So you have bed bugs and wondering can an exterminator get rid of bed bugs? Yes they can. Exterminators have the knowledge, tools and experience to get rid of bed bugs and prevent them from coming back.
Can An Exterminator Get Rid of Bed Bugs? The Bottom Line
- Exterminators are key to effective bed bug removal because of their tools, knowledge and experience.
- Knowing bed bug biology and where they hide helps with early detection and treatment planning.
- Regular inspections and preventative measures like encasements and vacuuming are key to preventing future infestations.
Understanding Bed Bugs
What are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are small, flat, parasitic insects that feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals. These pests are reddish-brown in color, oval in shape, and typically measure about 4-5 millimeters long. Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs are not a sign of poor hygiene or poor housekeeping. They can infest even the cleanest and most well-maintained homes. Bed bugs are attracted to the warmth and carbon dioxide emitted by humans, making them adept at finding their way into our living spaces. Remarkably, bed bugs can survive for several months without feeding, which makes them particularly resilient and challenging to eliminate.
How do People Get Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs can be introduced into a home through various means, making it essential to be vigilant and proactive in preventing infestations. Here are some common ways people get bed bugs:
- Used Furniture: Bed bugs often hitch a ride on used furniture or items that have been previously infested. Always inspect second-hand items thoroughly before bringing them into your home.
- Travel: Staying in infested areas, such as hotels or motels, can lead to bringing bed bugs home in your luggage or clothing. Inspect your accommodations and keep your belongings off the floor.
- Infested Items: Bringing infested items into the home, such as luggage, clothing, or even used boxes and containers, can introduce bed bugs.
- Proximity to Infested Areas: Being in close proximity to someone who has bed bugs or living near an infested building can increase the risk of an infestation spreading to your home.
To prevent a bed bug infestation, it’s crucial to be aware of the signs and take proactive steps. Inspect second-hand items, use mattress covers, and regularly wash and dry clothing and bedding on high heat. By staying vigilant, you can reduce the risk of bed bugs invading your home.
Why Professional Extermination is Needed for Bed Bugs
DIY bed bug control methods often fail because it’s hard to find and treat all the areas infested to get rid of bed bugs, making it crucial to address a bed bug problem promptly.
Professional exterminators get better and longer lasting results because of their knowledge, equipment and experience.
Bed Bug Biology
Knowing bed bug biology helps in dealing with infestations. A female bed bug can lay up to 5 bed bug eggs a day, causing the bed bug population to grow fast. The eggs hatch in 4 to 12 days, the bugs feed on human blood and often enter homes through personal belongings.
They can hide in hard to reach areas and reproduce fast, making them hard to get rid of.
Where They Hide
Bed bugs hide in tight spaces like mattress seams, bed frames and behind headboards. Exterminators focus on these areas during inspections looking for live bugs, eggs, shed skins and bed bug poop. When treated properly bed bugs die.
How Exterminators Detect Bed Bug Infestations
Bed bug bites are often the first sign of an infestation, making exterminators key in detecting, eliminating, and preventing bed bug infestations. They use visual inspections and canine detection to assess the severity and recommend treatment plans.
Visual Inspection
In visual inspections exterminators look for signs like blood stains, itchy red bites and shed skins. They check typical hiding spots like mattress seams, box springs and furniture cracks, often finding live bugs, eggs and fecal matter.
Canine Inspection
Trained dogs are very effective in detecting bed bugs and their eggs, they can find them in hard to reach areas with precision, they are a big help in thorough inspections.
Bed Bug Treatment Methods
Bed bug treatments include heat treatment, chemical treatment, steam treatment, and Cryonite treatment. Choosing an exterminator who offers multiple options and specializes in bed bug control ensures success in eliminating bed bugs.
Heat Treatment
Eliminating bed bugs through heat treatment involves raising the temperature above 130°F, which they can’t survive. Sessions are 6 to 8 hours long and can treat items that can’t be washed.
Chemical Treatment
Chemical treatments use insecticides, fumigation, and sprays like Diatomaceous Earth. But bed bugs can develop resistance to bed bug spray. Initial treatment takes a few hours to apply and costs vary. While bed bug sprays can kill bed bugs on contact, they may not eliminate those hidden from view, which can lead to continued infestations.
Steam Treatment
Steam treatment uses high temperature steam to kill bed bugs and their eggs. Non-chemical method can penetrate hard to reach areas and is best for mattresses and furniture.
A steam treatment session takes a few hours.
Cryonite Treatment
Cryonite treatment uses carbon dioxide snow. It freezes and kills bed bugs instantly. It’s effective at all life stages and is safe for sensitive environments but may not reach bed bugs hiding in deep crevices.
Not a definitive solution for bed bug infestations.
Follow-Up Treatment and Monitoring
Follow-up treatment and monitoring ensures bed bugs don’t come back. While heat treatment doesn’t need follow-ups, others do. Continuous monitoring and routine inspections catches new activity early and prevents further spread.
Multiple Treatments
Due to the bed bug’s resilience and life cycle, multiple treatment sessions are required. It usually takes 3-4 sessions to fully address the problem and follow-up treatment is crucial to eliminate hatchlings and prevent re-infestation.
Vacuuming daily for a few weeks after extermination can also help remove hidden eggs or bugs.
Regular Inspections
Regular inspections are key to preventing re-infestation. Rushed process or skipped follow-up treatment can lead to bed bugs coming back. Initial treatment can reduce bed bug activity in a few days but ongoing vigilance is required.
Choosing the Right Exterminator
Choosing the right exterminator is key to effective bed bug treatment. Look for professionals with latest equipment, years of experience and entomological expertise.
Check their experience in bed bug control, licenses, insurance and customer reviews to avoid common mistakes.
Experience and Credentials
Experience and credentials is top priority when choosing an exterminator.
Make sure the bed bug exterminator has a proven track record in dealing with bed bugs to get rid of bed bugs. We here at EZ Bed Bug Exterminator NYC are bed bug experts. Call us today!
Customer Reviews
Customer reviews give you an idea of an exterminator’s performance. Positive reviews means reliability and customer satisfaction. Reviews on different treatment options helps you understand the effectiveness and satisfaction level of different methods.
Treatment Options
When dealing with bed bugs, compare different treatment options and warranties offered by pest control companies to get rid of bed bugs. Make sure the exterminator is licensed and explains their methods and warranties clearly. (We are licensed and insured)
Cost and Timeframe for Bed Bug Extermination
Cost and timeframe for bed bug extermination varies. National average cost for a single treatment is $1,000 to $2,500. Professional extermination takes into account the severity of the infestation, methods used and square footage of the area treated.
Cost
Several factors affects the cost of bed bug treatment. Exterminators usually provide free quotes, professional treatment cost range from $500 to $1,500 and severe infestation can cost thousands.
Steam treatment cost $2 to $7.50 per square foot, fumigation $4 to $8 per square foot, Cryonite treatment $3 to $6 per square foot, professional heat treatment $2,000 to $4,000 or $1 to $3 per square foot.
Treatment Time
Bed bug treatment takes several weeks to get rid of them completely. Multiple treatment over several weeks are usually required, with significant reduction in activity in a few days after initial treatment.
Preventing Future Bed Bug Infestation
Preventing future bed bug infestation involves regular inspections and maintenance. Regular inspections can reveal bed bugs that may need additional treatment.
Ongoing monitoring and using preventative measures like bed bug proof encasements on mattresses and box springs can help prevent infestation.
Home Maintenance
Home maintenance can reduce the risk of bed bug infestation. Regular vacuuming can get rid of bed bugs that may have entered your home. Vacuum floors, carpets, ceilings, inside drawers, cabinets and electronics and throw away the vacuum bag far from home or burn its content to prevent escape.
Inspect secondhand furniture for bed bugs before bringing it home and use encasements for mattresses and box springs to eliminate many hiding spots.
Regular Inspections
Regularly checking your furniture and home items is key to detect re-infestation early. Frequent checks can catch early signs so you can act fast.
Inspecting your luggage and washing your clothes in hot water as soon as you get home from travel can prevent bringing bed bugs home.
Conclusion
In summary, dealing with bed bug infestation requires more than just DIY. Professional extermination is needed because of the complexity of finding and eliminating all bed bugs and their eggs. Knowing bed bug biology, their hiding spots and treatment options can help you make informed decision on extermination.
Select the right exterminator, consider cost and treatment time and do preventive measures and stay proactive to keep your home bed bug free.