Bed Bug Treatment Cost: What Is It and How Is It Formed

Bed bugs can trigger allergic reactions and skin rashes, not to mention cause you endless discomfort. The bottom line is that they need to be dealt with; the sooner, the better. However, that’s easier said than done, as the critters are quite tough and thus require professional assistance.

So, if you

Then read along to learn the cost of bed bug treatment and how it’s formed.

Why are bed bugs so hard to get rid of?

Bed bugs have been coexisting with humans for thousands of years, you read that correctly. During that time, they have adapted in many ways, such as:

They are really, really small

Their bodies are hard, small and flat, perfect for squeezing into cracks and crevices and remaining there unnoticed. Their size also allows them to hide along baseboards, behind wallpapers and under floorboards. In this case, their name is somewhat misleading, isn’t it?

They breed constantly

The females spend their entire one-year lifespan being pregnant, with each bed bug being able to lay around 500 eggs. With a single blood meal, each can produce between 1 to 8 eggs per day for 10 days. The baby bed bugs also start to breed several months after hatching. Unless stopped, in one year, several generations of bed bugs can occur.

They can survive without food for a long time

Bed bugs can last without feeding for anywhere from 20 to 400 days, depending on the temperatures and humidity of their surroundings. That means that even if a property has been vacant for a while, you can still get bed bugs from it. The pests can also consume up to 200% of their body weight in one meal, so that will last them quite a while.

Professional bed bug control advantages over DIY methods

As you can see by now the bugs are nearly indestructible, at least by DIY means. However, professional pest controllers can deal with the problem in different ways.

Professional pest controllers have better equipment and know-how

Professional pest controllers have pesticides, bait and lure traps, fumigators and fog equipment. These tools are far better than anything you will find on the consumer market. Professionals also know how to use all the gear properly to its full potential. For example, pesticides.

A regular person will spray as much as possible. On the other hand, a professional will use just the right amount and only on the area in need of spraying. Exterminators also have respirators to protect them from toxic fumes.

Pros will save you time and money

You need time and resources to research the best pesticide, buy it and try it out. The thing is, bed bugs hide very well, and even if you manage to get some of them, it’s unlikely you will get all of them. That, in turn, makes it a never-ending cycle of you buying pesticides, spraying and having the pests return eventually. All of this hassle and money on products is saved when you have a pest controller to take care of it. Moreover…

Pest management professionals are efficient

The experts know how to properly fumigate the infested area without it affecting the rest of your home. You don’t have to worry about you or your loved ones inhaling toxic fumes after the treatment. Also, the bed bug treatment is not complete after the spraying is done.

The bodies of the dead bugs, along with their excrements and eggs should be removed, otherwise, the infestation will repeat itself. For you, it is possible to miss an egg here or dropping there, whereas the professional will find all bed bug remains and dispose of them properly.

So what is the cost of bed bugs treatment?

Mind you that the cost of professional pest control, especially bed bugs removal, is always individually calculated and so it’s very hard to talk about averages. Still, we will present some in the table below, however, take them with a huge grain of salt.

Given how stubborn a bed bug infestation can be, often a single visit from a pest controller proves insufficient. That’s why a Fantastic pest controller can provide you with a 1-month to 4-month treatment plan, based on your specific needs and the severity of the infestation.

Types of bed bug treatments

As you’ve seen from the prices table, there’s more than one way to kill off bed bugs and the proper method depends on the severity of the situation. All the methods are effective when used under the right circumstances. So, what are they?

Spraying with insecticides

Average price in London:

Between £225 – £295

When should you use it:

Sprays against bed bugs should be used when you find the pests on and on the underside of surfaces you touch frequently such as chairs and sofas. Another instance is when the bugs are in cracks, crevices and voids around electrical outlets and baseboards. Sprays generally work better for smaller infestations.

How it’s done:

A bed bug spray treatment involves 2 sometimes 3 visits from the exterminator. The first treatment takes care of the bed bugs closest to the surface, but not the ones deep in hiding. Those in hiding will eventually come out though and that’s when the second treatment will get them.

The treatment itself can take from 30 minutes to 2 hours per room. After the treatment is complete you need to wait until the product has dried before returning to your home. In most cases, your exterminator will tell you how long to wait until you return.

Heat treatment

Average price in London:

Around £525

When should you use it:

Bed bug heat treatment is used for a room or entire home severely affected by bed bugs where it makes no sense to treat only one section of the property. The heat gets everywhere no matter how many layers of bedding the bed has and kills bugs in all stages of their life cycle. This is a commonly used method for treating severe flea infestations in the house, as well.

How it’s done:

Before the treatment, it’s important to remove any family members, pets, plants and heat-sensitive items from the room. The temperature is not high enough to cause permanent damage to the structure of your home, so don’t worry about that.

Afterwards, the exterminator will set the equipment in the room and switch it on. They will also set thermometers, to monitor the temperature. The process will take between 6 and 8 hours depending on the severity of the infestation. For these reasons, bed bugs heat treatment costs are higher than other treatments.

Steam treatment

Average price in London:

Between £240-£340.

When should you use it:

When you find bed bugs on surfaces of beds, chairs and etc. It can penetrate nearly 2cm into the fabric, so you can also use it on cracks, crevices and gaps to kill bed bugs.

How it’s done:

The exterminator will start from one area and move slowly so they cover every centimetre of the infected piece of furniture. They will also keep the velocity low, as not to blow the bed bugs and their eggs across the room.

Bed bug treatment price factors

If you wonder why it’s so hard to give an average bed bug treatment price, this is why:

How will a bed bug removal service go?

To make the most of your bed bug treatment, it’s highly recommended you make the initial preparations. These actions are entirely up to you and not to the pest exterminator, so do not ignore them. Here is what you do!

Preparations

1. Relocate kids, and pets (including fish) before the treatment.
2. Remove all infested bedding and clothes and wash them in a high-degree setting. 60°C to 90°C will be enough.
3. Hoover all areas in the infested room, especially under the bed. Afterwards, dispose of the bag.

When you’re done, the pest exterminator will perform one or all of the following pest treatment procedures depending on the infestation.

Chemical treatment

The bed bug treatment is done in two visits two weeks apart from each other.

1. The exterminator will treat the infested areas with one product on the first visit.
2. After the first visit, it’s highly recommended you sleep in your bed as you normally would. This is so you would attract the pests and they would pass through the treated spots and perish.
3. The exterminator will use a different product on the second visit. The point is not to let the bugs adapt to the pesticide.

There is an eco-friendly alternative to pest sprays. Unlike that method, here the professional uses only steamers and fabric detergents on the affected area. The detergent will wash away the faecal matter of the bugs along with their eggs. If the infestation is small enough, you can go with steam treatment instead of chemicals. Still, ask your exterminator.

Heat treatment

The exterminator will carry out an initial inspection of your home.

1. If the infestation proves severe, they will later return with either an electric or diesel-fueled heater.
2. The device will raise the temperature of the infested room to 56°C and kill all pests in a matter of hours. This is by fast the most successful method each company has against the pests.
3. The professional might deem it necessary to return in two weeks, this time to treat the formerly infested areas with spray, just in case.

FAQ