Heat Treatment for Bed Bugs & Moths

Our contained environment heat treatment is a fast and very effective way of killing bed bugs, moths and fleas. Using heat to eradicate insect infestations is the perfect option for homeowners or tenants who have reservations either about the use of chemical treatments in their home, or wanting to avoid the disruption of a multi-stage treatment that takes several weeks to be completed.

The custom-built system used by our pest control team is more reliable that standard heat treatments. It allows us to provide a non-chemical pest control treatment that’s so effective we guarantee its success!

The contained environment used by our pest controllers is an inflatable unit made from PVC. Items from the home in which insects could be hiding are placed inside. Once electric heaters are positioned within the unit and the entrance is zipped shut, insects can’t escape. The heat is gradually increased and monitored using sensors. The temperature is raised to a level above which the insects being treated for, including their eggs, can’t survive.

When all the sensors show the required temperature has been reached everything inside is removed. The process is then repeated for other items.

Our pest controllers are careful not to overfill the unit for each heating cycle to avoid creating areas that are insulated from the heat. Typically three or four heat cycles are carried out during a single day.

Please note:
The contained environment measures 2.5m(l) x 3m(w) x 2.5m(h). Enough floor space much be cleared within a chosen room in the house to set it up. A team of two pest controllers is required to fill and empty it for each heating cycle.

Heat treatment is offered by some pest control companies to try and eradicate insects such as bed bugs, moths and fleas from homes. Typically, heaters are either installed directly in the room(s) being treated, or hot air is blown into the room(s) from an external unit using flexible ducting.

The problem with this technique is that as the insects feel the temperature gradually increase from the heat source they attempt to move away. They’ll try and move from their hiding places to cooler areas. Unless all possible escape routes have been blocked off the insects are dispersed. This is exactly what an effective control should be avoiding. It will only be a matter of time before an infestation is re-established – but longer than the 3 months most pest control companies guarantee their treatment for!

With bed bugs especially, which hide in small cracks around the perimeter of a room, they can move through gaps in floorboards, behind skirting boards etc. Hiding in places such as these they’re less likely to be killed off as the heat won’t reach all the voids within a building.

The contained environment our pest control team uses makes it impossible for insects to escape the heat.

The other issue with heating entire rooms is that wooden furniture and woodwork can easily become damaged/warped as a result of the quick changes in temperature. This isn’t the case using our contained environment because these items would never be placed inside. Instead they would be thoroughly checked by our pest control team and treated either with chemical spray or with steam. Neither of these would result in damage.

Helpful information:
If you have any questions about bed bugs you can read our helpful question and answer page.