Thermal Remediation Treatment (HEAT)
Thermal treatment is the MOST EFFECTIVE way to eradicate bed bugs and their eggs by heating up the location to lethal temperatures.
This treatment is very desirable as a “green” or non-chemical alternative.
Large heating units and multiple fans are brought into your home to raise
the temperature to between 120 and 140 degrees. The maximum heat is then
maintained for several hours with computerized temperature 
monitors to ensure evenly disbursed lethal temperatures throughout the area. All people, pets, candles, alcohol, aerosols, medications, fireworks, some plastics, firearms and ammunition must be removed from premises. Electronics may remain.
This is the most effective way for the
Removal of Bed Bug.
Why Heat?
Heat is effective to control bed bug infestations and stored product pests. All insects have sub-optimum, optimum and lethal temperature thresholds for growth, survival, multiplication, and mortality. Insects have lethal temperature limits, generally greater than 120°F at which all stages of the life cycle are killed. Targeted temperatures are in the range of lethal temperatures required to completely eradicate the target insect populations.
Heat kills by dehydration or drying out the insects. At low relative humidity, less moisture is available to insects and they desiccate at higher rate due to ‘dry heat’. The lower the humidity of the heated space the quicker the space becomes lethal to the targeted insect.
Let Advanced Termite Control use
Thermal Remediation in Maryland and
Thermal Remediation Pennsylvania to rid bed bugs from your home!
How long do you have to heat the room?
Treatment time is an important factor for effectiveness of treating insect infestations with heat. Treatment time in turn is dictated by various factors such as clutter, structure, layout of the space, severity of infestation, and airflow management. Adults are generally most susceptible with eggs being most tolerant. Therefore, treatment time should ensure heat penetration to reach all probable places where insects can take refuge. Generally, holding lethal temperatures for a longer time will be more effective compared to shorter treatment times and is a function of the factors mentioned above. Generally, our heat treatments will require
6-10 hours.
For heat treatment to be effective, it is imperative that all parts of the
area being treated reach lethal temperature levels.
Bed Bug control is very important Cold spots or missing some
areas may result in populations rebounding after heat treatment. Places that
are difficult to heat may include concrete floors, outside walls, corners and areas isolated from the heat and air. We will prepare a heating plan considering the layout of the area and its contents so that equipment (heaters, fans etc.) and temperature sensors can be placed optimally to ensure that critical temperatures are achieved. We will target a temperature of between 130-140 degrees.
How hot will it get and will my belongings be ruined?
The range of lethal temperatures (minimum and maximum temperatures) should be carefully controlled so that heated space or its contents are not damaged. A list of items to be removed prior to heat start-up significantly reduces risk of damage to contents. Achieving the temperatures lethal to insects requires effective air flow management for uniform distribution.
Lethal temperatures in heat-treated space is vital to effectively eradicate pest populations. It is essential to monitor temperatures by strategic placement of sensors to identify cold and hotspot/pockets
so that corrective action can be initiated. This corrective action may be heater relocation, moving
or adding fans, or rearranging the clutter within the space for good air flow to achieve lethal temperatures. Cold Spots can harbor insects whereas hot spots may be risky for structure or its contents.
Our Temperature Sensors are good indicators of areas that need air movement to achieve lethal temperatures. There might also be some dead air pockets in and around the clutter where air does not flow properly. In such cases, the contents may have to be moved around or accessories like racks/hangers etc. might come handy so that hot lethal air circulates around difficult-to-reach areas.
Highest temperatures recorded by temperature sensors should not exceed 140°F. At this temperature, it is basically airflow management to ensure an overall lethal temperature profile throughout the heated space. Temperatures exceeding 160°F may damage items within the heated space. As temperatures reach around 140°F, the digital modulation control on the heater should be used to lower/maintain temperature range and prevent overheating and damage.
Inspections
One of the advantages of using temperature to control insect activity is the ability to inspect inside the areas being treated. This allows applicators to pinpoint exactly where areas of insect activity are prevalent and in turn use this information to further target heat, air, chemical application, exclusion, sealing etc. Heat Remediation Specialists should always be inspected during the heating process primarily during (100F-120F). In turn, everyone must adhere to safety protocols.
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