Heat can clear bed bugs out of a home in a single day. Crews bring in commercial heaters and fans and use sensors to watch temperatures inside mattresses, cushions and wall edges. Most El Cerrito homes are ready for use again by evening.
How Heat Gets the Job Done
Bed bugs and eggs die when high heat is held long enough, and they cannot build resistance to it as they can to some sprays. The goal is to hold even the coolest corner of each El Cerrito room at about 120°F or more, with the crew turning mattresses and shifting cushions until every layer is hot.
On Treatment Day
- PrepHeat-sensitive belongings go out, and heaters, fans and sensors are placed.
- Ramp upOver a few hours, each room climbs toward the kill temperature.
- HoldThe crew tracks readings and moves items so no cold pockets remain.
- Wrap upThe house cools, the crew checks results, and some companies add a residual product along baseboards.
Heat Treatment in El Cerrito Homes
Heat appeals to families who want no pesticide where they sleep and to owners who need a rented room back quickly. Since most houses in 94530 were built in the 1940s or earlier, a careful crew looks at the electrical panel and wiring before it runs heaters, and may bring its own power source. On steep hill lots, ask how the equipment will get to the door.
Take These Out First
- Pets, houseplants, medicine, aerosol cans, candles, crayons and makeup.
- Vinyl records, photos, instruments and anything else that could warp.
- Anything on the crew's removal list, such as some electronics.
- Leave clothes and bedding where they are unless told otherwise.
Questions About Heat Treatment
Will I be back in my bed that night?
Usually. After the rooms cool and the crew signs off, most people sleep at home the same evening.
What about my own space heater?
It will not work. According to the EPA, a household heater cannot warm a room evenly enough to kill bed bugs, and trying it is a fire risk.
How your call is handled: Bed Bug Control CA is a free referral service. When you call or send the form, you are connected with an independent, licensed pest control company that serves El Cerrito. That company inspects, quotes and does the work.