There are two main methods of killing bed bugs, chemicals and heat. We do perform chemical treatments, but only when heat is not an option. Heat is effective against all forms of bed bugs, most of the time requires a single treatment, and is non-toxic and safe. We will either use a small electric heater in the room treated), or for larger areas, a specially-made propane heater will sit outside of your house and ductwork will bring in hot air. We will heat the area being treated to killing temperatures (about 130 degrees for electric, 160 degrees for propane). It is safe for your belongings, quick, effective, and normally only takes one treatment.
Will throwing my stuff away get rid of bed bugs?
No, don’t do it! Throwing your stuff away most likely will not solve the problem, as bed bugs live in many areas other than your furniture. You will have to spend a ton of money to buy new furniture and you still will have to pay an exterminator to get rid of the bed bugs. Save your money and hire a professional.
Will heating my house hurt my belongings?
Heat will not hurt most items, but some things do need to be removed, as they can be damaged at heating temperatures. Damageable items include chocolate, wax, candles, house plants, pets, toiletries, and vinyl mini blinds.
Is heat effective in killing bed bugs?
Yes, heat has been used to kill bed bugs and other bugs for decades. It is effective, non-toxic, and safe.
How long does a heat treatment take?
A heat treatment takes about 6-8 hours when using a propane system, and around 20-24 hours for an electric heater.
Do I have to be out of my house during the treatment?
If we are only heating one room, then you will not need to leave. If the entire house is being treated, then you will have to be out of the house, it is too hot to stay inside.
Do you have a warranty?
Yes, we have a three-month warranty, extendable for an additional fee for up to a year.
How do you get bed bugs anyway?
Bed bugs normally arrive by hitchhiking. They don’t live outside. They are usually brought into the area by guests, family members, friends, or on used furniture or belongings. You can pick them up at any public place, from restaurants to buses to doctor offices.
Does having bed bugs mean I’m a dirty housekeeper?
No! Bed bugs infest any area they can, whether the owner is rich or poor, neat or cluttery. You’re not a bad person if you have bed bugs! Just make sure you don’t spread them to someone else. It’s your job to make sure you warn other people you have them so they can protect themselves if they come over, and also that you don’t take them to another person’s house.
How long do bed bugs live?
Bed bugs can live up to a year without feeding. So unless you move out for a year, they aren’t going to die.
What if I get bed bugs again?
Call us immediately! If you act fast, before they have time to spread, it will be cheaper than having to treat the whole house.
Where do bed bugs hide?
Most of the times bed bugs are very close to where you sit or sleep. They like to be touched on all sides, so they will hide in cracks and crevices. They like zippers, the edges and folds of curtains, the rolled edge of mattresses, and the underside edge of box springs. They will hide along seams of headboards, couches and chairs. They hide behind picture frames and along trim. They hide in boxes, in end tables, in drawers, and under piles of clothes.
How do I inspect for bed bugs?
Get a strong flashlight and remove your sheets and blankets. Look for any signs of blood or small dots (fecal matter) on the sheets and bedding. Look along the seams and edges of mattresses and the frame and headboard. Pick up the mattress and look underneath, as well as under the edge of the box spring. If inspecting furniture, look in the seams and cracks, along zippers, and under the edges of couches and chairs. Their fecal matter looks like you took a Sharpie and put the tip on the fabric for a moment, and the ink slightly spread out. It will often look like little stars in fabric. It cannot be rubbed off; it will be embedded. It can be seen on unfinished wood, as well as on painted surfaces.
What do bed bug bites look like?
A bed bug doesn’t actually bite, but rather they insert a small tube into you like a mosquito. They inject an anti-coagulant when doing it, and if you are allergic to that, you will show a mark where they have bit you. Everyone’s body chemistry is different and about 50% of people have no reaction to bed bug bites. So, there’s no one way bites look. But if you do react, the bites can be often identified. The bites tend to be in a straight line and will be fairly close together. The bed bug will feed in 1-3 places, so one bug will leave potentially 1-3 bites. They usually ich badly, and it can take months for the marks to disappear.
Will sprays or powders from the store kill bed bugs?
Sprays will kill the bugs on contact but will not have an effective residual, so they won’t kill bugs after it has dried. And the spray won’t kill the bugs unhatched in eggs, the eggs are like little protectors for the babies. Powder is not that effective, and if you do use powder, people tend to use far too much; you shouldn’t be able to see the dust after applying. And, don’t use diatomaceous earth, you want to use CimeXa dust instead, it is much more effective.
Do bed bugs live in the walls or floor?
They may, but normally they want to be close to you. They can come through outlets, and sometimes live in walls, but usually they are in the furniture.
Do essential oils or home remedies kill bed bugs?
They may kill on contact, but so does squishing a bug with your finger. They won’t have a residual, and they aren’t very effective. It is better to call a professional.
What kind of payment do you accept?
We accept cash, credit, and checks.
Can I get rid of bed bugs myself?
It is possible, but unlikely. Bed bugs are by far the hardest household pest to get rid of. The methods you see online most likely will not work, the products you can buy in the store are not very effective, throwing your stuff away will not work, and because bed can live a year without feeding, you can’t wait them out. It is much better to hire a professional immediately, before they get worse, rather than waste time and money in trying other treatment methods.
Will mattress protectors help?
They are much more effective as a monitoring device than a bed bug removal method. It may trap a few in the mattress, but bed bugs hide in many other locations besides your mattress and box spring. We only recommend them if your mattress or box spring are stained and need to be covered up so you can tell if bed bugs are back. The nice white surface will help you see if there’s an issue, but they most likely won’t solve the problem.
How many weeks should I keep checking for bugs after treatment?
We strongly recommend checking your furniture and beds at the minimum every two weeks for at least a couple of months. If you have not seen activity within that time, the bugs are gone. If you see any activity, call us immediately.
Do you guys treat for anything other than bed bugs?
No, at this time we only deal with bed bugs.
Is your chemical product safe for pets?
Yes, Crossfire is safe for pets and people once it has dried. It is made to be applied directly to mattress and furniture, and is not highly toxic. But during application you will need to be out of the room.
Does your vehicle have a big picture of a bed bug on the side?
Nope, our vehicles are unmarked. Your neighbors don’t need to know what we are doing, and we don’t tell them. “Routine maintenance” is always our answer if we are asked.
How can I make sure I don’t take bed bugs with me to other people’s houses if I have them?
Put the clothes you’re wearing though a full dryer cycle, don’t sit down on your furniture or take a nap, and head out to where you’re going. Make sure if you are taking a backpack or purse that it was not stored next to the bed or couch, and if possible, put it through the dryer as well before taking it.
I stayed somewhere that might had had bed bugs, how do I protect myself?
Don’t bring your stuff back into the house with you until you deal with it. Put your clothes and any other item that can stand the heat through a full cycle of the dryer. Wrap up luggage in a trash bag and tie the top so none can escape and store outside if possible. If it is summer, put the luggage in a tied trash bag out in the sun for a day or two, it should get hot enough to kill them, or buy a suitcase heater and use that.
What can we do to prevent bed bugs from coming again?
You can minimize your danger by never going to someone’s house that has bed bugs. Also, do not buy used furniture or take furniture from the side of the road. It may look free, but it won’t be free if bed bugs are in it!
Does a dirty house bring bed bugs?
Bed bugs are attracted to people, not dirt or clutter. Having clutter will not make bed bugs come, but it will make it much tougher to treat for them.
Will bed bugs live on my pet?
Bed bugs prefer humans, but they will feed on other animals and pets if they have access to them. If you have pets, make sure to bathe them after a bed bug treatment, and make sure their beds or kennels are treated as well.
There are two main methods of killing bed bugs, chemicals and heat. We do perform chemical treatments, but only when heat is not an option. Heat is effective against all forms of bed bugs, most of the time requires a single treatment, and is non-toxic and safe. We will either use a small electric heater in the room treated), or for larger areas, a specially-made propane heater will sit outside of your house and ductwork will bring in hot air. We will heat the area being treated to killing temperatures (about 130 degrees for electric, 160 degrees for propane). It is safe for your belongings, quick, effective, and normally only takes one treatment.
No, don’t do it! Throwing your stuff away most likely will not solve the problem, as bed bugs live in many areas other than your furniture. You will have to spend a ton of money to buy new furniture and you still will have to pay an exterminator to get rid of the bed bugs. Save your money and hire a professional.
Heat will not hurt most items, but some things do need to be removed, as they can be damaged at heating temperatures. Damageable items include chocolate, wax, candles, house plants, pets, toiletries, and vinyl mini blinds.
Yes, heat has been used to kill bed bugs and other bugs for decades. It is effective, non-toxic, and safe.
A heat treatment takes about 6-8 hours when using a propane system, and around 20-24 hours for an electric heater.
If we are only heating one room, then you will not need to leave. If the entire house is being treated, then you will have to be out of the house, it is too hot to stay inside.
Yes, we have a three-month warranty, extendable for an additional fee for up to a year.
Bed bugs normally arrive by hitchhiking. They don’t live outside. They are usually brought into the area by guests, family members, friends, or on used furniture or belongings. You can pick them up at any public place, from restaurants to buses to doctor offices.
No! Bed bugs infest any area they can, whether the owner is rich or poor, neat or cluttery. You’re not a bad person if you have bed bugs! Just make sure you don’t spread them to someone else. It’s your job to make sure you warn other people you have them so they can protect themselves if they come over, and also that you don’t take them to another person’s house.
Bed bugs can live up to a year without feeding. So unless you move out for a year, they aren’t going to die.
Call us immediately! If you act fast, before they have time to spread, it will be cheaper than having to treat the whole house.
Most of the times bed bugs are very close to where you sit or sleep. They like to be touched on all sides, so they will hide in cracks and crevices. They like zippers, the edges and folds of curtains, the rolled edge of mattresses, and the underside edge of box springs. They will hide along seams of headboards, couches and chairs. They hide behind picture frames and along trim. They hide in boxes, in end tables, in drawers, and under piles of clothes.
Get a strong flashlight and remove your sheets and blankets. Look for any signs of blood or small dots (fecal matter) on the sheets and bedding. Look along the seams and edges of mattresses and the frame and headboard. Pick up the mattress and look underneath, as well as under the edge of the box spring. If inspecting furniture, look in the seams and cracks, along zippers, and under the edges of couches and chairs. Their fecal matter looks like you took a Sharpie and put the tip on the fabric for a moment, and the ink slightly spread out. It will often look like little stars in fabric. It cannot be rubbed off; it will be embedded. It can be seen on unfinished wood, as well as on painted surfaces.
A bed bug doesn’t actually bite, but rather they insert a small tube into you like a mosquito. They inject an anti-coagulant when doing it, and if you are allergic to that, you will show a mark where they have bit you. Everyone’s body chemistry is different and about 50% of people have no reaction to bed bug bites. So, there’s no one way bites look. But if you do react, the bites can be often identified. The bites tend to be in a straight line and will be fairly close together. The bed bug will feed in 1-3 places, so one bug will leave potentially 1-3 bites. They usually ich badly, and it can take months for the marks to disappear.
Sprays will kill the bugs on contact but will not have an effective residual, so they won’t kill bugs after it has dried. And the spray won’t kill the bugs unhatched in eggs, the eggs are like little protectors for the babies. Powder is not that effective, and if you do use powder, people tend to use far too much; you shouldn’t be able to see the dust after applying. And, don’t use diatomaceous earth, you want to use CimeXa dust instead, it is much more effective.
They may, but normally they want to be close to you. They can come through outlets, and sometimes live in walls, but usually they are in the furniture.
They may kill on contact, but so does squishing a bug with your finger. They won’t have a residual, and they aren’t very effective. It is better to call a professional.
We accept cash, credit, and checks.
It is possible, but unlikely. Bed bugs are by far the hardest household pest to get rid of. The methods you see online most likely will not work, the products you can buy in the store are not very effective, throwing your stuff away will not work, and because bed can live a year without feeding, you can’t wait them out. It is much better to hire a professional immediately, before they get worse, rather than waste time and money in trying other treatment methods.
They are much more effective as a monitoring device than a bed bug removal method. It may trap a few in the mattress, but bed bugs hide in many other locations besides your mattress and box spring. We only recommend them if your mattress or box spring are stained and need to be covered up so you can tell if bed bugs are back. The nice white surface will help you see if there’s an issue, but they most likely won’t solve the problem.
We strongly recommend checking your furniture and beds at the minimum every two weeks for at least a couple of months. If you have not seen activity within that time, the bugs are gone. If you see any activity, call us immediately.
No, at this time we only deal with bed bugs.
Yes, Crossfire is safe for pets and people once it has dried. It is made to be applied directly to mattress and furniture, and is not highly toxic. But during application you will need to be out of the room.
Nope, our vehicles are unmarked. Your neighbors don’t need to know what we are doing, and we don’t tell them. “Routine maintenance” is always our answer if we are asked.
Put the clothes you’re wearing though a full dryer cycle, don’t sit down on your furniture or take a nap, and head out to where you’re going. Make sure if you are taking a backpack or purse that it was not stored next to the bed or couch, and if possible, put it through the dryer as well before taking it.
Don’t bring your stuff back into the house with you until you deal with it. Put your clothes and any other item that can stand the heat through a full cycle of the dryer. Wrap up luggage in a trash bag and tie the top so none can escape and store outside if possible. If it is summer, put the luggage in a tied trash bag out in the sun for a day or two, it should get hot enough to kill them, or buy a suitcase heater and use that.
You can minimize your danger by never going to someone’s house that has bed bugs. Also, do not buy used furniture or take furniture from the side of the road. It may look free, but it won’t be free if bed bugs are in it!
Bed bugs are attracted to people, not dirt or clutter. Having clutter will not make bed bugs come, but it will make it much tougher to treat for them.
Bed bugs prefer humans, but they will feed on other animals and pets if they have access to them. If you have pets, make sure to bathe them after a bed bug treatment, and make sure their beds or kennels are treated as well.