Serving Edmonton for over 120 years

Can bed bugs spread to other rooms in my house?

Can bed bugs spread to other rooms in my house?

Yes, bed bugs can easily spread to other rooms in a house. They are adept at hitchhiking on clothing, luggage, furniture, and other items that are moved from one room to another. Additionally, bed bugs can travel through small spaces and cracks in walls, floors, and ceilings, enabling them to move between adjacent rooms or apartments. Their small size and flat bodies make it easy for them to hide and be inadvertently transported, increasing the risk of spreading throughout a home. Regular inspection and cleanliness can help prevent their spread, but professional extermination is often necessary if an infestation occurs.

Bed bugs can spread between rooms in a house through various means, making them particularly challenging to contain once they’ve established themselves in one area. Here are some detailed ways in which they can spread:

  1. Hitchhiking on Personal Belongings: Bed bugs are notorious for latching onto clothing, luggage, backpacks, and other personal items. If these items are moved from one infested room to another, the bed bugs can easily be transported along.
  2. Furniture Movement: Moving furniture from one room to another can inadvertently carry bed bugs. This includes items like beds, sofas, and dressers where bed bugs often hide.
  3. Through Wall Voids and Ducts: In multi-unit buildings, bed bugs can travel through small cracks and voids in walls, floors, and ceilings, spreading from one apartment or room to another. They can also move along electrical wiring and plumbing pipes.
  4. Passive Migration: Bed bugs may also migrate passively when there is a heavy infestation in one room. In search of food (blood meals), they might travel to adjacent rooms.
  5. Crawling: Bed bugs don’t fly or jump, but they can crawl relatively quickly. They can easily move across floors and walls to reach new areas.
  6. Spread via Shared Laundry Facilities: In shared living spaces or apartment buildings, using communal laundry facilities can be a mode of spreading bed bugs. They may hitch a ride on infested clothing or bedding.
  7. Lack of Barriers: In homes without proper sealing or barriers, bed bugs find it easier to move between rooms. This can be exacerbated in older buildings with many cracks and crevices.
  8. Visitor Movement: Guests unknowingly carrying bed bugs on their belongings can introduce them into new environments. Similarly, if someone from an infested room visits another, they might bring along these pests.
  9. Amateur Pest Control: Sometimes, if not done properly, pest control treatments in one area can cause bed bugs to scatter into other parts of the house to avoid the chemicals.

 

Due to their small size and ability to survive for months without feeding, bed bugs are challenging pests to control and require a comprehensive approach to manage and eliminate. Regular inspection, cleanliness, and professional pest control services are key to preventing and controlling bed bug infestations.

Bed Bugs

Bed Bugs can come from anywhere and they can be hard to get rid of without professional help.

Professional Pest Control Services

Don't let bugs take over - call Birch Fumigators today! Get a Free Estimate (Within the Edmonton Area). Go with the best pest control company Edmonton.

Professional Pest Control Services

Don't let bugs take over - call Birch Fumigators today! Get a Free Estimate (Within the Edmonton Area). Go with the best pest control company Edmonton.

Related FAQs

The Impact of Temperature on Bed Bug Eggs

Eradicating bed bug eggs is a critical step in controlling an infestation. Research and practical applications have shown that exposing bed bug eggs to temperatures of at least 113 degrees Fahrenheit (45 degrees Celsius) is necessary to ensure their extermination. This level of heat effectively disrupts the development process of the eggs, leading to the elimination of the next generation of bed bugs before they have a chance to hatch and spread.

The Effectiveness of Heat Treatment

Heat treatment is a highly effective method for tackling bed bug infestations. This approach involves raising the temperature of the affected area to a point where bed bugs and their eggs cannot survive. Unlike chemical treatments, heat treatment penetrates cracks and crevices, furniture, and other hidden areas where bed bugs are likely to reside, ensuring a comprehensive reach.

Benefits of Professional Heat Treatment

While heat treatment might seem straightforward, implementing it effectively requires precision and expertise. Professional exterminators, such as Birch Fumigators, are equipped with the tools and knowledge to apply heat treatment safely and efficiently. Professionals ensure that the temperature is maintained at an adequate level for a suitable duration, guaranteeing the elimination of bed bugs and their eggs without damaging your property or belongings.

Why Seek Professional Guidance?

When facing a bed bug infestation, the guidance of a professional exterminator can be invaluable. Professionals can assess the severity of the infestation, recommend the most effective treatment plan, and carry out the extermination process with minimal disruption to your daily life. Additionally, professional exterminators can advise you on preventing future infestations and safeguarding your home against bed bugs in the long term.

Choosing Birch Fumigators for Bed Bug Extermination

Selecting Birch Fumigators for your bed bug extermination needs ensures that you opt for a team of seasoned professionals who prioritize your safety and satisfaction. With their expertise in heat treatment, Birch Fumigators offers a non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and highly effective solution to your bed bug problem. By choosing Birch Fumigators, you benefit from a comprehensive approach to bed bug extermination, ensuring that bed bugs and their eggs are eradicated from your home, giving you peace of mind and a pest-free environment.

If you’re struggling with bed bugs and need a reliable, effective solution, consider Birch Fumigators for professional extermination services. Contact Birch Fumigators today to learn more about their heat treatment options and to schedule a consultation. With Birch Fumigators, you can rest assured that your bed bug infestation will be handled with the utmost care and professionalism.

Bat bugs, closely related to bed bugs, primarily feed on bat blood but can survive and even thrive in environments without their primary host. In the absence of bats, bat bugs may turn to feed on human blood, displaying a degree of adaptability to new food sources. This transition typically occurs when bats leave their roost or are excluded from a building, leaving bat bugs behind to seek new hosts. Although bat bugs prefer bats, they can live for up to a year without feeding, giving them ample time to find alternative hosts in human occupants. This makes them capable of sustaining their population in homes, even without bats, as long as they have access to blood meals from humans or pets. The presence of bat bugs in living spaces without bats highlights the importance of comprehensive pest management, including humane removal of bats, sealing entry points to prevent their return, and addressing any remaining bat bugs with professional pest control measures. Ensuring that all potential hosts are removed or inaccessible can help avoid bugs of a bat from establishing a presence in human living areas.

Yes, there are methods and substances that can kill bed bugs nearly instantly or within a very short time frame. Here are a few:

  1. Heat: Bed bugs are highly sensitive to heat. If exposed to temperatures of 118°F (48°C) or higher for 90 minutes or more, they will die. Many professional exterminators use heat treatments, where they raise the temperature in a room or entire home to these lethal levels to kill bed bugs in all life stages. Portable heaters and fans are used to heat the room to about 135°F (57°C) for several hours, ensuring the heat penetrates all potential hiding spots.
  2. Cold: While heat is more commonly used, extreme cold can also kill bed bugs. They begin to die when exposed to temperatures below 0°F (-18°C) for at least four days. However, this method might be less practical for many people, especially for treating larger areas.
  3. High-proof Alcohol: Rubbing alcohol (90% or higher) can kill bed bugs on contact. However, it doesn’t have long-lasting residual effects, so it’s only effective when directly sprayed on the bugs. Due to its flammability, it should be used with caution.
  4. Direct Steam: Steam cleaners emitting a high-temperature jet of steam can kill bed bugs almost instantly upon contact. This method is especially effective for treating mattresses, furniture, and other areas where bed bugs are likely to be hiding.
  5. Diatomaceous Earth: While not “instant,” food-grade diatomaceous earth is a natural insect killer that works relatively quickly. It’s a fine powder made from fossilized remains of tiny aquatic organisms called diatoms. When bed bugs come into contact with this powder, it damages their exoskeletons, dehydrating and killing them. While it might take a few hours to a couple of days for the bed bugs to die after coming into contact, it’s an effective longer-term strategy when placed in bed bug traffic areas.

It’s important to note that while these methods can kill bed bugs on contact or within a short time frame, addressing a full-blown infestation often requires a combination of treatments and a more comprehensive approach. Always take safety precautions when using any treatment, and when in doubt, consult with a pest control professional.

Adult bed bugs are small, brownish-red insects that feed on blood. Bed bug nymphs (immature bed bugs) are smaller and lighter in color. Bed bugs often hide in mattresses, bedding, or furniture. If you think your home may have an infestation, please contact us to arrange for an inspection by one of our trained professionals.

Preventing a bed bug infestation when travelling requires proactive measures to minimize the risk of encountering and bringing these pests back home. Firstly, it is advisable to research and choose accommodations with a reputation for cleanliness and proactive pest control practices. Upon arrival, inspect the room thoroughly, focusing on the bed, mattress, and nearby furniture. Look for signs of bed bugs, such as live bugs, dark stains, or shed skins. If any signs are found, request a room change away from the infested area. During your stay, keep your luggage elevated and away from the bed and furniture. Consider using luggage stands or placing luggage in sealed plastic bags for extra protection. After returning home, carefully inspect luggage and clothing before bringing them inside. Wash and dry all clothing on high heat to kill any potential bed bugs. By being vigilant and taking these precautions, you can significantly reduce the risk of a bed bug infestation while travelling.

Heat treatment is a process of using high temperatures to kill bed bugs and their eggs. This is a great option for people who are moving out of an infested area, as it will prevent the bed bugs from following you back home.

 

BIRCH FUMIGATORS

est. 1900

Don't Let Bugs Get the Best of You

BIRCH FUMIGATORS

est. 1900

Don't Let Bugs Get the Best of You