-up visits.
Another option is cryonite, which turns liquid carbon dioxide into dry ice particles, similar to snow. When the technician applies this to a surface, it lowers the temperature of the surrounding air and can be used to treat a wide range of surfaces, including furniture. However, this method is not suitable for all infestations and can be a hassle to perform at home.