How does heat kill bed bugs?
Bed bugs can’t survive sustained high heat at any life stage, eggs included. The challenge is never just “getting hot”. It’s getting heat into the places bed bugs hide: seams and folds of mattresses, the joints of bed frames, behind baseboards, inside electrical outlets, behind picture frames and deep inside dressers and upholstered furniture. A whole-room treatment heats the air, the furniture and the room’s surfaces together so those hiding places reach lethal temperatures too.
What equipment is used?
We use commercial heaters to raise the temperature and air movers to push hot air through the room so there are no cool pockets. Our technicians check temperatures by hand with heat guns every 15 to 20 minutes, aiming at the hardest-to-heat spots, and adjust airflow when an area lags behind.
What happens on treatment day?
- Evaluate and set up. We walk the space, confirm the home is ready and position the heaters and air movers.
- Ramp and hold. Temperatures are raised in a controlled way and held in the 130–150°F range.
- Check and adjust. Technicians take manual readings throughout and redirect airflow where needed.
- Cool down and re-entry. Equipment comes out, the space cools, and we tell you when and how to return.
People and pets stay out while the heat is on. Mattresses and most furniture stay where they are, which is one of the big advantages of heat.
What do I need to do before treatment?
Because entire rooms get very hot, some things must come out or be protected. Our expert gives every client a personalized list of what to remove, what to secure and what to leave in place. Typical heat-sensitive items include certain electronics, aerosols, medications, cosmetics, candles, vinyl records and plants. Pets, including fish tanks, need a plan too.
Clutter doesn’t stop heat treatment, but less clutter means fewer hiding places and better odds of success. If your home is full, that’s okay. Tell us, and we’ll plan around it without judgment.
Is heat treatment better than sprays or foggers?
Heat works without chemical residue, and it treats every life stage in one visit. Over-the-counter foggers and “bug bombs” tend to scatter bed bugs deeper into baseboards and seams instead of reaching them, and many bed bug populations no longer respond well to common insecticides. That’s why we treat with heat only. Read more in why DIY bed bug treatments usually fall short.
Does heat treatment come with a guarantee?
We don’t offer guarantees, and we’ll tell you why. Results depend on how far the activity has spread, the layout of the property, how ready the space was and, above all, whether bed bugs get brought back in. In one home we treated, the family followed every instruction, but bed bugs were later found on their patio chairs and shoes, which hadn’t been part of the treatment. We’d rather be honest about those variables up front. See how to keep bed bugs from coming back.
Learn more about our bed bug heat treatment, or see how it works for homes, apartment communities and hotels and businesses.
Heat treatment FAQs
01How hot does bed bug heat treatment get?+
We raise rooms to roughly 130–150°F and hold them there long enough for heat to reach bed bugs and eggs in their hiding places.
02How long does a bed bug heat treatment take?+
Most homes are completed in one day. The exact time depends on the size and layout of the space and how much is in it.
03Can I stay home during heat treatment?+
No. People and pets stay out while heat is applied. We’ll tell you when it’s safe to come back.
04Does heat treatment use chemicals?+
No. We treat bed bugs with heat only.