Bed Bug Heat Treatment Prep Tips

Whether you are performing heat treatments for a client or at your own home or business, it’s important to kill bed bugs as quickly as possible.  The faster you respond to a bed bug sighting the better chance you have of killing the bugs before they spread to other rooms or areas in the structure.  To help all of our users perform the most effective heat treatment possible we have compiled the list below with tips and best practices for performing ultra-effective treatments, every time!

1. Always seal the room(s) to make sure none of the heat can escape the room.  This ensures that the entire treatment time is effective, and it is more effective to keep a steady temperature for the entire treatment duration.  Pay specially attention to HVAC vents, light fixtures, bathroom exhaust fans, under doors and windows.  It is recommended that you cover all windows with blankets to reduce the loss of energy in the room.
2. Remove any items that could be damaged by heat. If you wouldn’t leave it in your car on a sunny day then you should remove it from the treatment area.  Be sure to do a throughout inspection of all items before they are removed.  Don’t forget candles, lighters and other flammable items, food and meltable candies.
3. Unplug everything! Make sure you unplug all electrical items and make sure these items are not directly in front of the heater.  Most electrical items are safe to stay in the treatment area, but to avoid damage just make sure that the heaters aren’t blowing directly onto the items.
4. For your clothes it is best to place them in plastic bags and then wash and dry them on high. Make sure they are in the dryer for at least 20 minutes on the highest heat.  Never leave clothes laying on the floor or in piles in the treatment area.  These piles will act as insulated areas and will be difficult to heat properly.
5. Open all your drawers and sperate items so air can flow effective.
6. Prop up your mattress and/or box spring so all that hot air can get contact to all surfaces.
7. When placing your fans in the room, make sure that they are all blowing in the same direction along the walls to circulate the hot air into every area of the room. If possible, it is most effective to have at least 1 fan for each wall.  You may need to consider adding more fans if it doesn’t feel like a tornado in the treatment area.
8. Carefully place the heater in an area where the air from the heater is being swept up by the fans instead of being directed at furniture or walls. This ensures the hottest air is being circulated and that your furniture and structure aren’t damaged by the high temperatures.
9. Each heater can heat approx. 150 sq ft, in a normal room with a 9’ ceiling. You can never have too much equipment in a room.  Add heaters if there is any question on where you have enough.
10. Always check for fire sprinklers installed in a building before you begin a treatment. Keep heat away from the fire sprinklers!  For more info see: https://convectex.com/collections/accessories/products/sprinkler-head-cover
11. Building constructed from block or concrete will require more heat because these building materials are more conductive of energy than drywall. This means that you will need 50% more power for these rooms.  Not all building materials heat the same, so make sure you know your space before starting a treatment.

Convectex wants you to be successful in killing bed bugs with our heaters.  If you have any questions on how to perform treatments with your Convectex Heaters please consider attending one of our training courses.  We will teach you ALL the tips and tricks to perform super effective treatments.  The training program is affordable and will set you up for success!  If you have any questions regarding our treatment packages, training or using your equipment please give us a call at 877-375-0005

Click Here For a Printable Heat Prep Sheets