Exploring The Benefits Of Hiring Pest Control Experts

Bed Bug Infestation Facts For Homeowners

26 February 2018

Evan Patterson

Bed bugs have been thrown into the spotlight in the news in recent years due to an increase in public building infestations. Unfortunately, that increased news coverage has led to a variety of misconceptions and a lot of confusion among many people. Whether you think you have a current infestation or you just want to understand what the risks and treatments are for bed bugs, this article can help. Here are a few key things every homeowner should know about these tiny nuisances.

Sometimes Dogs Can Sniff Them Out

If you suspect that you have an infestation, but you can't find it, you should consider reaching out to a local pest control company about retaining the services of a dog to help you locate the nests and identify the problem. These dogs are usually trained for identifying specific types of pests, including bed bugs. This can be helpful considering that they are very small, hard to find, and tend to hide behind all kinds of things, including outlet covers.

Heat Can Kill Them, But Not Your Home's Heat

Some people think that, since pest control companies will use heat treatments to kill bed bugs, they can just turn the heat up in the house to kill any bed bugs that have taken up residence. The fact is that your home's heating system can't produce enough heat to actually kill them. You need intense heat, consistently over 100 degrees and even, for an hour or more to do that. It's not possible to get that from a home HVAC system. You'll need to have a pest control company treat your home for this to work.

Depriving Them Of Heat Won't Work Either

If you're thinking that shutting off the heat in the midst of winter will freeze them out, think again. Bed bugs are resilient little critters, and they can withstand cold temperatures well. In order for freezing temperatures to kill them, you'd have to leave your house that way for weeks on end. And, the gradual temperature drop that happens when you shut off the heat is going to allow them to adapt to the cold and withstand it.

You Can't Starve Them Out

Most everyone understands that bed bugs feed on humans. So it's logical to think that if you take away their food source, they'll die. However, don't plan that vacation just yet. Bed bugs can survive for extensive periods of time without food, so it's nearly impossible actually to starve them out of your house. They'll just stay dormant while you're gone and come back out when you get home.

Talk with a local pest control company about the best bed bug treatment for your home if you're worried about an infestation. 

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