Bed Bug Heat Treatment Instructions

These are the steps you will need to follow to ensure that your Bed Bug Heat Treatment goes successful.  Please take a minute to go over these important factors and remember, your thorough preparation will positively affect your treatment!
1. Biggins Exterminating Co will need to know the following:

1. How long has it been since the first sighting of a bed bug?
2. Where have bed bugs been seen? Bedrooms? Living /Dining rooms? Kitchen? Bathrooms?
3. Are bed bugs feeding in areas other than the bedrooms?
4. Do you see bed bugs during the daytime hours?

2. Items that must be removed from treatment areas or be protected

1. Pets – Including fish in aquariums.
2. House Plants
3. Fresh Food – fruits, vegetables, etc.
4. Food that melts – chocolate, candy, etc.
5. Prescription and over the counter drugs
6. Cosmetics
7. Wax based items – Candles, wax figurines and fruit, lipstick
8. Anything pressurized – spray cans, fire extinguishers, oxygen bottles, hairspray, etc.
9. Flammables – Lighters, lamp fuel, alcohol, solvents, etc.
10. Wooden and stringed musical instruments – leave the cases
11. Family heirlooms and irreplaceable items should be inspected and a determination made as to whether they should be treated.

3. Clothing

1. The bed bug will seek shelter on and within clothing. To avoid reintroducing bed bugs, any clothing removed from the space before a thermal remediation must be treated
2. before being returned to the treated areas.
3. Washing using the hottest water cycle and drying using the hottest dryer setting will treat most clothing.
4. Avoid contaminating the freshly washed clothing. Do not return the clean clothing to the container (bag, basket, etc.) it was transported in unless that container was also treated.
5. Clothing left in the heated space must be placed in open wave laundry baskets.
6. Clothing must be packed loosely. Tightly packed baskets will prevent lethal temperatures from reaching all items. Do not place clothing in plastic bags.
7. Clothing in drawers can be left in place; except if clothing is tightly packed, and then some items must be removed. Also, it may become necessary to remove the drawers from the dressers to help with the air movement.
8. Clothing on hangers may be left in closets if the space between the items is large enough to allow the heated air to circulate. Arrange hanging items to open up air space between them.

4. Larger fabric Items – Linens, towels, blankets, etc.

1. These items should be left in the area being heated, as they are likely to shelter insects
2. Place these items in open weave laundry baskets. Pack the items very loosely to allow for air circulation. Do not pack in plastic bags.

5. Papers, smaller items, etc.

1. A Thermal Remediation treatment requires moving large amounts of air to be successful. All items that can be blown around and possibly damaged need to be protected.
2. Loose papers need to be gathered and boxed.
3. Glass items, knick-knacks etc. will need to be secured. Do not leave breakable items on shelves or other areas where damage could happen.
4. Pictures, paintings, and other wall mounted items will need to be taken down to prevent damage.

6. Electronics – Televisions, computers, video players, stereos, etc.

1. Electronics are a hiding place for bed bugs; do not remove electronics from areas being treated.
2. Switch all electronics to the off position.
3. Disconnect all electronic appliances by unplugging from the wall outlet. 7. Waterbeds and airbeds
4. Waterbeds will need to be drained. If the waterbed is not drained, it will prevent the frame from reaching lethal temperatures.
5. Air beds will need to be partially deflated to avoid damage
6. Select comfort type air beds with an electronic pump must be partially deflated and unplugged from the wall outlet.