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Identifying a Need for Bed Bug Extermination

The earlier you identify a bed bug infestation, the easier and cheaper it will be to get rid of it. A bed bug exterminator pro will help you quickly confirm if you have an infestation or if the infestation is something else, like carpet beetles. Hire a bed bug exterminator the moment you notice any of these sure signs of infestation.

  1. Blood spots on the bed sheets and mattress: Bed bugs feed off the blood of humans and animals. You should, therefore, look for reddish or rusty stains on your mattress or bed sheets, which are caused when you crush bed bugs in your sleep or intentionally.
  2. Bite marks: Bed bugs usually bite at night. Their bites pierce the skin so they can suck blood through their beaks. Bed bug bites are characterized by itchy spots on the skin, which are purple for people with dark skin and red for those with lighter skin. Bed bugs usually leave a group of bites in a zigzag pattern or a straight row, but the bites can also be random. Note it can take a few days for the marks to be noticeable. The bites are usually on exposed areas of the body, such as the hands, the neck, and the face.
  3. Musty odour: Bed bugs’ pheromones produce a musty odour, like the smell of wet laundry, mildew, or a damp basement. As the infestation grows, the smell of fecal matter and dead bugs mix with the pheromones for an intense ‘rusty’ odour.
  4. Other signs bed bug inspections expose are bed bug excrement, which are small dark spots, and eggs and eggshells, which measure around 1 mm and are pale yellow in colour.

Professional inspections will help confirm an infestation and pinpoint where the bugs are hiding. At PestLine, we are committed to finding one bed bug at a time.

The Dangers of Bed Bug Bites

Many people confuse the signs and symptoms of bed bug bites with those of chickenpox. It is important to differentiate the signs and symptoms of chicken pox vs. bug bites so you can seek the proper remedy.

Chickenpox Signs and Symptoms

Chickenpox, which is also called varicella, is a virus that is common in school-age children and anyone else who has not been vaccinated. It takes a few days after infection to notice the signs and symptoms. Early symptoms include fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, and headache. At the height of the condition, symptoms include pus-filled red blisters in the form of a rash that bursts when scratched. These symptoms are often worse for adults. These red blisters are the reason why people confuse chickenpox with bed bug bites.

Bed bug Bite Signs and Symptoms

Bed bug bites are often itchy, and flesh wounds are not uncommon as people scratch in their sleep. They are also characterized by swelling, redness, and tender bumps. Germs can enter these wounds, causing infections like impetigo, cellulitis, and boils. Some people also get allergic reactions to bed bug bites, such as anaphylactic shock for people who are hypersensitive to insect bites. This can be life-threatening. Other common bed bug issues include sleep deprivation, scaring, and stress.

Why Choose Professional Bed Bug Extermination?

You should get rid of bed bugs to make your home a haven for your family and pets. Some Canadians opt for DIY bed bug removal, but there are several reasons why you should hire a bed bug removal expert in Canada.

Benefits of hiring a bed bug exterminator near me

  • Expertise: Bed bugs are very hard to eliminate because of how fast they reproduce and how well they hide. An exterminator has the experience to know where to look.
  • Safety: Some of the insecticides and chemicals used to fight bed bugs are toxic. You will be risking your health and that of your family without proper safety gear, and you will be risking damage to your home and belongings with products that are too aggressive.
  • Less Pesticides: Pros tend to use less pesticide because of their targeted approach and use of specialized equipment.
  • Convenience: Dealing with bed bugs can be time and energy-consuming. A professional will usually do the job in a day. If you do the job yourself, you will still have bed bugs after 3 treatments. A professional will also clean up after the extermination.
  • Cost Benefits: When you hire a professional, you will not have to buy the pesticide and equipment needed for the job.
  • Professional Advice: A professional will give you professional advice, such as how to keep bed bugs away after the extermination.

Do you want to get rid of bed bugs once and for all? At PestLine, we are well-rounded pest control experts. Our team is certified, well-trained, and well-equipped for the job.

Bed Bug Extermination Locally

There are several Barrie bed bug removal services, but some are better than others. You should go for a company that has a local presence.

So, what is the importance of bed bug control near me? Local exterminators hire local employees. The employees of a local exterminator will be familiar with the area and find your home quickly. Follow-up visits are also easier with exterminators who have a strong local presence. A local exterminator will have personalized customer service and will be more available. It is also possible to verify the reputation of a local exterminator through referrals. You can find a bed bug removal service through referrals from friends, family, or colleagues, sites like Yelp and Angi, and online reviews.

A good local bed bug removal service is one that uses approved chemicals and pesticides that are environmentally friendly, employs an integrated pest management approach, is licensed, and has an experienced and certified team. At PestLine, we tick all the boxes. We help commercial and residential clients get rid of bed bugs in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area 24/7, all year round. We do everything from inspection to analysis and from treatment to monitoring.

Bed Bug Extermination Near Me

What is the best bed bug killer in Canada? Bed bugs are challenging to get rid of – the task should be left to a professional. There are several options available when it comes to bed bug removal. Below are the common treatments:

Bed bug heat treatment

Heat is an effective bed bug killer and can be used in different ways. For instance, portable heat chambers and hot dryers can be used on infested household items, and larger heat chambers on furniture. Steam can be used in the treatment of infested carpets, upholstered furniture, behind baseboards, and professional heating systems on entire rooms and structures.

The greatest benefits of heat treatment are that it can kill bed bugs in all their stages, including eggs, and is non-toxic. However, heat has no residual activity, meaning bed bugs that escape the treatment can re-infest again. Bed bugs cannot hide from the heat, making this an effective solution for bed bugs that have hidden in hard-to-reach places. Bed bugs shed their skin 5 times in their lifespan. If they had been exposed to any type of insecticide, the new layer they develop is resistant to those substances. Heat is effective in these pesticide-resistant bugs. There is also no evacuation needed with heat treatment.

Chemical treatments

Ensure any chemical that is used to treat bed bugs is approved. These include pyrethroids and pyrethrins, which are derived from chrysanthemum flowers, desiccants like diatomaceous earth and boric acid, biochemicals like cold-pressed neem oil, pyrroles, insect-growth regulators, and neonicotinoids, which is synthetic nicotine.

So, will raid kill bed bugs? Raid is one of the best-known bug killers in Canada. Other options worth considering are FenvaStar EcoCap, Bedlam Plus Bed Bug Spray, Bio-Advanced Plus Insect Killer Spray, and Harris Bed Bug Spray.

Post-Treatment Precautions From Bed Bug Extermination Company

How long after fumigation for bed bugs is it safe?

You should not enter your home or the treated roof for at least 4 to 5 hours after the treatment. Talk to a doctor should any member of your family be negatively affected by the treatment.

Protecting your mattress during bed bug treatment

You should take precautions to protect your mattresses and pillows before treatment. This can be done by sealing mattresses in mattress encasements and pillows in vinyl pillow covers. However, this is not enough to protect your family and pets after treatment. If you are using aggressive chemicals or pesticides, consider using bed bug spray for a mattress – these sprays are made explicitly for mattresses and are less aggressive.

Cleaning methods after bed bug treatment

Disinfect all surfaces: Disinfect all surfaces, particularly the bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom, to remove treatment residue.

Vacuuming bed bugs: Vacuum the sleeping area and other treated places for at least four days following the treatment.

Apartment Bugs: Common Places for Infestations

Bed bug infestations are common in rental properties like apartments. They usually come with tenants and can migrate through the walls. You must know where apartment bugs usually hide so you can have targeted treatment.

In the bedroom: The bedroom is usually the most infested part of any apartment. You can find bed bugs in the seams of your mattress, in the piping and seams of your box springs, and in the crevices and cracks of your headboard or bed frame.

Bed bugs on the coach: Outside the bedroom, the most common place where bed bugs usually hide is in the seams of coaches. You can also find them in the seams of chairs, in the fold of curtains, between cushions, on electrical appliances and receptacles, and in drawer joints.

Other common hiding areas that bed bug extermination experts look at are under loose wall hangings and wallpaper, at the junction of the ceiling and the wall, along baseboards, in the spines and bindings of books, and inside the heads of screws.

Hire an Expert

At PestLine, we are extermination experts. We are committed to finding one bed bug at a time. We do this by thoroughly inspecting all possible hiding places before and after treatment.

Apartment Bugs: Preventive Measures

Only through bed bug inspections will you be able to pinpoint the infested areas. An inspection allows for targeted bed bug treatment. Other than checking infestation areas, an inspection also covers:

  • Checking the life stages the bed bugs are in
  • Checking where the bed bugs are getting their food
  • Confirming the breeding grounds, the travel lines, and where the bed bugs shed their skins

An inspection is one of our bed bug exterminator company services and takes between 30 minutes and 1 hour. A professional will check the mattress, bedding, baseboards, bed, nightstand, coaches and sofas, and other places where people and pets sleep and relax for an extended duration.

Other than inspection, other bed bug exterminator services to expect are bed bug treatment, prevention, and post-treatment monitoring. Avoid the temptation of killing bed bugs with heat yourself because you do not have the skills, chemicals, equipment, and protective gear for bed bug treatment.

Apartment Bugs: Myths and Misconceptions

There are many myths and misconceptions about bed bugs. The most common of these include:

Does cold kill bed bugs and their eggs? While freezing items that are bed bug-infested at 0°F and below kills bed bugs and their eggs, this takes time. The item should be left in the freezer for at least four days. The longer and the colder the temperature, the better.

Haven’t seen a bed bug in a month – are they really gone? It is usually safe to start celebrating after six to eight weeks without a bed bug bite. However, follow-up treatments are always advised because bed bugs can survive two to six months without a meal.

Only dirty homes get bed bugs: Bed bugs only care about their blood meals. However, it is easy to spot bed bugs early in a clean house before the infestation spreads.

If one room has bed bugs, do they all? Although bed bugs do not fly or jump, they move around quickly and will travel to any place to get their next blood meal.

Bed Bug Exterminator In Your Area

Bed bugs are tough to get rid of without expert help. This is because they are small and can hide in hard-to-reach places, multiply quickly, and survive for long durations without feeding. You should get rid of bed bugs in your apartment the moment you notice them because they cause several mental health problems like insomnia and anxiety, physical health problems like allergic reactions, and economic problems.

At PestLine, we use tried and tested bed bug treatment techniques for guaranteed results. We do everything from inspections to vacuuming bed bugs after treatment. Call us today at (416) 567-1135 for all your pest control needs.

Our Process

Conventional Extermination

01
Spray Treatment
Application: Chemical Targets: Eggs, Nymphs, Adults Residual Effect: 90-180 days
Spray Treatment
02
Dust Treatment
Application: Chemical Targets: Nymphs, Adults Residual Effect: 90 days
Dust Treatment
  • PROS
  • More cost-effective treatment
  • Effective against early infestation of bed bugs
  • CONS
  • Chemicals cannot be applied to areas that come into direct contact with skin (tops of mattress, sofa cushions etc.)
  • Slower process, chemical takes time to effectively eliminate the bed bug infestation
  • May require discarding of furniture to be effective
  • Improper or overuse may lead to pesticide resistence

4-IN-1 EXTERMINATION

01
Targeted Heat/Steam
Application: Portable Heat Gun/Steamer Residual Effect: None Targets: Eggs, Nymphs, Adults
Targeted Heat/Steam
02
Dust Treatment
Application: Chemical Targets: Nymphs, Adults Residual Effect: 90 days
Dust Treatment
03
Spray/Aprehend Treatment
Application: Chemical/Bio Pesticide Residual Effect: 90-180 days Targets: Eggs, Nymphs, Adults
Spray/Aprehend Treatment
04
HEPA-filtered Vac
Application: Physical Targets: Eggs, Nymphs, Adults Residual Effect: None
HEPA-filtered Vac
  • PROS
  • Faster results, bed bugs are eliminated in less time
  • Aprehend application targets the entire colony of bed bugs
  • Effective against pesticide resistant bed bugs
  • Targeted Heat application to areas that come into direct contact with skin (tops of mattress, sofa cushions etc.)
  • Effective against more difficult infestations
  • CONS
  • Costs approx. 50% more on average compared to the Conventional Extermination (due to more extensive labour + additional product cost)