So - why do I prefer bed bug heat treatments over bed bug sprays or chemical treatments? The biggest reason is simple: the ability to remove or exterminate a bed bug problem with little or no pesticide usage. Bam! Any time we can handle a pest problem with out using poisons I'm all in. Especially when the chemical treatment would need to include treating beds and/or furniture, as with bed bugs. As far as I'm concerned, that's where pest control gets a little dicey and the main reason bed bug heat treatments are becoming more and more popular in the pest control community.

So how does it work? Basically the GoldShot AZDA Licensed Pest Control Professional  will bring in some special equipment that heats the inside of your home up enough to kill both the bed bugs and their eggs. The eggs are the toughest to kill and will die off if they are exposed to 118 degree temperatures for at least 90 minutes. Or they die immediately at 122 degrees. The treatment will typically take up to a full day to complete, depending of course on the size and condition of the structure being treated. There are no harmful, residual pesticides left behind from the heat treatment so as soon as it cools back down, the area is safe for reentry.

Of course, since there is no residual effect, re-infestation is possible if you continue to bring bed bugs back to your home. But that can - and does - happen with chemical treatments, too. Either way, you have to figure out where you're picking them up from and stop going there or you absolutely will have a bed bug problem again at some point in the future. It's just a matter of time.

Since temperatures can reach 150 degrees during the treatment, there are a few things to consider when planning for a bed bug heat treatment for your home:

• Anything that may possibly be damaged by the heat should be removed from the home. That may include candles, makeup and a host of other possibilities.
• Both people and pets must vacate the home before treatment and may not enter until the pest control professional says it's safe.
• Bedding should be laundered while the bed bug heat treatment is being done.
• Bed Bug mattress covers should be installed as soon as the treatment is finished.
• Some pest professionals may want to apply residual pesticides on baseboards and other areas of the home to offer some longer term help. I don't have a problem with that as long as the beds are not treated and that is taken into consideration as far as customer reentry goes.

At the end of the day it's pretty much the same as every other post I've written: pick a good - honest - bed bug control company so you get a safe and effective treatment done and a guarantee for the immediate future. Google the name of each company that you are considering and check out their licensing thru the State of Arizona Dept. of Agriculture HERE. If they don't give you the serious warm and fuzzys - CALL SOMEONE ELSE! We really like the companies that we work with and have fully vetted each and every one of them. If you want us to put you in contact with one in your area just shoot me a contact form and I'll git er done.

I hope this article helps shed some light on bed bug heat treatments and helps prevent bed bug bites for you and your family. And I hope you'll consider the GoldShot Exterminating AZDA Licensed Bed Bug Pros as your bed bug control solution. As always: Happy Hunting!

John H. Goldshot
P.S. GoldShot Exterminating is a proud sponsor of StreetLight USA. Check them out at www.streetlightusa.org and see how YOU can help stop child rape. What if it were your daughter?