Bed Bug Removal Services

Prodigy Takes the Bite Out!

Bed Bug Heat Treatment

As the recently named “Best Bed Bug Removal Serviceby Philadelphia Magazine, Prodigy takes pride in employing research based, best practice methods to effectively eradicate bed bug infestations in just one day. If you are looking for ways on how to kill bed bugs and their eggs, you have come to the right place.

Bed Bug Heat Treatment, is our passion because we know it works! Heat treatment for bed bugs is a safe, organic, and advantageous method with minimal preparation on the part of the resident. Using heat, we are able to provide you with a discreet, one day service, leaving you bed bug free in under 12 hours. The space is heated to a temperature proven in the research literature to fully eradicate all stages of the bed bug life cycle. We have our own equipment and NEVER subcontract our heat services – we do ALL of our own work.

We are fully licensed and insured to use the application of heat treatment for bed bugs in hotels, motels, and residential structures throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.

Contact the dedicated professionals at Prodigy Pest Solutions today!

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How Do I Get Rid of Bed Bugs?

There are several processes used to eradicate bed bugs, but the most often used are chemical or heat treatments. Between the two, it has been proven that a single heat treatment is more effective at completely eliminating all bed bugs and their eggs. Better results is the main reason we at Prodigy Pest Solutions both recommend and use the heat treatment process for eradicating bed bug infestations. Our own experiences, as well as other comparative factors, have helped us to realize the advantages of heat treatments versus chemical treatments.

Heat Treatments versus Chemical Treatments

Number of Treatments Needed

When chemical treatments are used to eliminate bed bugs, the pesticides must be properly applied to every spot where the bed bugs have been detected. Should any spots be missed, you run the risk of a recurring infestation. Bed bugs most often accumulate around the bed itself, though they have also been known to accumulate in other areas like behind pictures, under lifted wallpaper, in drawers, electrical appliances, wall outlets, magazines, newspapers, basically anywhere that can provide them with a dark, warm refuge. It is often difficult to detect all their hiding places, as they are rather small, with the egg being about the size of a pin head, and are most often active only during the night. Detection requires the professional to search all hidden spots using magnification so all the life stages can be detected, including the eggs. Should any of the infected areas accidentally be left untreated, the chance of the infestation resuming or reoccurring is inevitable. Should any bed bugs remain, multiple chemical treatments are then needed, ultimately resulting in more cost and time as repetitive treatments over several weeks may be required. In comparison, a single properly applied heat treatment process is able to penetrate all possible places where the bed bugs are residing, even the tiniest of spots, as the application of high heat is evenly distributed throughout the entire premises (home, apartment, building, etc.). All places are addressed with no possibility of any nook or crevice being missed, resulting in complete eradication with one treatment.

Possible Pesticide Resistance

Pesticide resistance is another issue that can occur when using chemical treatments. Bed bugs can occasionally build up resistance or immunities to one or more of the pesticides used in chemical treatments, rendering those pesticides useless in eliminating all the bed bugs. Additional treatments must then be until a pesticide or combination of pesticides is found to work, again increasing cost and time required to eradicate the infestation. Bed bugs cannot build up resistance or immunities to heat. Therefore only one heat treatment is needed to eradicate the entire infestation.

Chemical Treatment

Bed Bugs can live for several weeks after the 1st treatment

Heat Treatment

Bed Bugs Eliminated in 1 Day, in most cases

Environment Protection

Heat treatments are entirely environment-friendly, as only heat is applied to the treatment area. Though there are some non-toxic, environmentally friendly chemical treatments, you cannot be assured of complete eradication, due to missed spots or the possibility that the bed bugs may have built up immunities to the chemicals being used.

Preparation Requirements

Chemical treatments require you to remove bedding, clothes and other items and place them in bags. You also need to empty bedroom drawers, closets, bookshelves, and floor areas, and wash all clothing, stuffed toys (including animal toys) and other fabric covers. Then you should vacuum all surfaces, including backs of pictures, bed frames, carpeting, and any other areas where bed bugs have been detected. You also need to move all furniture away. Before leaving the area yourself, you need to ensure that you have removed your pets from the treatment area. Heat treatments require that you provide a clear pathway to all rooms so the professionals can easily move about with large equipment (heaters and fans). In addition, you should open all drawers and closet doors, unplug electronics inside infected bedrooms only, move furniture away from the walls, deflate air mattresses, and remove any items from the area that could be affected by high heat, such as instruments or possibly thin plastic items that could possibly melt at 120° to 140°. As with chemical treatments, you should remove all pets (including fish and reptiles) before leaving the treatment area yourself. You do not have to remove bedding and clothing from closets and drawers, or bag and wash them, as the heat can penetrate throughout the entire area. You also do not have to vacuum any of the infected areas and spots that may be difficult to reach, as the heat can penetrate to those spots.

Treatment Risks

When chemical treatments are used, the professional may sometimes need to remove the backing from your mattresses’ box spring to treat infested places inside the frames. Backing removal is never required with heat treatments, so you don’t run the risk of other pests (bugs or rodents) finding a safe and warm refuge in your unprotected box spring.

Pets that tend to lick surfaces and floors may need to be kept away from the treated areas until you are able to thoroughly clean and remove any residual, potentially harmful chemicals. Heat treatment uses only heat, so there is no risk of potentially harmful chemicals being left behind for pets to ingest.

Required Treatment Time

Depending on the size of the area being treated and the degree of the infestation, chemical treatments usually take just a few hours for treatment. During that time, the professionals locate and physically treat the affected areas. However, after the treatment is completed, you will have to wait approximately 4 hours (or more) before returning to the treated area. Heat treatments don’t require the professionals to locate the affected areas, as the heat will penetrate throughout the whole treatment area. A heat treatment can be completed in under 12 hours, with full eradication of all bed bugs at completion. There is no required waiting period after treatment. You can enter the premises immediately.

Post Treatment Entry

Chemical treatments require that you wait a period, usually three weeks, for the treatment to be completely effective. During that time you are asked not to shampoo floors or carpets, as doing so could remove the residual pesticide needed to complete the eradication. After a heat treatment has been applied, eradication is complete; there is no waiting period, so you can more quickly return to life as usual.

Post Treatment Chores

Chemical treatments often require that you air out the treated rooms or areas for about an hour after treatment completion, to help remove chemical vapors that may still be floating in the air. Heat treatments do not require any airing out the area, as there are no chemicals used during the treatment.

After a chemical treatment, you can return to sleeping in your bed. However, you should first place encasements on your mattress and box spring to prevent any surviving bed bugs from escaping and biting. Heat treatments do not require encasements after treatment, as no bed bugs will survive after a properly performed heat treatment process.

After a chemical treatment, linens and clothes left in the treated areas should be washed at the hottest water temperature your washer can withstand, and dried at the hottest dryer temperature setting for at least 30 minutes. With heat treatments, there is no necessity to wash and dry linens and clothing, as there are no chemicals left behind that could irritate your skin.

How Does the Heat Treatment Process Work?

The heat treatment process relies on a combination of heaters, fans, and heat sensors to eradicate bed bug infestations. Instead of locally treating infected spots, the whole area (home, apartment, dwelling, building, etc.) is treated to ensure that all bed bugs, even those hiding in unlikely places, are destroyed.

Process Steps

  1. Treatment begins with the placement of the equipment used for heating and monitoring the whole treatment area. Included equipment is:
    • Either an electric heater placed in each room, or one or more propane heaters placed outside the entire treatment area with ducting to strategic locations within the area.
    • A high velocity, low amperage fans placed in each room (except for bathrooms)
    • Several heat recording sensors strategically placed in each room (including bathrooms) and each connected to a computer located outside the treatment area
  2. Heaters are used to gradually raise the temperature in the entire treatment area (home, apartment, building, etc.) to between 120° and 140°, which is the optimum temperature for eradicating bed bugs, including their eggs.
  3. A high-velocity low amperage fan in each room is used to circulate the heated air and evenly distribute it throughout the entire treatment area.
  4. A professional continuously monitors every sensor’s feedback on the computer and checks for possible temperature fluctuations that could potentially fall below or above the optimum range.
  5. If the professional observes that a sensor temperature is dropping, they increase the heat output on the electric heater in that room or raise the heat on the external propane heater. The professional makes sure that the temperature is raised to within the optimum range in the room while still maintaining the optimum heat range throughout the rest of the treatment area.If the professional observes that a sensor temperature is rising, they decrease the heat output to that room’s electric heater or lower the heat on the propane heater. The professional makes sure that the temperature is lowered to within the optimum range in the room while still maintaining the optimum heat range throughout the rest of the treatment area.
  6. After a set period of optimum heat has been applied, the process is ended, and the temperature is allowed to fall back to normal. At the same time, the equipment is removed. When the treated area reaches a comfortable temperature, you can re-enter the premises.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I determine if I have bed bugs?

We often recommend beginning with some form of monitoring.  If you haven’t observed any of the typical bed bug signs, or evidence we mentioned above, we find it is most helpful to put some monitoring strategies in place.  Our most common recommendation is to utilize interceptor or climb up traps, insect glue traps or insect monitors.  These typically go under or next to the feet of the area of concern (bed, couch, chair, etc).  The goal is to attempt to obtain a specimen so we can determine what type of pest you’re dealing with…

BUT… I HAVE BITES!!!!!!

This is by far the most common call we receive.  If you have bites, the most important thing to do is rule out other pests or something non-pest related.  This is why we always suggest monitoring whenever the evidence are bites alone.  When bed bugs feed (i.e., bite) they process their meal and leave behind their droppings.  This also most likely means they’re growing and therefore shedding their exoskeleton (cast skin) or laying eggs.  Thus, when bites are present, we should be finding other forms of evidence.   Given that bites can be related to a number of pests and present for a variety of reasons, alone, they’re never a good indicator of bed bug activity.

I have an older mattress/dark sheets/poor lighting in my room… How will I be able to see them?

This is a great question! Sometimes, bed bug activity can be difficult to find.  HOWEVER, bed bugs are good hiders, but they’re not as stealth as they may seem.  Whenever this question comes up, we often recommend the use of mattress and box spring encasements.  These fully zip around the mattress and/or box spring to protect these items.  As the surface is bright white, the hope is any activity will be more readily seen when inspecting and monitoring.  Also, for peace of mind, it may be helpful to use lightly colored sheets and bedding to assess if activity is present.

Bed Bug Treatment Reviews

Bed Bug ReviewMatt and everyone at Prodigy Pest Solutions are the hope, sunshine and comfort in a horrible cloudy miserable anxiety-provoking bed bug infested world.

Last year, my roommate and I had a bed bug problem in our apartment and I basically lost my mind (stay away from the internet message boards, you guys). Matt was absolutely wonderful. From the very first phone call, unlike the other exterminators I’d talked to, they were so comforting, warm and kind. Sabrina (Sabina?) gave me all the information I needed, answered all my questions (and there were a lot) and we scheduled for the team to come and heat/chemically treat our apartment.

Matt and his team showed up right on time, warned us that it would look a little crazy after treatment (your stuff gets moved all around so they can kill every little devil), answered my plethora of anxious questions (“Will you be able to kill them? Do I need a new mattress? Will I survive this? Are you SURE?”) and did their thing. After one treatment, the bugs were gone.

Not only did they get rid of the bugs BUT Matt was incredibly responsive (And still is!) I was pretty PTSD-y re: the bugs and I still send pictures of little bugs that are hanging out in my apartment to Matt to see if I need to be concerned and he gets back to me super quickly and so far, we’re bug free. I recommend Matt and his team to everyone I meet. They are wonderful good people who know their stuff and care for their clients. I wouldn’t use any other exterminator in ANY city.

Liia R.

Philadelphia, PA

Bed Bug ReviewI’m a property manager and one of my tenants suspected they had bed bugs. Of course I want to take care of this asap before they spread to other apartments. I called prodigy and spoke with Sabrina, the bedbug specialist. She was SO comforting and reassuring AND knowledgeable about bed bugs. She spent a while with me on the phone asking questions and giving tips for a visual inspection. She sent someone within a few days to do a professional inspection and found a small area near the bed with bed bugs and droppings (ewww!). We set up a heat treatment ASAP and have not found any bugs since (its been about a month – Ill keep you posted). Phew! It was pricey, (and seems to be pricey with every pest control company) but so worth it! From what I’ve heard, the heat treatment is the best way to eradicate bed bugs AND their eggs. They heated the whole apartment to 140 degrees!

What an unnerving experience for my tenants. They are now put at ease and so am I. We were all itchy thinking about it!

I appreciate all of the phone support Sabrina gave me and my tenant (we called a bunch of times) and the thorough heat treatment.

I would call these guys in a heart beat if we ever had an issue like this again. My fingers and toes are crossed that we don’t ever have to!

Laurie E.

Philadelphia, PA

Bed Bug ReviewFrom across the country, I had to deal with my mother, who suffers from dementia, and her bed bug nightmare. I finally found Sabrina after talking with myriad companies after hours of searching and, from the start, I knew I was in safe, kind, compassionate hands. Not only did Sabrina get me service scheduled in one day, she took me through the process as well as proactive measures to keep the bedbugs away in the future. She called the day of the extermination to keep me updated on progress. Five stars isn’t close to the number I’d give if I could. Prodigy Pest is the best…thank you, Sabrina!!

Suzy Rudofker

Phiadelphia, PA

Prodigy Pest Solutions utilizes the latest technology available – to eliminate any cold spots + harborage areas for bed bugs. The blue areas in the video below show the “cold spots” in the bedroom – which allows us to maintain sufficient temperatures in order to kill all stages of the Bed Bug life cycle.

Step inside one of our thermal bed bug treatments by watching the video below:

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