Jessica in MN's Profile

Nobugsonme,

Thanks for supporting thermal treatment! Regarding it being illegal in NYC: From what I understand, the process itself is not illegal; however the city (and many other cities) have very strict limitations on bringing in propane or diesel fuel. There are a couple of other options though - if a building is supplied with natural gas and has access that we could hook into, then we could run our same heaters on that fuel. There is also the other option of using electric heaters, but there would have to be enough power available for these to run on. We do have an electric unit specifically designed for this application that is currently in testing. If all goes well, I would image it would be released within the next year.

**Just a word of caution - I would not recommend anyone trying to do a home thermal treatment using a space heater or something of that nature. There's always the risk of fire or setting off a sprinkler system. I would definitely call a trained professional and contact both your local fire department and gas company for information on regulations.**

I work for a company that offers a non-chemical method for pest control - and in our experience, it has proven to be extremely effective in eliminating bedbugs. Thermal Remediation from TEMP-AIR is a service that kills the entire life cycle of pests by heating a structure to approximately 120&degF and holding it for a required period of time for the size of the space. It is 100% chemical-free, safe, and effective.

Bed bugs are extremely difficult to eliminate, and do-it-yourself measures won't cure your problem, but they might be able to mask it for a while. While chemicals or other sprays might be effective at killing visible bugs, they require direct contact for a kill, leaving eggs hidden in cracks and crevices to hatch and reinfest.

Temperatures of about 120&degF are lethal to most insects provided they cannot escape to a cooler location. More or less, we bake the bedbugs and kill them by dessication. We use a remote, wireless temperature monitoring system to ensure we reach the required temperature, that there are no cold spots, and that we do not overheat and do damage to the structure or contents. You will not need to throw out any clothing, your mattress, or other furniture, because the heat will penetrate and kill any bugs that are hiding.

For over eight years, TEMP-AIR has been using its patented process to heat-treat food processing facilities all over the United States and Canada for insects like the red flour beetle. As a result of the resurgence of bed bug infestations in hotels, hospitals, dormitories, and the rental furniture industry, and the lack of effective chemical treatments, TEMP-AIR decided to offer this same technology to pest control professionals. We're also sponsoring research at the University of Minnesota this fall on the efficacy of heat to kill bed bugs.

There are some limitations to what we can and cannot treat. Most of the portable heaters that we use are propane-fueled, and you can't necessarily just drop a good sized propane tank just anywhere. However, we are working out some of the kinks and are trying to get the word out and certify others in the pest control community.

Here's some useful resources:

Excelsis Detections , located in the Chicago area, has been using bed bug sniffing dogs since 2005 with the objective of finding bed bugs before hotel guests do. They are also certified in applying heat for pest control.

Cencal Thermal Treatment Inc., serving southern California, is another company that is certified in applying heat for pest control.

Click here for good article from Pest Control Magazine on various treatment methods where insecticides may not be desireable.

For all pest problems, I recommend researching them on the National Pest Management Association website before trying any home remedies or calling a pest control professional.